Review: Zom-B (Zom-B #1) by Darren Shan

 

Zom-B (Zom-B #1) by Darren Shan

Publication Date: October 16th 2012

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 174

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library

Read: July 18 to 19, 2013

Goodreads

 

 

~Summary~

 

When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke-- but even if it isn't, he figures, it's ok to lose a few Irish.
B doesn't fully buy into Dad's racism, but figures it's easier to go along with it than to risk the fights and abuse that will surely follow sticking up for Muslims, blacks, or immigrants. And when dodging his fists doesn't work, B doesn't hesitate to take the piss out of kids at school with a few slaps or cruel remarks.
That is, until zombies attack the school. B is forced on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight off their pursuers.

 

 

~My Thoughts~

That summary above, I may be read once, but I don't remember clearly. However this one down below is what I went by. It’s the summary that was on the library site and on the actually dust jacket of the book.

“When the news starts reporting a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's father thinks it's a hoax-but even if it isn't, the two of them joke, it's only the Irish, right? That is, until zombies actually attack the school. B is forced on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight off their pursuers. But when they come face-to-face with the ravenous, oozing corpses, all bets are off. There are no friends. No allies. Just whatever it takes to survive.”

So following that one, I felt like it was completely bull. Okay, maybe there is little truth but only for the last 50 (more or less) pages. Which is sad because they were actually more decent than the first three-quarters of the book. But not by much either. The first 3/4 of the book it’s all about, pretty much, racism. B's father is hardcore when it comes to that and sadly over the years, it has turned B into one too. However, B doesn't think so.

Yeah, shut up B, you are one! I personally disliked B and because of my hate for the main character I was going to stop reading the book, maybe throw it at a wall hoping to hurt B like he hurts other kids. But something just wouldn't let me stop and that, ladies and gentlemen, would have been the zombie aspect of the book. Though to my disappointment they weren't the stars, they were barely in the book and you can just tell this is a start to a series. But am I going to continue it, maybe. I don't really know but I do know is that I loved the ending to this one. Revenge is a bitch B, didn't anyone teach you that?

So let’s talk more about B. This is going to spoil the book for you but if you know this twist, I so did not freaking see coming, you may enjoy this short way more than I did. *Spoil alert, B is a fucking GIRL?!?!* Are you kidding me? This whole entire time I've been picturing a guy as the main character and it's actually a girl! My mind was blown but not at all in a good way. I was just so completely dumbfounded, that I just had no words to express but what the fuck.....what the f.....wtf....over and over again. I just couldn't believe it.

 

 

Though you too will think it’s a guy because she shaves her head and dresses like a dude, so it’s easy to believe. But when the father said out her name at the end and said, "My girl, my girl." I thought he was joking. My jaw dropped, eyes wide, and I had to read that part over many times. I even flipped back into the book to see if I could find any clues that this main character was actually a girl. But the author did well with that twist. Did I like it though? Yeah, kind of. I mean, now explains why she was getting into fights with girls and actually getting away with it. The whole entire time I thought it was a guy beating/bullying girls and that totally pissed me off. Especially since she was in these fights, in public, with her mates around so I couldn't believe they allowed him to beat on them. Now I know why, because he is actually a she. Seriously, my mind was so furious after I finished the book. I just couldn't comprehend it.

Overall I'm not at all a big fan. I thought this was supposed to be a zombie book, not the crap I got. This book deals with a strong subject which is racism but the thing is it took over the book. I would have been fine with it however there was no point at all to the racism. I thought it was going to lead into why the zombies are attacking. The way the plot was leading I thought the zombies were created to go after anyone that wasn't white but in truth, that's not at all correct. So, I don't see what that element of the book really is supposed to stand for. I believe it clearly could have been different and/or shouldn't have been written into the book in the first place.

Not to offend anyone, including me as I'm a self-published author, but this should have been self-published. It screams like it should have been one, not published by any publishing house because I don't see enough of a good story here. What was the point of it? Maybe they see something out of the series but for this book, it isn't strong enough. The only aspect that was strong was when the zombies came into play but again they had very small parts.

 

It will make you shrill

 

Sweet Readings Everybody!