*Warning* This review contains spoilers for Contagion.
*I was given a copy of this book to provide an honest review.*
Rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: YA, Scifi/Fantasy, 4 Stars
People who should read this: People who love classic sci-fi adventure, true love, and action/adventure stories.
Well I wasn’t expecting that….
*blink, blink*
I’m going to warn all the fans of Contagion, this is not the same book. Immunity is a creature of its own with less of the spooky dead people walking around vibe and more action/adventure, we need to save the world vibe. That doesn’t mean the book was poorly done. It’s just not what I was expecting after that killer first book.
*pun intended…*
Yes, I went in thinking it would be spooky. I went in thinking I would need to hide under the covers, thanking the book gods that the summer sun was shining bright. And as I kept turning the page, waiting for the zombie to jump out, it never did. I felt slightly let down. I don’t know what to say. You can’t blame it on one person or one choice. Bowman wrote the story that came to her and really, could you pull off the same scary effects now that we know what’s going on?
I think the answer is no.
Even with the spooky side gone, I didn’t want to put the book down. Everytime I needed to be an adult and do real life things, my hands itched to pick the book back up. I couldn’t get Thea and Coen out of my mind. I ended up finishing the book in just over a day.
Bowman gave her readers an action packed story with an ending that will leave you crying that there are only two books. Or are there? I have my suspicions.
Looking back at the overall events, I can easily give the story four stars. There are a few problems, but Bowman created another amazing plot. The tiny details felt thought out - one of my pet peeves. It was sciency without all the fuss. Bowman provided realistic solutions without ignoring the science of her world - no magic wand waving. She stuck to her characters’ wants. She kept it dark and didn’t shy away from the darker aspects of events - another point I greatly appreciate. Those are the points that strike up conversations. There wasn’t a happy ending for the sake of it. She wrote a super well rounded story. Too bad most Contagion readers will struggle with the change in style.
Being the second book, the world is mostly built. That means that a writer can’t pad the story with a lot of world building and backstory. We already know Thea’s mom is missing. That Coen took the job to save his sister. We know there’s a political struggle going on. We know there’s a deadly virus. Yet, Bowman was able to add in some new details that made me grin from ear to ear. Ugh… If only I could tell you why. Sadly, that would give the story away. But Bowman had so much story to fit inside 437 pages that she didn’t need to pad it. There were moments that I could have used even more.
My biggest complaint with the book, besides the change in style, was the emotion - personal preference totally. It doesn’t help that the story is in third person, keeping the readers out of the characters’ heads, which immediately puts a small wall between the reader and the characters. The content held so much emotion and I wanted to cry with the characters, however, I was never really able to feel it deeply. The writing was more telling me how they felt then showing it. I was left wanting so much more. Mix this with some cringy dialogue and the read could be a little tough.
With all that, I want to do a reread. I could easily have another Contagion on my hands where I loved it more the second time through. I really appreciated the hard topics Bowman wrote about. I loved the ending and the impossible that had to be achieved. Immunity is a wild ride that I think most people will enjoy from beginning to end. Again, I read this thing in a day. You might just do the same. You’ve been warned.
Happy Reading
Love Kait
Reading Challenge: 56/100