Rot & Ruin
by Jonathan Maberrypublisher: Simon & Schuster
date of publication: October 5, 2010
format: hardcover
pages: 458
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
From Goodreads:
In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.What I Thought
Rot & Ruin turned out to be a much different zombie novel than I had originally anticipated. Don't get me wrong, there are scads of horrifying zombies in this book, as well as a lot of dangerous situations for Benny to get through. However, there is also a distinct lesson to be learned. This message was pleasantly surprising and gave me a lot to think about as I read this eerily intriguing book.
The plot that runs throughout Rot & Ruin is one filled with several elements, including survival, forgiveness, and the question of just what it is that makes us human. While some truly horrifying things happen in this novel, there is also an element of hope that can be garnered if one pays close enough attention. I found that I appreciated this added touch and the way it was orchestrated. It made for such a thought-provoking zombie story that I was taken very much by surprise.
At first, I was put off by Benny as a character. He is such an angry character at first, and I sensed that his anger was misplaced. However, as the story progressed, he began to take on a great deal of depth that transformed him from an angry, oblivious teenager to a compassionate, loyal young man. His older brother, Tom, is definitely one of my favorite characters in this story. He is amazingly patient with Benny and holds a great deal of sympathy for both zombies and their living families. I was very surprised at that particular character trait and became more intrigued the more I learned. As for the villains, I was very surprised and appalled. They are not who you might think and their heinous actions are completely despicable. You will find yourself becoming very invested in justice when it comes to these characters, which definitely aids in drawing a reader into the story.
The setting in which Rot & Ruin takes place is perfection. The world post-apocalypse is a bleak one and the remaining people are left trying to survive it. The landscape is both ominous and eerie. Never has a forest seemed so frightening. Each time Benny and Tom made their way into the Rot & Ruin, I felt very concerned about what was going to happen. The descriptions of the land made for a definite sense of foreboding and spine-tingling fright.
I was very much impressed with Rot & Ruin and immediately picked up the second novel, Dust & Decay. I had to work a little harder to get into it, at first, but I soon found myself immersed in Benny's story and became invested in what happened to the characters. If you're looking for a zombie-centered story with something to think about, you will likely enjoy Rot & Ruin. I know I did.
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