Shannon's Library

LET’S GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK!

The unimaginable has happened. Mount Rainier has erupted, and the state of Washington is plunged into chaos. The residents of a small community, Greenloop, are suddenly cut off from the rest of the world. Without supplies, communication, or a way out, the residents worry how long it will be before they are rescued. Little do they know, they have more to worry about than dwindling resources. The volcano has forced mysterious creatures out of hiding. Creatures that are hungry, intelligent and dangerously large. The residents of Greenloop find themselves in a fight for survival, not from nature or the elements, but from the legendary…Bigfoot!

Keep reading below for my full review!

Shannon’s Rating — R (12 F-words and gore)

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LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK!

Let me start by saying, I’m not a horror book reader. In fact, “Devolution,” by Max Brooks is the first book I’ve read that could be categorized as “horror.” This typically isn’t a genre that interests me. But when I heard about “Devolution” I decided to give it a try. And, who knew? I really liked it! Now, keep in mind, this is not a book for the faint of heart. It has it’s gory, bloody moments. If the image of someone’s head being ripped off its body is too much for you, then this might not be a book you would be interested in reading. Because, after all, this is a book about “the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre.” People are going to be killed and it’s not going to be pretty!

The legend of Sasquatch or Bigfoot can be traced back to 1958. A journalist named, Andrew Genzoli, of the Humboldt Times wrote about loggers in northern California who had discovered some abnormally large footprints in the woods. Genzoli jokingly wrote, “Maybe we have a relative of the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas.” He thought the story would just get a laugh or two, but to his surprise, it fascinated his readers. Genzoli, along with another journalist, Betty Allen, began publishing follow up articles about the mysterious footprints. The loggers dubbed the creature, “Big Foot,” and a legend was born.

About a decade later, in 1967, two men, Robert Patterson and Bob Gremlin, went into the woods near Bluff Creek, California with their video camera and stumbled upon…you guessed it…Bigfoot! Their footage of an ape-like creature wandering along a wooded trail, drew international attention. Suddenly, Bigfoot was no longer just a regional bit of lore. The world became obsessed! So, is the footage real? Or is the whole thing a hoax? You be the judge!

“Devolution,” is inventive, suspenseful and thought provoking. While I may not be a fan of the horror genre, I enjoy all types of end-of-the-world, apocalyptic stories. FYI… World War Z is one of my very favorite movies (based on another one of Max Brooks’ novels…) One reason I love these stories is watching how different people act in times of crisis. Who freezes in fear? Who panics and flees? Who is selfish and conniving? Who steps up as the hero? I love imagining all of these scenarios and wondering how I would react in these types of situations. (I like to think I’d be the hero but I’d most likely be the person hiding under the couch…)

“Devolution” is written in journal form by one of the Greenloop residents, Kate Holland. As she chronicled the events leading up to the “Rainier Sasquatch Massacre,” I found it fascinating to watch the evolution of each of Greenloop’s residents. Who will rise to the challenge? Who will falter? And who will survive? You’ll have to read the book to find out! But remember, please don’t read it if you’re squeamish!

I hear “Devolution” is going to be made into a movie. Not sure if I’ll go see it. It’s one thing to read about these Bigfoot attacks, but I might be too squeamish to see it on the big screen!!