Friday, October 27, 2023

Book review - Swarm

 

Title: Swarm

Author: Jennifer D. Lyle

Genre: horror/survival

Similar books: The Rain by Virginia Bergin

                      How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates

Rating:

surprisingly reflective

Summary (provided by publisher): On a sunny September morning, the creatures first appear. Shur sees one of them hovering outside the window in history class: it looks like a giant butterfly, at first too beautiful and strange to seem like a threat. But when emergency alerts light up everyone's phones around her, she realizes something very, very wrong is happening outside. These… things are everywhere.
By the time Shur makes it back to her house with her brother, Keene, and their two best friends, it's clear they must face whatever comes next on their own. A terrifying species the world's never seen before has suddenly emerged, and few living things are safe. As the creatures swarm and attack outside, life for Shur and her friends becomes a survival game. They board the windows, stockpile supplies, and try to make sense of the news reports for as long as the power stays on.
Yet nothing can prepare them for what follows. The butterflies are only the beginning. The next onslaught will be deadlier, and even closer to home.

My opinion: It sounds like a pretty ridiculous concept for a book, monstrous butterflies attacking people. And if it had put more focus on attacks by the creatures it would likely have been laughable. But Lyle is smarter than that. There are a few attack scenes but they are brief and intense. The bulk of the book is about dealing with the fallout of the scenario. It's a group of teens trying to figure out survival on their own, especially when they are responsible for a small child. It's characters reflecting on who they are at their core, what things matter to them, and what sacrifices they are willing to make. As a result it's not an especially thrilling or intense book but it introduces ideas worth considering and discussing.

More information: Swarm releases November 7

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

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