Review: Feed

Title: Feed
Author: Mira Grant
Genre: Science fiction, adult fiction

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary: 

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we 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, bloggers Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives - the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will get out, even if it kills them.

This is definitely more about journalism and politics than it is about zombies. But zombies definitely make things more interesting!

Feed takes place in a future America where a worldwide viral epidemic has simultaneously cured the common cold and cancer while causing its victims to crave living flesh. The country is in chaos, and people are equally scared, defensive, and ready for blood. It's in this tumultuous situation that a few candidates hope to procure the office of presidency and turn things around. Everyone is counting on campaign bloggers such as Georgia and Shaun Mason to give them the truth about these candidates. But as these two bloggers soon find out, the truth is bigger than either of them bargained for...

There is a surprisingly large amount of research that went into the virological aspects of this book. The author didn't just say "A virus just infected everyone and now the world is like this" - she went very in depth into how the viruses worked, the motivations for their creation, and their unexpected (yet totally plausible) repercussions. I really appreciate an author who doesn't just throw science out the window because Hey, I'm writing fiction. At the same time, the scientific explanations were given out in small doses and I never felt overwhelmed with information.

Aside from the science, I thought Grant did a great job of creating realistic responses to the epidemic as well. There were a lot of anecdotes and laws that were alluded to that really captured the subtleties of this book's world. The tiniest details captured the incredibly diverse and layered reactions and mentalities towards the situation. I don't follow politics all that closely, but I thought the author's understanding of the huge role media plays in spinning stories and projecting a candidate's image was spot on. The shift from newsprint to blogging as sources of unfiltered, accurate information was also well-explained and believable. I just found this book incredibly well thought-out.

There's a lot of adrenaline in this book, but strangely enough it's not about the blood and gore of zombies eating people. In fact, more of the tension in this book comes from conspiracies and hidden information. It's about people pulling strings and seeing the very visceral and gut-wrenching consequences those distant decisions can have. It's about putting on a straight face even when you know you're staring at the face of your enemy. It's the clench in your gut when you realize just how much you have to give up in the search for the truth.

I really enjoyed this book, and I was racing through it to find out the answers. The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was because I wasn't very emotionally invested. There were a few game-changing moments where I should have been shattered, but instead I just felt very removed. Part of it might be the almost clinical narration of Georgia Mason, who reports nothing but the facts. Part of it might be the clinical and political natures of a lot of this book, which are also very cerebral. Somehow I wasn't as invested as I thought I would be.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fast-paced and scientific or political stories. I'd also recommend it to zombie lovers with the caveat that if you're looking for the gore, you won't find too much of it here.