Official Review: Nobody Says Hi Anymore by J. Shepard Trott

erasmus · Post by **erasmus** » 11 Dec 2016, 23:59

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Nobody Says Hi Anymore" by J. Shepard Trott.]

3 out of 4 stars

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In this science fiction story, we follow TC on his journey of atonement through an apocalyptic world in which Viral Beasts (VB for short) roam where humans once did. Nobody Says Hi Anymore by J. Shepard Trott depicts TC’s struggles against his guilt and the odds to survive in the City of Philadelphia.

The end of the world came abruptly and violently. At sixteen years old, TC found himself alone in a world where almost everyone was eating somebody. Two months into what seemed to be the zombie apocalypse, TC found himself a makeshift family. For a time, things were as good as they got in an apocalypse until VBs literally ate them away.

After that, TC was alone with only guilt and memories for company. At eighteen years old and practically the only human in Philadelphia, TC comes up with a plan to save humanity. He's going to make sure that it succeeds even if it kills him. This is his last ditch effort to make amends for abandoning his family to the VBs.

This book delivers the gritty emotions of a person living alone in an apocalyptic world. There is fear, self-preservation, and desperation. The author adopts a stream of consciousness writing style (though I could be wrong because it’s something I have not read a lot of). It is an interesting perspective, even though there was a lack of dialogue. Well, with TC being alone, for the most part, readers can't really expect a lot of conversations.

But as a result of his constant isolation, TC’s fight against the VBs and for a reason to carry on living - despite the sacrifices he's made - is palpable. Nobody Says Hi Anymore draws readers in and allows them to really sink into TC’s head. Throughout the book, it is as though I could feel his mind gradually descend into almost-insanity, and the attempts to crawl out of the pits of his despair in order to survive in a world without anyone by his side.

However, TC ends up reflecting a lot about his past, all while the narration is interspersed with flashbacks. Together with the repeated use of some words by TC, the book feels repetitive at some parts and might just make readers think: ’here we go again’. There are also some grammatical issues, but they don't have too much of an impact on the overall reading experience.

Also, in a story of a relatively short length, it is difficult to find a balance between character development and the pacing of the ending. Too much focus on development means a rushed ending, which in my opinion is what happened in Nobody Says Hi Anymore. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.

I would recommend this book to readers interested in reading a stream-of-consciousness type of narrative. However, being more a character-focused book than a plot-driven one, unanswered questions will linger even after readers finish the book. All in all, Nobody Says Hi Anymore has been a quick, enjoyable read.

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Nobody Says Hi Anymore
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MarisaRose · Post by **MarisaRose** » 13 Dec 2016, 17:36

This book sounds really different! I do enjoy character driven novels but it's too bad the author couldn't find that perfect balance between character development and plot development. Thanks for the honest review!

Kdonegan91 · Post by **Kdonegan91** » 14 Dec 2016, 00:16

This doesn't sound like my kind of book because it seems like it is written in a depressing tone. However, you wrote a fantastic review.

erasmus · Post by **erasmus** » 14 Dec 2016, 04:03

MarisaRose wrote:This book sounds really different! I do enjoy character driven novels but it's too bad the author couldn't find that perfect balance between character development and plot development. Thanks for the honest review!

Thanks! I'm not sure about other readers, but this is definitely different from what I usually read, in a this-is-new-and-interesting sort of way.

Kdonegan91 wrote:This doesn't sound like my kind of book because it seems like it is written in a depressing tone. However, you wrote a fantastic review.

Well, the main character tries his best to carry on despite the bleak and dire circumstances with some morbid humor thrown in. This is, for the most part, not a very happy book, though. Thanks for the kind words!

peprica21 · Post by **peprica21** » 15 Dec 2016, 09:48

Thank you for your review. I agree, this book may not be for me but the title is catchy and I hope the author takes your advice to heart and reworks to balance the plot and character development.

Post by **bookowlie** » 15 Dec 2016, 16:06

I enjoyed reading your insightful view. I am not a fan of apocalyptic fiction, but the story seems unique and interesting. Glad you enjoyed the book despite the issues you mentioned.

erasmus · Post by **erasmus** » 16 Dec 2016, 21:06

Thanks, bookowlie!

kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 20 Dec 2016, 06:14

Sounds like a great read

Though I'm not much of a post-apocalyptic novel fan, this one caught my interest. I may not be into zombies but I am so into self preservation. So, I think I'll enjoy this book. Great job on the review

erasmus · Post by **erasmus** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:39

kimmyschemy06 wrote:Sounds like a great read Though I'm not much of a post-apocalyptic novel fan, this one caught my interest. I may not be into zombies but I am so into self preservation. So, I think I'll enjoy this book. Great job on the review

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the book!

trajoe1206 · Post by **trajoe1206** » 25 Sep 2018, 21:24

Thanks for your great review. That's a scary thought being the only human alive. I don't think this is the book for me.

Espie · Post by **Espie** » 03 Oct 2018, 20:34

Thank you for your insightful review. You made this book seem mind-boggling yet interesting with its world end theme, deep character-driven and not plot-centric development, and cliff-hanging ending.

María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda · 07 Jun 2019, 19:12

I can't possibly imagine what motivation would keep me going in a world where I've lost everything and everyone, so I find the premise of this book very intriguing. I enjoy character-centered stories, and it's not common to see a stream of consciousness technique in sci-fi, so this must be a very original novel. I'll give it a try.
Thank you for your honest review.