I have to come back and comment later this evening, but I noticed you link to the guest review someone did for Feed on JRT. If you don't mind, I prefer you link the review I did. Here is the URL:
Alright, now I can comment! Sorry for arriving so late. I got a bit distracted with Halloween preparations. ;)
The sibling relationship was my least favorite part of the book. I'm very close to my brother (we are about a year apart and frequently people think we are twins), but cringed at the thought of us ever interacting like Shaun & Georgia. That's unfair, considering we weren't raised the same way and we just aren't the same people (i.e. we are real-they are not), but their level of closeness bordered on creepy too much for my taste. That's worse for me if it's as you speculate and they are "brother and sister" in name only, as they were raised, and not by blood. I can't articulate well at the moment why it's worse, but for me, at the moment, it is.
I absolutely loved the blogging and political/social focus of the novel. It made Feed into so much more than "just a zombie novel" (by itself, would have been fine, but not as dynamic or interesting). It meant people were being affected by the prolonged invasion (how awesome
( ... )
I won't rehash the Georgia/Shaun relationship here, but I will point out the fantastic comments people have made regarding the relationship and how they think it was supposed to be viewed (one, they aren't biologically related, that's been proven by the text and two, their relationship isn't supposed to be healthy and/or awesome. It's supposed to creep you out).
I'm glad you had the time to comment. In some ways, I'm reminded a wee bit of The Walking Dead graphic novel series, because we don't see ground zero, though the story picks up rather shortly thereafter, but we DO see the focus on survival and what it means to be and stay human during such an apocalypse. Good stuff, though I suspect the television adaptation will do it better, if only for the benefit of hindsight.
Ah, ok. Well I guess I missed that whole conversation! If their relationship is intentionally creepy, then job well done, but it still doesn't ingratiate that aspect of the book to me.
I'm a little worried there'll be some imaginary conversation back and forth in the next book. There was a point at the end where I think Shaun begins imagining he's talking to George and has a dialogue with her, or at least what he thinks she might say... That kind of thing never works well for me. It comes off as contrived rather than as a grieving tool.
Yes, I will be reading the sequel. I wouldn't miss it! I have gotten so many friends to read this book and am excited for Deadline. :)
Well, the question is whether or not Georgia and Shaun are brother and sister because they were raised in the same home, or they're brother and sister because they have the same set of biological parents. There's a difference, and I think, in their case, it's the former. And that's why it's interesting.
Something's wrong with the book club poll. Every time I try to submit my answers, I keep getting an error message.
As for the book itself, I'm afraid I wasn't quite so impressed as you were. Then again, I'm not the person an author would want judging her zombie book.
I'll re-read this & post something more coherent tomorrow when it's not gone 11pm on Saturday night & I've had a beer or two ;) But, I wanted to point out one thing - from the text I'm pretty sure Georgia & Shaun are not blood siblings. On pg 22 (in my copy) it says:
[...]- neither of us came with an original birth certificate when we were adopted, but the doctors estimated me as being at least three weeks ahead of him.
And obviously you can't have an age difference of a few weeks in blood sibs.
That was the other example I was trying to remember. Biologically speaking, I think the only way that can happen with biological siblings is if there's serious issues with the delivery. It sometimes happens with fraternal twins, but probably not with a three week delay.
Yeah, I guess it's possible for them to still be blood sibs. But I read that (particularly as it comes so early) as a cue to the reader that they weren't blood relatives, so that we knew the incestuous undertones to their relationship weren't "real" incest.
I just finished the book, specifically for the challenge. I'll be reviewing it on my LJ in the next couple of days? In short: I loved it as well... even if it does have the odd flaw (as you point out).
Comments 118
http://jawasreadtoo.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/feed-arc-by-mira-grant/
Thanks! :)
Reply
The sibling relationship was my least favorite part of the book. I'm very close to my brother (we are about a year apart and frequently people think we are twins), but cringed at the thought of us ever interacting like Shaun & Georgia. That's unfair, considering we weren't raised the same way and we just aren't the same people (i.e. we are real-they are not), but their level of closeness bordered on creepy too much for my taste. That's worse for me if it's as you speculate and they are "brother and sister" in name only, as they were raised, and not by blood. I can't articulate well at the moment why it's worse, but for me, at the moment, it is.
I absolutely loved the blogging and political/social focus of the novel. It made Feed into so much more than "just a zombie novel" (by itself, would have been fine, but not as dynamic or interesting). It meant people were being affected by the prolonged invasion (how awesome ( ... )
Reply
I'm glad you had the time to comment. In some ways, I'm reminded a wee bit of The Walking Dead graphic novel series, because we don't see ground zero, though the story picks up rather shortly thereafter, but we DO see the focus on survival and what it means to be and stay human during such an apocalypse. Good stuff, though I suspect the television adaptation will do it better, if only for the benefit of hindsight.
Do you think you'll read the sequel?
Reply
I'm a little worried there'll be some imaginary conversation back and forth in the next book. There was a point at the end where I think Shaun begins imagining he's talking to George and has a dialogue with her, or at least what he thinks she might say... That kind of thing never works well for me. It comes off as contrived rather than as a grieving tool.
Yes, I will be reading the sequel. I wouldn't miss it! I have gotten so many friends to read this book and am excited for Deadline. :)
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
As for the book itself, I'm afraid I wasn't quite so impressed as you were. Then again, I'm not the person an author would want judging her zombie book.
Reply
Reply
Reply
[...]- neither of us came with an original birth certificate when we were adopted, but the doctors estimated me as being at least three weeks ahead of him.
And obviously you can't have an age difference of a few weeks in blood sibs.
Reply
That was the other example I was trying to remember. Biologically speaking, I think the only way that can happen with biological siblings is if there's serious issues with the delivery. It sometimes happens with fraternal twins, but probably not with a three week delay.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment