meg hearts books

Looking back at the semi-coherent fangirling that constituted my review of FEED, I kind of want to rewrite it b/c it in no way captures how smart and complicated and deep these books are, so I’m going to try to do a little better here.But first, some gifs! In pictoral form, here’s how it felt to read DEADLINE:When it started, I felt like this: And then there was some this: Followed by a little bit of this: Some more of this: Before ending somewhere around here: Leaving me like this: I know thisOk, now I’m going to try and do that be-smarter thing.I was a little nervous going into this book because many said it was the weakest in the trilogy and I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or bad thing (after being emotionally traumatized by FEED, was a little slack the worst thing in the world?)After reading it, I can see why people may think this is the weaker book. It was my least favorite of the three, although that’s kind of like saying it was the least awesome of these 3 extremely awesome things. ie, still more awesome than anything else. If I’m totally honest (which is hard, because I have my fan goggles on) They look like this.DEADLINE could be construed as weaker than FEED in terms of narration and plot advancement. That said, I think that totally makes sense in terms of the overall story arc at work here.*Mild spoilers ahead, I don’t think it’s anything too explicit, but to be on the safe side you should probably just go out and read FEED (RIGHT. NOW.) and then come back so we don’t have to worry about it*DEADLINE is told from Shaun’s perspective, and that poor boy is losing his shit. Seeing the world through the eyes of a man slowly (and not so slowly) going insane can get a little repetitive. You really see Grant’s skills at play here when you compare Georgia’s narration to Shaun’s. Crazy aside, they both have a very matter of fact way of narrating while still having their own unique voices shine through. Georgia was very objective, even when she was afraid, she never thought to herself ‘well golly gee, I’m terrified’ instead she would report on the situation in such a way that made it clear she was terrified through the things she’d focus on. With Shaun, the more emotional of the two, you still have that matter of fact worldview (which is dead handy for the reader since, hello! we want to know what’s happening!) while at the same time coming across as someone going unhinged, absolutely desperate and desperately exhausted by life, all at the same time. As far as plot advancement goes, if I came across as saying ‘the plot is slow or not as good’, that is not what I meant to say AT ALL. The plot is just as insane as FEED. Lots of twists and turns, painful revelations and shocking betrayals (there are too many potential betrayers, namely anyone, for that to be a spoiler). An entire city block is blown up approximately 100 pages in for goodness sake. A thousand new twists are added, along with a whole new dimension to the conspiracy and the book ends leaving you in a ‘WHAT IN THE EVERLOVING HELL JUST HAPPENED AND OH MY GOD WHY AM I WASTING TIME THINKING THIS SENTENCE WHEN I COULD BE STARTING BLACKOUT?!’ sort of place. (I deeply pity anyone who was unable to binge read these like I was.)So, anyway, what I was trying to say before I got carried away, is that yes, DEADLINE goes in a different slightly direction than FEED, has a different flavor to the narration and answers none of your questions while simultaneously leaving you with more. However, both things sort of support one of Grant’s overall points with this series: There are no answers, there is no comfort, life goes on and you’re all probably going to die. And that is the kind of subtle, multi-layered storytelling gold that makes Mira Grant such a genius and why you should definitely give this book a shot. (The part where the plot arcs and narration build to support the theme, not the part where you’re all going to die).PS Can I be Becks when I grow up? Is there some place where I can sign up for that? Or a school I can go to?