Do you remember when World War Z by Max Brooks came out? And obviously I’m talking about the book, not the Brad Pit wannabe movie. I remember devouring it (ironically enough). On a side note, “Book Devourer” would be a FANTASTIC wrestling persona. Anyway, World War Z was a new type of zombie book that I hadn’t read before. Brooks’ use of “scientific” data, memorandum, and news clips made the book feel like it was something that actually happened. It made the story feel real and unlike any other zombie flick.
Now, enough about how much I enjoyed World War Z (but if you haven’t, go read it!). I’ve been waiting for Max Brooks to release another thriller and I was so psyched when I saw he was releasing a book this summer (so psyched it was one of Feyble’s most anticipated books of summer). When I read that the book was about Bigfoot, I was really disappointed. My hopes were so high and to know that this book was going to be about Bigfoot?! Really?! When has there ever been a good book about Bigfoot?!
Well, this is why I’m not a writer. What do I know about good stories? I would have never guessed that an author could come up with such a good Bigfoot tale but Max Brooks did it in Devolution.
The Gist
Greenloop was supposed to be an ideal community. Your home was surrounded by nature in the middle of nowhere, but with the city-life at your fingertips – groceries and other packages delivered at the drop of a drone, maintenance crews readily available, and access to a helipad for the unexpected emergency.
When Kate Hollands and her husband make the move to Greenloop, Kate’s biggest concern is her marriage and her inability to give up control. But after Mount Rainier erupts, Kate’s new concern will be surviving the large beasts stalking and lurking in the forest.
Bigfoot is a Big Hit
I’m not sure what’s in the water this summer (other than COVID-19), but it seems like some of the most anticipated books of the season were dark and twisty. Devolution definitely falls in the dark and twisted category but I really enjoyed it. Brooks goes back to his tried and true tone of writing and uses interviews and first-hand accounts to make it feel like this story is actually happening. He uses quotes from scientific studies making the story feel plausible. It’s easy to believe that Bigfoot is a real creature silently wandering the mountains of Washington just waiting for the right (or wrong, depending on your perspective) hiker (aka snack food) to come along.
The book was thrilling and once the Bigfoot tribe was introduced the pace really got moving. In addition, I really liked the character development in the book. Kate goes from this meek, lost person to this strong and fierce leader. In fact, the end of the book has you wondering exactly how fierce Kate can be. Like the book says, “adversity introduces us to ourselves,” and Bigfoot really showed us who Kate really is.
The only character I’m unsure on is Mostar, the warmonger. She was an interesting person and I generally liked where her head was at but I wish she didn’t feel so random. Her personality, her thought-process, and her story all felt a little forced, like Max Brooks wrote the novel and then went back in and decided to add this person to help Kate keep the ball moving. I also thought the book was a little too predictable. You definitely knew where the story was going and you could even anticipate what the characters were going to do.
Overall, the book was certainly a thriller and very entertaining. If you’re looking for something a little different to read this summer, I’d recommend it. If you’re interested but want to read a few more reviews, click here.
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Alyssa Flores
Alyssa reads hundreds of books a year and is on a never-ending quest to find the perfect book.
