I really liked this. It was super creepy, and well written, and featured some surprisingly well-rounded out characters. Even though we only get a glimpse of the people that Sgt Parks, Dr. Caldwall, Miss Justineau, and the Private were before the Breakdown, we have a very solid idea of what they’ve become. Then there’s poor Melanie, who has only existed post-Breakdown.
“…then like Pandora, opening the great big box of the world and not being afraid, not even caring whether what’s inside is good or bad. Because it’s both. Everything is always both. But you have to open it to find that out.”
I would honestly recommend not knowing too much about this one before starting it. It took me 100 pages just to figure out exactly what kind of monsters we were dealing with here, and I enjoyed the tease that led to it. Basically, it’s another post-apocalyptic novel, where monsters have taken over the planet after some kind of epidemic and small groups of humans still exist. Our particular humans run a school/base that tests children who have specific attributes, in this strange new world.
It’s really well-written — very tight and fast paced. There’s a good balance between dark humor, icky gore and the occasional sad moment. Really an excellent read, overall.
