Review: Zom-B by Darren Shan

Title: Zom-b

Author: Darren Shan

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publishing Date: September 27th, 2012

Pages: 217
Audio Length: 3 Hours and 44 Minutes

Genre: YA Contemporary

Series: Zom-B

Source: Audio

 

Zom-B is a radical new series about a zombie apocalypse, told in the first person by one of its victims. The series combines classic Shan action with a fiendishly twisting plot and hard-hitting and thought-provoking moral questions dealing with racism, abuse of power and more. This is challenging material, which will captivate existing Shan fans and bring in many new ones. As Darren says, "It's a big, sprawling, vicious tale...a grisly piece of escapism, and a barbed look at the world in which we live. Each book in the series is short, fast-paced and bloody. A high body-count is guaranteed!"

What made me pick this book up: 

I love zombies and I've read Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan and I really enjoyed it.

What did I like about the cover: 

It looks like a creepy zombie book.

What made me read this book: 

Exactly what I said, it looked like a creepy zombie book.

What did I like the most: 

I liked the narrator. The accent was great. And there was a part near the end that came as a bit of a surprise. If you don't care about spoilers highlight below to see what the big surprise was.

B is a girl. I should have figured that out because of the narrator but I kind of assumed that it was a really young kid or something. So that was kind of cool finding out B is a girl. 

And that's it. That is literally the only good thing about this book. 

What didn't I like: 

First of all, just a heads up, that description? Does not tell you anything about what the book is about. 

I went into this thinking it was going to be a fast paced and terrifying book about the zombie apocalypse.

I have never been more wrong in my life. EVER.

Zom-B is a book about a teenager named B somewhere in Britain. It's about how much B's life sucks, and how their family sucks, and life sucks.

B's dad is a super asshole racist who is also abusive.

B is in turn a racist too, just to impress their dad and make them proud. 

The only part about zombies is the prologue, then first chapter, and the last three or so chapters. 

The rest of the book is literally about how racist this person is. 

B is a terrible person. Going as far as making gorilla noises at a black girl. Absolutely terrible.

This book is so slow and boring, the pacing is terrible, the writing is terrible, and the characters are terrible.

I might be a bit harsh, but this book is awful, not about zombies at all, and has so many gross racists slurs. It's just bad. 

If this book wasn't so short I would have never finished it. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
Of this series? Never. Different Shan books? yes

Barely qualifies as a zombie book. 

Librarian's note: Also writes books for adults under the name Darren Dash. And in the past he has released books for adults under the names D.B. Shan and Darren O'Shaughnessy.

Darren Shan (born July 2, 1972 in London, England) is the pen name of the Irish author Darren O'Shaughnessy, as well as the name of the protagonist of his book series The Saga of Darren Shan, also known as The Cirque Du Freak Series in the United States. He is the author of the series The Demonata, The Saga of Larten Crepsley, and Zom-B. He has also released the stand-alone novel, The Thin Executioner, and the stand-alone short novels, Koyasan, and Hagurosan. Plus, for adults, he released The City Trilogy (originally under the name of D.B. Shan), and Lady of the Shades..