Review: The Girl with All The Gifts

I listened to The Girl With All The Gifts in audio format and the narrator did a really nice job. The story wasn't exactly what I was expecting but I did really like it. It is a sort of zombie apocalypse-type genre and it took a while to really figure out what was going on. Most of the beginning of book was set in a cell block with a bunch of children strapped to chairs in cells who go into a classroom each day to learn. Yeah... it was odd, and it took a few chapters to figure out what was happening and why these kids were prisoners. It was eventually revealed and at that point, I had my "a-ha" moment and I was hooked.  Once we left the cell block, things escalated quickly and both the pace and my engagement level increased substantially.

For the most part, the story revolves around five main characters. Two I loved from the start, one developed my trust and respect as the story went on, one I never really attached myself to, and one I hated the whole way through the book and I kept hoping her demise would arrive quickly. It didn't... I still hate her.

There are some really disturbing parts to this book as well, both mentally and graphically but without them, the realistic aspect of the book would have been lost. What really got me however, was the way it ended. No spoilers here but I will say that I did a lot of thinking of how the future would play out for those who were left once the final scene was finished.  It will be interesting to see if the movie holds true to the story.