Ages 13 & Up

Though this may have been meant as a young adult book, I really believe readers of any age will enjoy it. The characters are very well developed, and the relationship between the main character and his heroic and misunderstood older brother is truly compelling. Combined with the zombie action, a hefty dose of post-apolocolytic bad guys and some coming of age elements for both our young characters, and the next generation after the zombie apolocolypse, I found this a highly entertaining and sometimes very thoughtful and moving adventure. The reader does quite a fine job as well. I highly recommend it!

Why is this book listed in the teen section? It is in NO way intended for young adults, doesn't have any teens in it, is a very adult story... Not to say a teen wouldn't perhaps be interested, but it clearly is not intended for that audience. It must be a mistake, and hopefully audible will move it to a more appropriate section. Teens be warned - this is not a YA book.

Aside from that, this is a medical thriller in which a scientist tries to unravel the plot of a villain/terrorist who is releasing various nasty diseases. I agree with the other reviewer here that there is a lot of gruesome, graphic detail regarding those diseases, but that didn't bother me, and was obviously part of the story. However, those with little tolerance for that sort of thing probably want to avoid this book. The story is often very dry, bordering on dull. I think it is meant to appeal to people who like such books as The Hot Zone or Demon in the Freezer, but it is not nearly as compelling or well written as those.

The characters are not in any way compelling and don't feel well fleshed out and I didn't feel concerned or interested in them. So when the disease attacks become personal, it lacks the punch I think it was intended to have. After several hours listening to the unleashing of the various diseases and their effects and the scientist explaining them, it became very repetitive and we kind of know exactly where it is going.

There is a theme to the disease attacks- a pattern they fit into. The theme of the disease attacks stops being mysterious once we know about it, and personally I didn't find it as clever as I think it was expected to be - just complex and complicated. I think if you aren't impressed by that element, then the story will not seem as compelling or unique as I think it was supposed to be. I found it just to be really complex, unecessarily so, and a bit too far fetched and often too much dry detail and analysis. There was just something missing from this story for me... The basic idea makes it seem like it should be really interesting, but the writing is just dull, sometimes with more medical detail than is needed, flat characters and an unbelievable and overly complicated plot.

Halfway through I was ready to give it one star, but finished the whole thing and realized that this is not to my taste and I want to be fair. I think the 3 stars I gave it is generous, but there is no 2 and a half option... If I take my personal taste out of the equation, I still don't think it is a brilliant book, but it may appeal to some more than to me, and to be fair it is readable, I made it to the end, and I suspect there are those who will have more interest and patience for the aspects I found dull... So if you like complicated medical crime stories, perhaps this is the book for you, though there are better choices out there, I think - such as those I mentioned above. I also think this book really needs to be moved to its proper category ( thriller, mystery, even science fiction would all be better than the teen section) where it may find a more appropriate audience.

This is an interesting though somewhat depressing story, though it tries to end on a hopeful note. The main character is very compelling, and easy to care for. But the scenario is strangely bleak and the situations she finds herself in are painful to experience. It is a survival story, a story of perserverance despite miserable, hopeless situation, and a strange comment on human nature in some ways.

It is odd to class this as a kid story. I think older teens might be appropriate but I don't know if I would say it is right for anyone 13 or under. It deals with some troubling stuff - attempted rape of a young teen, a murder attempt on the same teen by an older man, etc. Not to say that kids can't take it, but it just seems a bit mature in some of its material for children, in my opinion, so parents are warned and may want to listen first.

THe main character feels very real and human and well developed and it is easy to care about her. That said, the other main character, the man who comes into her valley is a bit dispicable and frustrating and her reaction to him is at times frustrating. She has more patience and goodness and strength in her than many would, I think, though it is hard to say as we don't live in a post apocolyptic world where almost no people are left.

Overall, it was a sad but interesting story, and her plight was engaging and she was very likable so easy to follow... But as I said, the material is too mature for kids I think, some of the relationship is odd and frustrating and hard to understand and despite its hopeful note at the end, overall it is a bleak and sad story... Still it was entertaining and I think worth a listen.