Feed by Mira Grant
Pages: 599
Published Date: 2010
Publisher: Orbit
Started: May 21, 2012
End: June 2, 2012
The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we had created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.
Now, twenty years after the rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives—the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.
I’m behind from my yearlong challenge, the quantity challenge which sponsored by Goodreads, for the past two months. It’s like I’m working twenty-four seven in the outside world without knowing that I’m lying on my bed without doing something, idle for hours and it’s becoming my favourite habit. Well, Feed, Feed is another issue. I read slowly; the book’s pacing was slow; exhausted from a week long travel. In the end, I finished the book for two weeks. Two weeks full of shit like those scared people influenced under the fear of becoming one of the undead. And I’m sure if the Rising is real, I could be like one of them. I mean them, those people who hid from the darkness of fear.
Feed, written by Seanan McGuire under her pen name Mira Grant, is the first instalment of Newsflesh Trilogy and published widely by Orbit Books. The novel tells the story of a group of young bloggers, accepted to document a political official in his quest to enter White House. The book was narrated by one of the Mason’s siblings, Georgia Mason, a Newsie and an Alpha blogger. As the story goes deeply into the mind of Georgia, conspiracies become visible that driven the American political world into a nightmare of the mankind. Zombies are popping around the streets, friends are traitors, enemies are hiding and most of all, there are secrets that are meant to share. Did Georgia and Shaun survive in the war between the good and the evil? It’s a matter of faith and let Georgia finish her story.
Feed is one of my most challenging books to read. It has something to do with politics which my brain cannot constantly digest every word Senators and Governors are talking about. All I could read are praises that soon to be mischiefs of men inside and outside the book. Maybe this is how politics works in reality; they are the sophist; they have the tongue of snakes; they can visibly seduce anyone; they can hide their true skin. This book could be condemned by the government if they wanted it so if zombies were real or maybe if you are living in a country where politics is a very sensitive issue. Fortunately, the whole zombie bonanza and bullet proof vests were another illusion made by Mira Grant that could be possibly real in the near future.
Another problem I encountered was the long chapters, the never ending sentences, the infinite words and I called these chapters as Georgia’s very observant mind. I don’t mind reading long chapters if they really not meant to drag you out of your seats. This is another issue, it didn’t drag me out of my seat but it dragged me out of my body. Is this worst or what? Just guess. Some part bored me to death that I never dared to continue reading it back again and start another chapter the other day. I don’t like to spoil myself from too many conspiracies that every end of the chapter only gave me very powerful last words but no answers. Well, that’s a positive part of the book. The words were too bold that the book clearly speaks of Mira Grant‘s message. Truth must prevail and what Georgia did is a suicide but for the braves, it’s heroism.
The first thing that I enjoyed about Mira Grant is the constant giving of punch lines. Yeah, I really mark what I said. It really punches you to the face and I saw another bullseye coming. It speaks of the truth and Georgia is the medium of that truth. If only they gave me time to cover my face, then I should. It’s the awkward moment when you as an outsider to America’s territory can relate to the political situation of the book. It’s a universal rule, politics is the dirtiest job. Who could tell not? So if I were you, you should hide under the roof of your houses and let the brave ones fight for our rights. Wrong. We, I mean we as the victims of lies, must work to change the dirtiest job in the universe. But the one we choose can prevent himself from the pestering seduction of power? That’s another problem.
The division of bloggers in the book is quiet unique. I know the so called ‘division’ are quiet popular lately. For example, in The Hunger Games Trilogy, Suzanne Collins divided the population into fourteen (consider the capitol and the thirteen) districts, each may possess a special skills and product. Another example can be found in Veronica Roth’s bestselling book Divergent. She divided the people into four groups which encompass their skills and futures. And Feed, divided bloggers into many categories. One can be a Newsies, Stewarts, Irwins, Aunties and the Fictionals. The difference is, this divisions are way geeky than the others which can be loved by the literary part of the society. And I mean it this must be loved!
The blogging community divided into its current brunches within a few years of the Rising, reacting to swelling ranks and changing society. You’ve got Newsies, who report fact as untainted by opinion as we can manage, and our cousins, the Stewarts, who report opinion informed by facts. The Irwins go out and harass danger to give the relatively housebound general populace a little thrill, while their most sedate counterparts, the Aunties, share stories of their lives, recipes, and other snippets to keep people happy and relaxed. And, of course, the Fictionals, who fill the online world with poetry, stories and fantasy. They have a thousand branches, all with their own names and customs, none of them meaning a damn thing to anyone who isn’t a Fictional. We’re the all-purpose opiate of the new millennium: We report the news, we make the news, and we give you a way to escape when the news becomes too much to handle.
Read above and who could dare not to love this book as much as I did. This is the new generation of bloggers that soon to be part of the zombie-apocalypse and the text above is taken from one of Georgia Mason‘s blog posts. I hope everyone is safe inside their home and for the extra courage, an oath is shared.
An oath for everyone;
Georgia Mason is the daughter of the American Revolution.
She took the right road.
The truth prevails.
We must fight for our rights.
And believe me, this book could be the start of something new.
I’m Sweet Reads and I’m signing off.
Those who died, you’ll be missed.
Reading Buddies:
- Tina @ One More Page
- Aaron @ Guy Gone Geek
- Blue @ Code Name: Blue
- Beejay @ Goodreads
- Charles Tan @ Bibliophile Stalker
- Ace @ Ace of Books
- Tricia @ In Lesbians with Books
Eavesdropper: Isa @ Sassy Reads and Maria @ Book Chilla
Challenges:
Book #76 for 2011
Sweet Reads 