Let's just break this one down in a "yay versus nay" fashion, mostly because I said so.
The Stuff I Liked:
- The setting was pretty great. I mean, Western stuff is cool. And then you add this sickness, and undead humans, and yeah. That's as messy as you'd expect, especially when you're talking about a time when technology and life comforts are in their infancy. Basically, it ups the stakes at every turn while still seeming realistic.
- Willie is such a great protector- even when she doesn't want to be. Man, she's honest. Sometimes she wishes she didn't have to be responsible for her family, but she also loves them and cares for them wholly and completely. The family dynamic is definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book.
- I love an adventure trip! I mean, I just do. People on a journey, especially in a life-or-death situation, just makes me excited. And I liked that the addition of zombies brought an extra level of fear for our characters.
- On that note, there was a lot of action on the trip. A pretty solid portion of the book takes place "on the road", and the stakes are high- both during the journey, and for the outcome. And there are a lot of harrowing decisions that the characters have to face, including a lot that will test their resolve to even accomplish their mission.
- I enjoyed the rapport the characters had together. The interactions with the brothers that Willie hired to help her, along with some other travelers, kept things light when they could otherwise have been very, very bleak.
The Stuff I Didn't:
- I did find parts of the story to be predictable. And that isn't always great when you are trying to be on an adventure, right?
- I like to know backstory, and I really don't fully get these "shakes". I mean, are they zombies? Are they say, zombie-adjacent? No idea. And I wanted to know, really.
Bottom Line: Quite atmospheric and definitely full of adventure and peril, this was a fun journey even if I may have guessed a few plot points along the way.