4.5 out of 5 stars
Post Apocalypse/Zombies
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE
I was so looking forward to this after reading the eight Broken World books. This takes place twenty years later, when Megan, the daughter of the heroes of the previous series (Vivian and Axl) is struggling through her days in the dark and sinister New Atlanta. Her father is missing, her mother has lapsed into a strange twilight zone, and so many questions are going unanswered as she begins to realise how corrupt and dangerous the government of the new settlement truly is.
The story is in some ways the opposite from those currently in vogue, with unforeseen twists (not least of all those written by me....!); I liked the way Kate Mary has done this, so that the reader knows more than the two narrators, Megan, and haunted convict and fighter, Donaghy. It really works, as gradually they begin to piece together what we can already see, and Megan finds out some of the stuff we read about in the previous series. There's plenty of new intrigue to keep those pages turning, too!
I guessed the identity of the mysterious gray man immediately, but it didn't spoil it for me at all (and I was wrong about Glitter!). I liked the brief inclusion of one of my favourite characters from Broken World, Jim; he said what I was just thinking, ie, that the survivors' old homes in Colorado had been, on the face of it, more basic and more dangerous, but seem like paradise in retrospect, when compared with the dark and depressing new civilisation. I loved seeing all the old gang together at the end, but I shall say no more for fear of 'spoilers'.
Any negatives? I found some of the dialogue a little unrealistically information heavy at the beginning, but when considering how difficult it must have been to weave in the back story of a whole series, I could deal with that. My only other very slight complaint is that there wasn't much difference between the 'voices' of Megan and Donaghy, who take the helm in alternative chapters, to the extent that once or twice I forgot which point of view I was reading from, which was a little confusing. Generally, Kate Mary's characterisation is excellent, though, and I still loved the book ~ and can't wait to see what happens next. I daresay I am one of the readers to whom Kate referred in her author's note at the back, who badger her for more; I shall unashamedly continue to do so! That's me drumming my fingers on my closed Kindle, waiting for the next one....
Reviews for the first six Broken World books can be found HERE
...and for Silent World and the excellent Broken Stories (short stories related to the series) HERE
5 out of 5 stars
The final book of a 6 part zombie apocalypse series
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE
What makes a really good book? These are some of the things: a believable plot, a pace that keeps you turning the pages, characters you feel you know, and care about, situations that affect your emotions. Forgotten World has all of these; it's the best in this series.
Vivian, Axl and the gang set out to get their one hope, the virus-immune Angus, to Atlanta, where the CDC are working on a cure. The road trip is hazardous beyond their expectations, and people get lost on the way. There were three instances in the second half of the book that actually made me cry - I mean real tears running down my cheeks and sniffing, not just a watery eye! I can't say which they are or I'll give the plot away, though.
There were some things about the book I was a bit disappointed with - not knowing what happened to a new favourite character, and the quick disposal of a menace who could have run and run. And what about The Watchers? So sinister - I wanted to know more! Yes, there are editing errors, too - quite a few instances of the wrongly assigned dependent clause (eg, something like "Walking down the road, the bus ran me over" - if you don't know what's wrong with that, ask an editor!), the constant lack of the word 'of' after 'couple' (a couple years, a couple blankets) - fine when in Axl and Angus's dialogue, not so good in Vivian's narration. Some basic proofreading errors, like backwards apostrophes. But I'd still recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre; Amazon tells us that 5* means 'I loved it'. I did, I loved this book, and I was so sad to say goodbye to the characters (especially the one we lost last!). I think the series could have done with one more book, but I've just seen that Kate Mary has also produced 'Broken Stories', so perhaps some of my questions will be answered in that.... I've just downloaded it to start reading immediately!
BROKEN WORLD, the first in this series by Kate Mary is reviewed by me HERE, with links to my reviews of the other four books. All have Amazon buy links.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Drama, homelessness
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
The novel is set mostly around Atlanta, Georgia in the US. Frank is a Vietnam vet whose life has crashed and burned, leaving him a vagrant trying to scratch out an existence as best he can. Chloe is a small town, naïve mother of two who has allowed her path through life to be determined by others. When husband Duane deserts her, everything gradually falls apart and she ends up in a shelter for homeless women.
Marsha Cornelius has clearly put a great deal of research into this story. I recently watched the 1960s BBC (UK) drama-documentary `Cathy Come Home', which shows how easily families in the UK in the 1960s could descend from keeping their heads above water into homelessness; this book had the same effect on me. It's shocking, but so real, and really made me think about how so many people are just a couple of salary cheques away from the street! The details of both Chloe and Frank's struggles are very well illustrated, as is their climb back to something approaching normality - though indeed, what they consider `normal' is not the conventional lifestyle some would expect.
The message of this book is definitely one of love and relationships mattering more than anything else, and about it being the simple things in life that can bring the most happiness. The romantic aspect of the story was perfectly portrayed too, I thought; not schmaltzy, or overtly sexy for the sake of it but just touching and true to life.
It's a story about love and hope, the goodwill of friends, and the discovery of inner strength. Recommended.
