Feed

Feed is the first book of the Newsflesh trilogy written by Seanan McGuire under the pen name Mira Grant. The title is a clever double-play on the word. It refers to both the desire of zombies to feast on human flesh and the RSS feeds that many people get their news from, both today and in the near-future of the novel.

This book takes place 26 years after the zombie apocalypse. Both sides have survived the initial uprising of the zombies and have managed to find a sort of equilibrium in which they can both continue to live. The main character, George, and her brother, Shaun, are bloggers who report on the zombie situation near their northern California home. But then they get their big break, following the presidential campaign of Senator Ryman, and take off on the road with their friend Buffy.

Grant creates a world that is staggering in it's detail. She's thought through security protocol (zombie tests at every door), diet changes (many people have chosen the vegetarian option) and the political ramifications (keeping large animals is a hot-button issue) of a zombie apocalypse. But this rich world is all back drop to the presidential election, which strives to balance the extreme fear if the American people with the desire to continue living a life as normal as possible.

Feed takes a little while to get started. Grant spends several chapters laying the groundwork of her world. But once the plot kicks in it doesn't let go. The story is full of exciting twists and turns, and it's difficult to put down. If you're at all interested in zombies or politics or our changing media, I definitely recommend you give this book a read.

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