My Dead World

By: Jacqueline Druga

Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Since childhood Nila Carter has been made to spend every weekend at the family cabin. In her teenage years she believes it to be a prison; as an adult it becomes her sanctuary and means to survive.

When a mysterious outbreak occurs in India, Nila's brother, Bobby, a virologist with the CDC, places the family on a precautionary alert to be ready to bug out. Unlike anything he's ever seen, the rabies-like virus is not just deadly; it causes extreme violent behavior in those infected. Following her brother's advice, Nila begins to stockpile.

After months of preparing, just as it seems the virus is over, everything implodes, and Bobby tells his family to leave the city. With her family, Nila heads to the mountains and to her father's isolated land. There she is eventually joined by friends and strangers, all hoping to safely stay clear of the virus that grips the world. The plan is to wait until the virus burns out.

While there, the group forms a tight bond, feeling secure that they will beat the extinction event and in due course return home. As time moves on, Nila quickly learns there are things they cannot run from, and a virus is one of them. Despite how prepared they are, how secure the land, each day brings a new threat and a painful reality that not only is returning home a pipe dream, but the likelihood of all of them surviving is increasingly growing slim.

©2016 Jacqueline Druga (P)2016 Podium Publishing

All I can say is WOW!!

As a fan of this particular genre, I've listened to many good post-apocalyptic books. This one, however, was by far the best I've heard. Not only was this book well written, it also had a most enjoyable narrator, which, as most audiobook listeners know all too well, can easily detract from the overall quality and enjoyment, or even ruin an otherwise good audiobook.

Good but maybe not during a pandemic

Great story, very touching and not really scary, except if you're listening to it during quarantine like I am, then it sends shivers down your spine.

loved this

it is an amazing book. I will admit I've cried a few times. loved it

Was not expecting much, I was wrong

I had just finished world War Z and was very underwhelmed, actually returned it for my credit back. Figured I would give this one a try hoping for an actual good story set in a zombie infested world. Took me one day, I couldn't stop. Great story, great characters, no jumping around with random people or locations. Just fantastic. If you liked Adrian's undead diary, girl with all the gifts, or anything similar then you will love this one!

The dumbest lead of all time

If you want to read about someone who never learns from their mistakes and constantly forgets that she has 2 kids to protect then this is the book for you! This is entertainment no where near it's finest but it will keep you occupied from point a to b. You'll get a plenty of eye roll practice and constantly yell out your favorite phrase of exasperation (mines "are you serious"). This won't raise your blood pressure suspense wise but I kept going because I wanted to know if the protagonist was really gonna be that dumb throughout the entire book...Yes..The answer is yes. It's my fault the author tells you she worked at Arby's.

Be AWARE the rest of series are very SHORT books.

A good story but the main character makes stupid decisions. I was going to order book #2 until I saw they were 5 hrs each... so NOT A FULL BOOK. Unless they combine them, they would not be worth buying.

Well written. Dark and Insulated

taking place in a small setting and a narrow cast. it focuses mainly on personal struggle and tragedy rather than the trajectory of the world itself. Engaging read.

Decent world building but bad characters

As many other reviewers noted, the main character is an idiot that got most of her family and friends killed… by making the exact same mistakes over and over again.

I get in an early stage, people would absolutely make mistakes, but to survive as long as they did, they would have to learn. But instead, our main character has plot armor (she never is the one to get bit or tackled and torn apart), which somehow made it more frustrating.

I don’t believe I’ll be listening to the other books in the series, especially as it’s not worth a full credit for a 5 hour subpar story.

Can be frustrating

If you enjoy books where you find you are shouting ‘ no don’t go there’ ,’no don’t touch that’, ‘no, no, no’........then this book is for you. I personally became so frustrated with the idiocy of everyone’s actions I nearly came close to giving up.

great read

I really enjoyed this book. The character building was enough to connect with them but not overkill. The narrator did a great job and fit thus story. Will read the rest of this series.