Review by kjd1783 -- Superbugs by Tayma Tameem
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kjd1783
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Review by kjd1783 -- Superbugs by Tayma Tameem
[Following is a volunteer review of "Superbugs" by Tayma Tameem.]
Quarantine and violence are the new normal in Superbugs by Tayma Tameem. Set in 2090, during a time dubbed the Pandemic Era, human decency and compassion have been forgotten. Between homeless detention centers that use inmates as vaccine test subjects, crews that steal people off the street to conduct their own cruel experiments, and cannibal gangs, people have little choice but to stay indoors. The leader of a residential building Lily Brayburn who takes in a pregnant fugitive, the cure finder Victor Stark who struggles with the morality of the experiments he conducts on inmates of the homeless detention center, and the inmate 11.22 who refuses to give up trying to escape are just a few of the characters the reader follows as they are introduced to a dystopian version of the world they know. As uprisings increase, and the world government prepares to keep order, characters’ paths cross, and everyone must come to terms with the world they live in and what risks they’re willing to take to survive. I rate this book four out of four stars.
One thing I really enjoyed about the story was the multiple points of view. It gave me insight into how various characters saw the world they were living in and helped me to form my own opinion about what was happening. It was fun to know every characters' thoughts, and opinions, and see how they differed from each other. The most rewarding part was watching as characters crossed paths, and seeing their journeys come together. I found the way Tameem gradually reveals the world as the story progresses very engaging. I had to remind myself that the events in the story weren’t actually happening.
There were a few things I didn't like. One of my issues is the timeline. Twice during a switch in point of view, the story goes back in time before an action that has happened in the story takes place. While I was able to figure out that the scene I was reading was happening in the past, I would have liked a warning that I was jumping back in time. More indication before a change in point of view would have been nice as well. There were sections when the point of view would switch suddenly in a paragraph, and it would take me a moment to realize I was in the mind of another character.
My last issue is the new characters that were introduced during the latter half of the story. There are a decent number of characters to keep up with when the story begins, and the addition of new characters made it hard to keep up with everyone. It also didn’t help that some of these characters would go so long between appearances that it took me a moment to remember them and why they were important. Despite these issues, Tameem’s ability to immerse me into this dystopian world is the reason I gave Superbugs a four out of four. The book seems to be professionally edited which also helps with its readability.
Besides people who enjoy a good dystopian story, I would recommend Superbugs to anyone who likes reading a story from multiple perspectives. It would also be a good read for those who enjoy fiction that integrates elements that are happening in today’s society.
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Superbugs
View: on Bookshelves
Quarantine and violence are the new normal in Superbugs by Tayma Tameem. Set in 2090, during a time dubbed the Pandemic Era, human decency and compassion have been forgotten. Between homeless detention centers that use inmates as vaccine test subjects, crews that steal people off the street to conduct their own cruel experiments, and cannibal gangs, people have little choice but to stay indoors. The leader of a residential building Lily Brayburn who takes in a pregnant fugitive, the cure finder Victor Stark who struggles with the morality of the experiments he conducts on inmates of the homeless detention center, and the inmate 11.22 who refuses to give up trying to escape are just a few of the characters the reader follows as they are introduced to a dystopian version of the world they know. As uprisings increase, and the world government prepares to keep order, characters’ paths cross, and everyone must come to terms with the world they live in and what risks they’re willing to take to survive. I rate this book four out of four stars.
One thing I really enjoyed about the story was the multiple points of view. It gave me insight into how various characters saw the world they were living in and helped me to form my own opinion about what was happening. It was fun to know every characters' thoughts, and opinions, and see how they differed from each other. The most rewarding part was watching as characters crossed paths, and seeing their journeys come together. I found the way Tameem gradually reveals the world as the story progresses very engaging. I had to remind myself that the events in the story weren’t actually happening.
There were a few things I didn't like. One of my issues is the timeline. Twice during a switch in point of view, the story goes back in time before an action that has happened in the story takes place. While I was able to figure out that the scene I was reading was happening in the past, I would have liked a warning that I was jumping back in time. More indication before a change in point of view would have been nice as well. There were sections when the point of view would switch suddenly in a paragraph, and it would take me a moment to realize I was in the mind of another character.
My last issue is the new characters that were introduced during the latter half of the story. There are a decent number of characters to keep up with when the story begins, and the addition of new characters made it hard to keep up with everyone. It also didn’t help that some of these characters would go so long between appearances that it took me a moment to remember them and why they were important. Despite these issues, Tameem’s ability to immerse me into this dystopian world is the reason I gave Superbugs a four out of four. The book seems to be professionally edited which also helps with its readability.
Besides people who enjoy a good dystopian story, I would recommend Superbugs to anyone who likes reading a story from multiple perspectives. It would also be a good read for those who enjoy fiction that integrates elements that are happening in today’s society.
******
Superbugs
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Duplicity by Fin C Gray
