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Parasitology #2
Symbiont
THE SECOND BOOK IN MIRA GRANT'S TERRIFYING PARASITOLOGY SERIES.
THE ENEMY IS INSIDE US.
The SymboGen designed tapeworms were created to relieve humanity of disease and sickness. But the implants in the majority of the world's population began attacking their hosts turning them into a ravenous horde.
Now those who do not appear to be afflicted are being gathered for quarantine as panic spreads, but Sal and her companions must discover how the tapeworms are taking over their hosts, what their eventual goal is, and how they can be stopped.
THE ENEMY IS INSIDE US.
The SymboGen designed tapeworms were created to relieve humanity of disease and sickness. But the implants in the majority of the world's population began attacking their hosts turning them into a ravenous horde.
Now those who do not appear to be afflicted are being gathered for quarantine as panic spreads, but Sal and her companions must discover how the tapeworms are taking over their hosts, what their eventual goal is, and how they can be stopped.
516 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2014
About the author
Mira Grant
46 books5,738 followersMira also writes as Seanan McGuire.
Born and raised in Northern California, Mira Grant has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead. In college, she was voted Most Likely to Summon Something Horrible in the Cornfield, and was a founding member of the Horror Movie Sleep-Away Survival Camp, where her record for time survived in the Swamp Cannibals scenario remains unchallenged.
Mira lives in a crumbling farmhouse with an assortment of cats, horror movies, comics, and books about horrible diseases. When not writing, she splits her time between travel, auditing college virology courses, and watching more horror movies than is strictly good for you. Favorite vacation spots include Seattle, London, and a large haunted corn maze just outside of Huntsville, Alabama.
Mira sleeps with a machete under her bed, and highly suggests that you do the same.
Born and raised in Northern California, Mira Grant has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead. In college, she was voted Most Likely to Summon Something Horrible in the Cornfield, and was a founding member of the Horror Movie Sleep-Away Survival Camp, where her record for time survived in the Swamp Cannibals scenario remains unchallenged.
Mira lives in a crumbling farmhouse with an assortment of cats, horror movies, comics, and books about horrible diseases. When not writing, she splits her time between travel, auditing college virology courses, and watching more horror movies than is strictly good for you. Favorite vacation spots include Seattle, London, and a large haunted corn maze just outside of Huntsville, Alabama.
Mira sleeps with a machete under her bed, and highly suggests that you do the same.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 804 reviews
January 8, 2020
- - hear me? This is Harry Lo of KNBR, the Bay Area's real rock, broadcasting live because I have nothing else to do and no other way of getting the message that I'm still alive in here out to the world. I have now been broadcasting for twenty days straight. It's almost Halloween, kids, and if anyone's out there listening, I recommend against going trick-or-treating this year, because the streets are alive with the actual undead, which may make it hard to tell the kids in costumes from the people who want to eat your face off.
--"The whole point of going to where the monsters are is that the monsters will always let you in."
"Yay, monsters," I said.
the temptation to open this review the way mira grant opens her chapters was too great to resist.
i have seen bunches of poopy reviews for this book. not "poopy" like they were poorly-written or even irrational in the things reviewers mentioned as bugging them, but just disappointed reviews from otherwise mira grant fanpersons.
and i agree with a lot of the complaints, but there's something i find so soothing about her writing that just takes all the bad away and rubs my tummy while feeding me red starbursts. i can't account for it, or articulate what it is that is so comforting about her style, because it's surely not her subject matter of zombies and sentient tapeworms that makes me feel safe.
but her prose-hypnosis aside, this book is objectively weaker than the first. this was originally conceived as a duology that swelled into a trilogy. and this book suffers from middle-child syndrome, like so many middle books. it's neither an introduction nor a conclusion, and sometimes it feels like it's just plodding on like filler story, drawing out the tension before the third part can begin. there is a lot of repetition here, a lot of times when already-established facts are hit again and again, and hit hard. at the beginning of the book, this was very welcome, because lord knows i needed a refresher of the scientific intricacies she set up in the first book, but once i was already on solid ground, i found myself encountering the same reminders and i was like "I GOT IT, MORE ACTION PLEASE!"
and even the "don't go out alone" parts, so charmingly sinister in the first volume, weren't ringing my bells as much here. although some of them were great and i do still want them to be collected and sold as an illustrated companion book.
and if you are greg stahl, and tansy was your favorite character in Parasite, well i am sorry to report that she does not get a lot of screentime here.
so, yes, there were things here that i felt were letdowns after the promise of the first book, but i can acknowledge them without it diminishing my enjoyment of the experience of the book.
because i did truly love it.
and it's going to be hard to talk about the book without spoiling the reveals from the first book, and i don't want to invite the same kind of criticism of those cranky folks on my The Girl with All the Gifts review, so i am going to have to be a bit evasive here.
this story picks up from where we were left, desperately, at the end of Parasite. we know things now that we didn't know before, and we are in the middle of some seriously chaotic circumstances while we are trying to wrap our brains around the crazy science and the various betrayals and so many different agendas that compromise our ability to trust anyone's motives.
in mira grant's worlds, "good" and "bad" are useless words.
but we have sal. in the first book, sal was a character coming back to the world after being in a prolonged coma, and having to learn everything over again. she was, in many ways, as helpless as a child. but in this book, she comes into her own as a proactive character, and it feels really good to watch her progress. she retains some of the innocence and confusion inherent in her unique perspective, but she's stronger, more strategic - she has a backbone.
and girl's got a line in the sand that you do not cross:
"Do you hear me, ? I'm going to kill you. You can use my body for your fucked-up experiments, but you had no right to cut my hair. It's not yours."
do not mess with a lady's hair. not even for science.
there are a lot of great action sequences in this book, along with more surprising revelations and more debates around medical ethics and the difference between "people" and "humans." some turns are a little too convenient and some villainous moments are a little too cartoony or illogically short-sighted, but if you can roll with that, roll with it because nathan, doggies, candy factory.
and some sweetly melancholy insights from sal
but despite all the important developments that come out of this book, a lot of it is just treading water, preparing us for what will hopefully be a spectacularly satisfying grand conclusion.
we walked away from everything, moving toward the distant, terrifying future.
hopefully to TOO distant.
The broken doors are ready, you are very nearly home.
My darling child, be careful now, and don't go out alone.
Maggie's review:
I don't know why that lady transcribed my earlier reviews in allcaps like I'm some kind of derivative meme, but there will be no more of that nonsense.
This book made me angry. I was told there would be only two books, and now I am expected to wait for a third book like I have some kind of human-sized life expectancy? That's just rude. So, yeah, I ignored this book.
You can put it as close to me as you want, lady-person - I'm not going to read it. I am protesting this breach of contract.
Then the lady thought it would be cute to pretend to be a cat and "show me how it's done," but she's not half as cute as she thinks she is. I send scornful looks her way.
And I turn my back on you, lying book-liar.
But then feeder kept bugging me about it, so I finally gave in because otherwise it's all "blah blah blah" in my ears and I can't even get a minute's peace. However, I read it upside-down to show the book how little I care for its deception.
Conclusion: I do not like how dogs are portrayed as heroic in this book. It's just more lying lies. This is not a book for cats, and later I will shred the dust jacket. But now I must nap.
come to my blog!
--"The whole point of going to where the monsters are is that the monsters will always let you in."
"Yay, monsters," I said.
the temptation to open this review the way mira grant opens her chapters was too great to resist.
i have seen bunches of poopy reviews for this book. not "poopy" like they were poorly-written or even irrational in the things reviewers mentioned as bugging them, but just disappointed reviews from otherwise mira grant fanpersons.
and i agree with a lot of the complaints, but there's something i find so soothing about her writing that just takes all the bad away and rubs my tummy while feeding me red starbursts. i can't account for it, or articulate what it is that is so comforting about her style, because it's surely not her subject matter of zombies and sentient tapeworms that makes me feel safe.
but her prose-hypnosis aside, this book is objectively weaker than the first. this was originally conceived as a duology that swelled into a trilogy. and this book suffers from middle-child syndrome, like so many middle books. it's neither an introduction nor a conclusion, and sometimes it feels like it's just plodding on like filler story, drawing out the tension before the third part can begin. there is a lot of repetition here, a lot of times when already-established facts are hit again and again, and hit hard. at the beginning of the book, this was very welcome, because lord knows i needed a refresher of the scientific intricacies she set up in the first book, but once i was already on solid ground, i found myself encountering the same reminders and i was like "I GOT IT, MORE ACTION PLEASE!"
and even the "don't go out alone" parts, so charmingly sinister in the first volume, weren't ringing my bells as much here. although some of them were great and i do still want them to be collected and sold as an illustrated companion book.
and if you are greg stahl, and tansy was your favorite character in Parasite, well i am sorry to report that she does not get a lot of screentime here.
so, yes, there were things here that i felt were letdowns after the promise of the first book, but i can acknowledge them without it diminishing my enjoyment of the experience of the book.
because i did truly love it.
and it's going to be hard to talk about the book without spoiling the reveals from the first book, and i don't want to invite the same kind of criticism of those cranky folks on my The Girl with All the Gifts review, so i am going to have to be a bit evasive here.
this story picks up from where we were left, desperately, at the end of Parasite. we know things now that we didn't know before, and we are in the middle of some seriously chaotic circumstances while we are trying to wrap our brains around the crazy science and the various betrayals and so many different agendas that compromise our ability to trust anyone's motives.
in mira grant's worlds, "good" and "bad" are useless words.
but we have sal. in the first book, sal was a character coming back to the world after being in a prolonged coma, and having to learn everything over again. she was, in many ways, as helpless as a child. but in this book, she comes into her own as a proactive character, and it feels really good to watch her progress. she retains some of the innocence and confusion inherent in her unique perspective, but she's stronger, more strategic - she has a backbone.
and girl's got a line in the sand that you do not cross:
"Do you hear me, ? I'm going to kill you. You can use my body for your fucked-up experiments, but you had no right to cut my hair. It's not yours."
do not mess with a lady's hair. not even for science.
there are a lot of great action sequences in this book, along with more surprising revelations and more debates around medical ethics and the difference between "people" and "humans." some turns are a little too convenient and some villainous moments are a little too cartoony or illogically short-sighted, but if you can roll with that, roll with it because nathan, doggies, candy factory.
and some sweetly melancholy insights from sal
but despite all the important developments that come out of this book, a lot of it is just treading water, preparing us for what will hopefully be a spectacularly satisfying grand conclusion.
we walked away from everything, moving toward the distant, terrifying future.
hopefully to TOO distant.
The broken doors are ready, you are very nearly home.
My darling child, be careful now, and don't go out alone.
Maggie's review:
I don't know why that lady transcribed my earlier reviews in allcaps like I'm some kind of derivative meme, but there will be no more of that nonsense.
This book made me angry. I was told there would be only two books, and now I am expected to wait for a third book like I have some kind of human-sized life expectancy? That's just rude. So, yeah, I ignored this book.
You can put it as close to me as you want, lady-person - I'm not going to read it. I am protesting this breach of contract.
Then the lady thought it would be cute to pretend to be a cat and "show me how it's done," but she's not half as cute as she thinks she is. I send scornful looks her way.
And I turn my back on you, lying book-liar.
But then feeder kept bugging me about it, so I finally gave in because otherwise it's all "blah blah blah" in my ears and I can't even get a minute's peace. However, I read it upside-down to show the book how little I care for its deception.
Conclusion: I do not like how dogs are portrayed as heroic in this book. It's just more lying lies. This is not a book for cats, and later I will shred the dust jacket. But now I must nap.
July 14, 2017
Yep. I gave a Mira Grant book 2 stars.
It pains me to do so, it really does, but this series, in general, has not impressed me at all. Parasite/Symbiont was intended originally to be a duology but it has now transformed into a trilogy with Symbiont becoming nothing more than a seriously massive tome of filler. It was a huge undertaking to get through this (a total of 23 days which is fairly unheard of for me) but there’s no denying that it definitely lacked direction.
By now we’ve had our fair share of romances between humans and well, non-humans. All members of the supernatural (vampires, werewolves, fairies and even zombies) and while I’m all for diversity in romances, I’m not sure human and tapeworm were ever on my wishlist. When news of this series first came to light, I was definitely intrigued. A tapeworm named The Intestinal Bodyguard is the answer to anything from allergies to colds, yet it does much more than anticipated when the tapeworms learn how to overtake their human bodies and claim them as their own. The transformation process went differently for some. Sal, a chimera, developed a personality and even formed a romance with Nathan, the son of Dr. Shanti Cale the co-creator of the original tapeworm. Others weren’t so fortunate and now infect the streets of San Francisco in search of sustenance (basically a zombie, but they’re called sleepwalkers). The inclusion of the romance angle was a bit far-fetched and I felt that there were enough interesting aspects of this story going on that it didn’t need to be included. Plus, it’s kind of gross, but who am I to judge I guess.
One of the main issues I had with Parasite were some various plot holes that could have swallowed a building. Most specifically was Sal’s fear of cars that supposedly developed after her car accident, however, she was still human at the time of the accident. Her tapeworm didn’t take over her brain until following the accident. It never quite made sense that she took on her same phobia yet none of her memories or anything else. There was a clumsy attempt to backtrack and explain this, basically, the phobia was ingrained into her during counseling sessions when she was still at SymboGen, and while this would explain it it was far from a sufficient justification because huh? Why would the scientists trouble themselves with making sure Sal remained scared of cars? Baffling.
The conclusion of Parasite left off with Sal just barely escaping SymboGen, but unfortunately, her ‘tapeworm sister’ Tansy was captured in the process. A chunk of the novel is spent on finding her location and concocting a dangerous rescue mission just to get her back. The rest of the novel involves other dangerous acts that constantly put the characters in unnecessary danger in a failed attempt to generate an enticing intensity. First, there was the foray back to the horde infected streets of San Francisco because, whoops, we left the dogs at home! Then there’s the medical condition of Sal’s that naturally can’t be treated in the lab so another trip into the city is required. Then Sal gets kidnapped a few times by various individuals. There’s a lot happening within these 500+ pages but it’s all inconsequential stuff that doesn’t need to be happening if that makes sense. It was all entirely too tedious for my liking. I’ll likely pick up the final installment Chimera since I’m already so invested, but my expectations are near rock bottom at this point.
I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It pains me to do so, it really does, but this series, in general, has not impressed me at all. Parasite/Symbiont was intended originally to be a duology but it has now transformed into a trilogy with Symbiont becoming nothing more than a seriously massive tome of filler. It was a huge undertaking to get through this (a total of 23 days which is fairly unheard of for me) but there’s no denying that it definitely lacked direction.
By now we’ve had our fair share of romances between humans and well, non-humans. All members of the supernatural (vampires, werewolves, fairies and even zombies) and while I’m all for diversity in romances, I’m not sure human and tapeworm were ever on my wishlist. When news of this series first came to light, I was definitely intrigued. A tapeworm named The Intestinal Bodyguard is the answer to anything from allergies to colds, yet it does much more than anticipated when the tapeworms learn how to overtake their human bodies and claim them as their own. The transformation process went differently for some. Sal, a chimera, developed a personality and even formed a romance with Nathan, the son of Dr. Shanti Cale the co-creator of the original tapeworm. Others weren’t so fortunate and now infect the streets of San Francisco in search of sustenance (basically a zombie, but they’re called sleepwalkers). The inclusion of the romance angle was a bit far-fetched and I felt that there were enough interesting aspects of this story going on that it didn’t need to be included. Plus, it’s kind of gross, but who am I to judge I guess.
One of the main issues I had with Parasite were some various plot holes that could have swallowed a building. Most specifically was Sal’s fear of cars that supposedly developed after her car accident, however, she was still human at the time of the accident. Her tapeworm didn’t take over her brain until following the accident. It never quite made sense that she took on her same phobia yet none of her memories or anything else. There was a clumsy attempt to backtrack and explain this, basically, the phobia was ingrained into her during counseling sessions when she was still at SymboGen, and while this would explain it it was far from a sufficient justification because huh? Why would the scientists trouble themselves with making sure Sal remained scared of cars? Baffling.
The conclusion of Parasite left off with Sal just barely escaping SymboGen, but unfortunately, her ‘tapeworm sister’ Tansy was captured in the process. A chunk of the novel is spent on finding her location and concocting a dangerous rescue mission just to get her back. The rest of the novel involves other dangerous acts that constantly put the characters in unnecessary danger in a failed attempt to generate an enticing intensity. First, there was the foray back to the horde infected streets of San Francisco because, whoops, we left the dogs at home! Then there’s the medical condition of Sal’s that naturally can’t be treated in the lab so another trip into the city is required. Then Sal gets kidnapped a few times by various individuals. There’s a lot happening within these 500+ pages but it’s all inconsequential stuff that doesn’t need to be happening if that makes sense. It was all entirely too tedious for my liking. I’ll likely pick up the final installment Chimera since I’m already so invested, but my expectations are near rock bottom at this point.
I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
December 15, 2014
Common Sense in the Apocalypse Quiz
Name: "Sal" Sally Mitchell
Examiner: Kaora
Date: 12/14/2014
Grade: F (Stands for FUCKED)
Score: 0.5 / 5
1) Please describe the best way to detect sleepwalkers.
I would take my dog along since she has heightened senses and can detect them faster than I can.
Wrong. They moan, so you should be able to simply use your ears rather than endangering the dog. Also having a barker when you are trying to be sneaky is probably not a good idea.
2) Your enemy has your friend and wants to capture you. What do you do?
Fall directly into the obvious trap with no backup plan and go attempt to rescue her.
Oh dear.
3) Sleepwalkers are trying to break down the door to where you and your friends are on a boat. What do you do?
Play the hero and attempt to slow them down.
Perhaps use the boat?
4) You are grabbing essential items from your apartment. What do you take?
Our carnivorous plants, our dogs, and our clothing.
Plants? I'll give you half a point for the other two.
5) Sleepwalkers are dangerous. True or False
False. They are people!
Seriously? You have teeth marks in your arm. Thousands are dead!
All joking aside. I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't.
If you can't tell from the mini-quiz I HATED the protagonist. She was a fearful, wishy washy joke of a character that excelled at getting hurt and placing herself in ridiculous situations due to her stupidity. Maybe its been a while since I read the last book, but I really loved that book. But I couldn't get into this one. She is afraid of everything from people smiling with teeth, and riding with cars. The drama every time she stepped foot in a vehicle got on my nerves. She cares for the sleepwalkers well being, then she bludgeons one to death. She wants to save them, then they are repulsive. She considers people her family, but doesn't really react when one is believed dead. She blames herself for the end of the world, but doesn't want to help solve it as its an invasion of her privacy.
It was grating. Really grating. Playing the victim, attempting to play the hero, landing herself in trouble, captured by the next "bad guy", getting out by pure luck. Again and again and again. I wanted to like this book. I adore every other book written by Mira Grant (not counting Fed). But this one completely missed the mark.
It suffers a bit from second book syndrome. There was absolutely no real progression thoughout the book. While a few details are added to our knowledge about the sleepwalkers, I really don't feel like this book had a clear goal in mind. It could have been so much better than it was.
Really really disappointing.
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner.
Name: "Sal" Sally Mitchell
Examiner: Kaora
Date: 12/14/2014
Grade: F (Stands for FUCKED)
Score: 0.5 / 5
1) Please describe the best way to detect sleepwalkers.
I would take my dog along since she has heightened senses and can detect them faster than I can.
Wrong. They moan, so you should be able to simply use your ears rather than endangering the dog. Also having a barker when you are trying to be sneaky is probably not a good idea.
2) Your enemy has your friend and wants to capture you. What do you do?
Fall directly into the obvious trap with no backup plan and go attempt to rescue her.
Oh dear.
3) Sleepwalkers are trying to break down the door to where you and your friends are on a boat. What do you do?
Play the hero and attempt to slow them down.
Perhaps use the boat?
4) You are grabbing essential items from your apartment. What do you take?
Our carnivorous plants, our dogs, and our clothing.
Plants? I'll give you half a point for the other two.
5) Sleepwalkers are dangerous. True or False
False. They are people!
Seriously? You have teeth marks in your arm. Thousands are dead!
All joking aside. I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't.
If you can't tell from the mini-quiz I HATED the protagonist. She was a fearful, wishy washy joke of a character that excelled at getting hurt and placing herself in ridiculous situations due to her stupidity. Maybe its been a while since I read the last book, but I really loved that book. But I couldn't get into this one. She is afraid of everything from people smiling with teeth, and riding with cars. The drama every time she stepped foot in a vehicle got on my nerves. She cares for the sleepwalkers well being, then she bludgeons one to death. She wants to save them, then they are repulsive. She considers people her family, but doesn't really react when one is believed dead. She blames herself for the end of the world, but doesn't want to help solve it as its an invasion of her privacy.
It was grating. Really grating. Playing the victim, attempting to play the hero, landing herself in trouble, captured by the next "bad guy", getting out by pure luck. Again and again and again. I wanted to like this book. I adore every other book written by Mira Grant (not counting Fed). But this one completely missed the mark.
It suffers a bit from second book syndrome. There was absolutely no real progression thoughout the book. While a few details are added to our knowledge about the sleepwalkers, I really don't feel like this book had a clear goal in mind. It could have been so much better than it was.
Really really disappointing.
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner.
May 7, 2017
The Symbiont Drinking Game
One shot whenever Sal faints, passes out, or is tranquilized.
Two shots whenever Sal descends into the "hot warm dark".
Read this way it can be five stars and a blessed brake from holiday mayhem.
The best thing about this book is its irreverence. There's a character who is fully convinced that he is living a video game because that makes more sense than a parasitic zombie apocalypse. In the book he's nuts but as a reader you laugh because it almost does make more sense.
Then there's Nathan and Sal's love story. He swears he loves Sal for the chimera she is and not Sally Mitchell. But I have to give this one to our villain Dr. Banks: Tell me you'd still be so interested in that little girl whose hand you're holding if we took her pretty chassis away and handed her to you in a jar? Oh, did I laugh. Talk about a mood killer.
The worst thing about the book was a lack of Tansy but it looks like she'll be coming back for Chimera.
One shot whenever Sal faints, passes out, or is tranquilized.
Two shots whenever Sal descends into the "hot warm dark".
Read this way it can be five stars and a blessed brake from holiday mayhem.
The best thing about this book is its irreverence. There's a character who is fully convinced that he is living a video game because that makes more sense than a parasitic zombie apocalypse. In the book he's nuts but as a reader you laugh because it almost does make more sense.
Then there's Nathan and Sal's love story. He swears he loves Sal for the chimera she is and not Sally Mitchell. But I have to give this one to our villain Dr. Banks: Tell me you'd still be so interested in that little girl whose hand you're holding if we took her pretty chassis away and handed her to you in a jar? Oh, did I laugh. Talk about a mood killer.
The worst thing about the book was a lack of Tansy but it looks like she'll be coming back for Chimera.
December 18, 2017
What's that? I actually finished a book?
I know I was surprised too.
'Twas a good book too. Not as good as Parasite, but a solid sequel. I'm still on board for book three, coming at my reading list in 2018!
I know I was surprised too.
'Twas a good book too. Not as good as Parasite, but a solid sequel. I'm still on board for book three, coming at my reading list in 2018!
July 10, 2020
November can't come soon enough!
Edit: OH MY GOD THIS IS OUT AND I FORGOT
as;lkfjas;ldkfjal;sdkjf;alskd
~*~*~
Love, love, love. Will write a proper review later. <3
January 29, 2020
So, the first book ends with "Nathan pulled out a key as we walked toward the bowling alley door. [...] Anything else I might have had to say was lost as he opened the door and I was swarmed by Beverly and Minnie, both wagging their tails in frantic delight."
The second book starts with them leaving the bowling incint to get back the dogs (Beverly and Minnie) from their apartment..
WTF?!
Well, I guess this could have been accomplished if the author and the entire editing team had sudden amnesia..
_______________________
Silent house and silent hall,
Room so big, and you so small,
Looking in the closet, looking underneath the stair.
I know just what you hope to find,
But this is all I left behind:
I hope that you can listen to a frightened monster’s prayer.
The broken doors are hidden. You must not wait to be shown.
My darling ones, be careful now, and don’t go out alone.
In the places time forgot
What we are meets what we’re not:
Every choice you’re making throws another choice away.
Choose the passage, choose the task,
Choose the face or choose the mask.
If you choose correctly then, my darling, you can stay.
The broken doors are open—come and enter and be home.
My darling girl, be careful now, and don’t go out alone.
Take the bread and take the salt,
Know that this is not your fault;
Take the things you need, for you will not be coming back.
Pause before you shut the door,
Look back once, and never more.
Take a breath and take a step, committed to this track.
The broken doors are kept in places ancient and unknown.
My darling ones, be careful now, and don’t go out alone.
Excerpts from fictional work DON’T GO OUT ALONE by Simone Kimberley
(published 2006 by LightHouse Press; currently out of print)
The second book starts with them leaving the bowling incint to get back the dogs (Beverly and Minnie) from their apartment..
WTF?!
Well, I guess this could have been accomplished if the author and the entire editing team had sudden amnesia..
_______________________
Silent house and silent hall,
Room so big, and you so small,
Looking in the closet, looking underneath the stair.
I know just what you hope to find,
But this is all I left behind:
I hope that you can listen to a frightened monster’s prayer.
The broken doors are hidden. You must not wait to be shown.
My darling ones, be careful now, and don’t go out alone.
In the places time forgot
What we are meets what we’re not:
Every choice you’re making throws another choice away.
Choose the passage, choose the task,
Choose the face or choose the mask.
If you choose correctly then, my darling, you can stay.
The broken doors are open—come and enter and be home.
My darling girl, be careful now, and don’t go out alone.
Take the bread and take the salt,
Know that this is not your fault;
Take the things you need, for you will not be coming back.
Pause before you shut the door,
Look back once, and never more.
Take a breath and take a step, committed to this track.
The broken doors are kept in places ancient and unknown.
My darling ones, be careful now, and don’t go out alone.
Excerpts from fictional work DON’T GO OUT ALONE by Simone Kimberley
(published 2006 by LightHouse Press; currently out of print)
October 1, 2016
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I really didn't love this. I'm a huge fan of Seanan's work normally, but this one felt over-long and drawn out with just too much standing around in rooms vacillating about what to do next when only the bad guys seem to have a plan.
The first one was alright, although the "big reveal" was completely obvious to everyone but the main character, who even reflects in this book that retrospectively even she thought it was obvious. This next one has Sal and Nathan with one group of scientist's working on the problem of the Sleepwalkers. Fairly early on there's a completely manufactured plot twist that requires Sal to risk herself in public where she promptly gets exposure to two of the three other groups who are looking for her. That just leads off into a narrative of risk, capture, exposition and escape that continues for the rest of the book.
This is middle book syndrome in spades and a judicious edit would probably have sliced it down to a much smaller book and potentially allowed this to be the duology it was originally planned as.
A rare misstep for this author I think.
The first one was alright, although the "big reveal" was completely obvious to everyone but the main character, who even reflects in this book that retrospectively even she thought it was obvious. This next one has Sal and Nathan with one group of scientist's working on the problem of the Sleepwalkers. Fairly early on there's a completely manufactured plot twist that requires Sal to risk herself in public where she promptly gets exposure to two of the three other groups who are looking for her. That just leads off into a narrative of risk, capture, exposition and escape that continues for the rest of the book.
This is middle book syndrome in spades and a judicious edit would probably have sliced it down to a much smaller book and potentially allowed this to be the duology it was originally planned as.
A rare misstep for this author I think.
November 15, 2014
Usually when a duology becomes a trilogy or a trilogy becomes a more lengthy series overnight, I grumble and complain and become instantly resentful of both the author and the publisher. But when I discovered that this duology somehow grew to become a trilogy, I felt nothing but satisfaction and joy. More books from Mira Grant are always good news to me. In fact, if Parasitology suddenly became a 180 books long medical thriller/soap opera hybrid, I’d still be a happy camper. That’s how much I admire this author and trust in her ability to always, always deliver.
Like Parasite, Symbiont is mostly told from Sal Mitchell’s perspective, with diary entries, chapters and correspondence from other characters in between. Sal’s voice is nothing like what we usually get from Mira Grant. She is a frightened girl, hesitant, unsure, often whiny, and a follower by her own admission. For the most part, Sal doesn’t even try to be brave (which can admittedly be a tad exhausting at times), but in Symbiont, we witness her growing at least somewhat stronger and more confident. She will never be the most traditional heroine, but then again, she’s not the most traditional human being, so I suppose that’s all right.
My experience with medical thrillers is virtually nonexistent which makes it impossible for me to compare Symbiont with others of its kind, but the amount of research behind this book is obvious and quite impressive. One could never accuse Grant of doing things halfway. The science in her science fiction is always so believable and infinitely scary. I kept imagining my brain being slowly eaten by a parasite and let me tell you, it was not a pleasant thought at all.
The pacing could have been better, especially in the first half. I felt that some events included were absolutely inconsequential and that the story would have functioned a lot better without them. But the second half of the book has no such issues –it was, in fact, so tense that I sometimes forgot to breathe.
In addition to her excellent worldbuilding, Grant’s characterization is, as always, superb. This stands true for more than just Sal – each and every one of her characters is built to perfection. Through Dr. Cale and Dr. Banks, we are offered insight into the minds of two mad scientists with brilliant minds and sociopathic tendencies. Dr. Cale was especially interesting in that regard because she actually tried to adhere to basic ethical and behavioral standards, but it was always a conscious effort, not something that came naturally. I’ve also noticed that Grant always includes a slightly unhinged, homicidal girl (Foxy in Blackout and Tansy in Parasite and Symbiont) as the perfect source of comic relief. This may be a template character for Grant, but it is always endlessly entertaining to me.
”Hello?” I tried again. “Look, I’m all like, barefoot and lying in yuck, and that’s a serious infection risk, so could you maybe come and get me and take me somewhere clean? Or better, give me back my shoes and let me go? I promise not to murder you even a little.”
While Parasitolgy didn’t necessarily capture my heart like Newsflesh before it, its quality is unquestionable. I have no doubt that we’ll be getting a spectacular finale next year. I for one can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Like Parasite, Symbiont is mostly told from Sal Mitchell’s perspective, with diary entries, chapters and correspondence from other characters in between. Sal’s voice is nothing like what we usually get from Mira Grant. She is a frightened girl, hesitant, unsure, often whiny, and a follower by her own admission. For the most part, Sal doesn’t even try to be brave (which can admittedly be a tad exhausting at times), but in Symbiont, we witness her growing at least somewhat stronger and more confident. She will never be the most traditional heroine, but then again, she’s not the most traditional human being, so I suppose that’s all right.
My experience with medical thrillers is virtually nonexistent which makes it impossible for me to compare Symbiont with others of its kind, but the amount of research behind this book is obvious and quite impressive. One could never accuse Grant of doing things halfway. The science in her science fiction is always so believable and infinitely scary. I kept imagining my brain being slowly eaten by a parasite and let me tell you, it was not a pleasant thought at all.
The pacing could have been better, especially in the first half. I felt that some events included were absolutely inconsequential and that the story would have functioned a lot better without them. But the second half of the book has no such issues –it was, in fact, so tense that I sometimes forgot to breathe.
In addition to her excellent worldbuilding, Grant’s characterization is, as always, superb. This stands true for more than just Sal – each and every one of her characters is built to perfection. Through Dr. Cale and Dr. Banks, we are offered insight into the minds of two mad scientists with brilliant minds and sociopathic tendencies. Dr. Cale was especially interesting in that regard because she actually tried to adhere to basic ethical and behavioral standards, but it was always a conscious effort, not something that came naturally. I’ve also noticed that Grant always includes a slightly unhinged, homicidal girl (Foxy in Blackout and Tansy in Parasite and Symbiont) as the perfect source of comic relief. This may be a template character for Grant, but it is always endlessly entertaining to me.
”Hello?” I tried again. “Look, I’m all like, barefoot and lying in yuck, and that’s a serious infection risk, so could you maybe come and get me and take me somewhere clean? Or better, give me back my shoes and let me go? I promise not to murder you even a little.”
While Parasitolgy didn’t necessarily capture my heart like Newsflesh before it, its quality is unquestionable. I have no doubt that we’ll be getting a spectacular finale next year. I for one can’t wait to get my hands on it.
October 23, 2020
“Sometimes I wonder if this is how God felt. And then I wonder why He didn’t just let us all burn.”
Ay, por dónde empezar con este libro… El primero se escribió sabiendo que iba a ser una duología. El segundo se escribió sabiendo que iba a ser una trilogía. Así que, básicamente, este libro es ese típico libro puente en las trilogías 😂
No planeo comentarles sobre la trama de este libro porque es el segundo de una trilogía, por lo que sería spoiler, pero les hablaré sobre la sinopsis de Parasite, el primero. Básicamente, nos encontramos en un futuro no muy lejano donde el ser humano logró curar todas las enfermedades, es imposible que se agarre cualquier bicho, y esto con la simple incorporación de un implante en su cuerpo. Ese implante es un parásito. La cosa es que ese parásito, que se supone que no debía desarrollarse, ni crecer, ni moverse, ni invadir el resto del cuerpo humano, ahora tomó las riendas del asunto y hace lo que quiere dentro el cuerpo del huésped. Y la gente con implantes empieza a actuar de forma muy extraña…
Siento que en este segundo libro no pasó mucho… No aportó demasiado a la historia que se introdujo en Parasite. Sí, hubo un par de develaciones pero éstas deberían haber sucedido en menos cantidad de páginas. Pero me entretuvo, debo darle ese mérito. Las conspiraciones, los pequeños plot twists y las apuñaladas por la espalda que tuvo la trama a lo largo de este libro bien largo, me mantuvieron enganchada. Hay muchos secretos, mentiras, conspiraciones, como dije, y todo esto, agiliza bastante una historia que, la verdad, no aporta mucho a la trama original.
Básicamente este libro es Prueba de Fuego (Maze Runner 2) pero con parásitos en vez de virus, porque Sally es Thomas y se VIVE desmayando cada dos segundos (lpm hermana calmateee). Lo que rescato de esto, e incluso me levanto y aplaudo a Mira, es que la autora explica esto científicamente, es decir, que Sally se desmaye cada vez que le revelen algo super importante de su vida o de la "sleepwalking sickness" tiene su por qué😂
Pero eso, me hizo acordar muchísimo a Thomas quedándose dormido al final de cada capítulo en Prueba de Fuego pero por suerte todo tiene su por qué. Además, a Symbiont lo leí más rápido y no lo sentí tan eterrrno como a ese otro libro puente.
“The big question of the hour is pretty obvious: it's the question we've been asking every scientist from Galileo to Oppenheimer, from Frankenstein to Moreau. Do I feel like we at SymboGen are trying to play God?
Well, there's a reason that two of the scientists I just named don't really exist. I think that mankind is constantly trying to play God: I would argue that playing God is exactly what God, if He exists, would want us to do. He didn't create thinking creatures with the intent that we would never think. That would be silly. He didn't create creatures that were capable of manipulating and remaking our environment with the intent that we would sit idle and never create anything. That would be a waste.
If God exists- and I am reserving my final opinion on the matter until I die and meet Him- then He is a scientist, and by creating man, he was playing at being me for a little while. So I can't imagine that He would mind if I wanted to try putting the shoe on the other foot, can you?”
En resumen, me entretuvo, tuvo acción y se lee dentro de todo rápido a pesar de tener más de 500 páginas, pero no aporta demasiado a la historia que vimos en el primer libro. Literal que se podría haber hecho algo más corto como puente entre este y el último libro. Espero que el tercero esté mejor.
--- Reseña en mi bookstagram: Libros con(té)
December 22, 2014
This review appears on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!
Only Mira Grant could write a series about tapeworm horror, and make it compelling, intelligent, well thought out and absolutely terrifying.
The Parasitology series explores a world dominated by science, where people rely on tapeworm implants for perfect health and longevity. While Parasite explored how this technology was invented and how it was adopted across the globe, Symbiont explores the detrimental and disastrous effects of the implant, as people using implants become cold, empty shells – or zombies.
As an avid zombie fan, I’ve heard about diseases, bites and airbourne viruses causing the affliction, but this is the first time tapeworms have become the primary cause of death. It’s sickly fascinating, gruesome and unimaginable – but somehow, with the justification of science, it becomes believable in this dark and chilling world.
I won’t provide any spoilers for Parasite, but Symbiont was as chilling and addictive as the first. As if the tapeworms and zombies weren’t enough, Sal experiences many dark and sinister situations totally out of her control. From being strapped down by a military organisation, to being operated on by scientists, to being held captive against her will by a sick man, I experienced complete and utter horror at some of these situations and the immoral and evil behaviour of people once the world goes mad.
Sal’s genuine, intelligent and inquisitive nature makes her a survivor, and I was proud of her leadership, strength and resolve no matter how dangerous the situation. While the events of Parasite left her reeling and unsure of herself, she really grows in confidence by the end of the book. Symbiont made me love Nathan more, in all of his geeky, scientific glory and his loyalty and love for Sal.
We are introduced to some fantastic new characters, from Ronnie, the tapeworm assassin who is stuck in a man’s body, to Fishy, a man in denial who believes he’s stuck in a video game.
There are a few problems with plot continuity however, as without the kidnapping and saving, not much actually happened in the book. At over 600 pages, you’d expect more to happen outside of repeating the events of the previous book and having our character being thrust in a whole range of situations.
Symbiont is not just a book about tapeworms, or zombies, or even science. It explores the scary effects of a world relying on an untested technology, opposing views of different scientists and organisations, and the blurred lines between human, scientific subject and tapeworm. From tapeworms burrowing into our skulls, to scientists on the ruthless quest for knowledge to evil profiteering companies, there are so many terrifying situations in this book.
It also leaves us with the chilling notion – if we discovered an incredibly risky cure to all diseases, would we use it?
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Only Mira Grant could write a series about tapeworm horror, and make it compelling, intelligent, well thought out and absolutely terrifying.
The Parasitology series explores a world dominated by science, where people rely on tapeworm implants for perfect health and longevity. While Parasite explored how this technology was invented and how it was adopted across the globe, Symbiont explores the detrimental and disastrous effects of the implant, as people using implants become cold, empty shells – or zombies.
As an avid zombie fan, I’ve heard about diseases, bites and airbourne viruses causing the affliction, but this is the first time tapeworms have become the primary cause of death. It’s sickly fascinating, gruesome and unimaginable – but somehow, with the justification of science, it becomes believable in this dark and chilling world.
I won’t provide any spoilers for Parasite, but Symbiont was as chilling and addictive as the first. As if the tapeworms and zombies weren’t enough, Sal experiences many dark and sinister situations totally out of her control. From being strapped down by a military organisation, to being operated on by scientists, to being held captive against her will by a sick man, I experienced complete and utter horror at some of these situations and the immoral and evil behaviour of people once the world goes mad.
Sal’s genuine, intelligent and inquisitive nature makes her a survivor, and I was proud of her leadership, strength and resolve no matter how dangerous the situation. While the events of Parasite left her reeling and unsure of herself, she really grows in confidence by the end of the book. Symbiont made me love Nathan more, in all of his geeky, scientific glory and his loyalty and love for Sal.
We are introduced to some fantastic new characters, from Ronnie, the tapeworm assassin who is stuck in a man’s body, to Fishy, a man in denial who believes he’s stuck in a video game.
There are a few problems with plot continuity however, as without the kidnapping and saving, not much actually happened in the book. At over 600 pages, you’d expect more to happen outside of repeating the events of the previous book and having our character being thrust in a whole range of situations.
Symbiont is not just a book about tapeworms, or zombies, or even science. It explores the scary effects of a world relying on an untested technology, opposing views of different scientists and organisations, and the blurred lines between human, scientific subject and tapeworm. From tapeworms burrowing into our skulls, to scientists on the ruthless quest for knowledge to evil profiteering companies, there are so many terrifying situations in this book.
It also leaves us with the chilling notion – if we discovered an incredibly risky cure to all diseases, would we use it?
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2016
3.5 stars. Not quite as good as the first one but a solid middle book. Lots of character development in his one. Not a whole lot of action until the end and then it's a pretty big cliffhanger.
August 12, 2022
Minor spoilers for book 1 below.
While I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book, it was still a good read.
What I liked:
There was more action in this one, which I enjoyed.
I liked Sal growing into a person with more backbone. She still has a long way to go, but she's come a long way from the timid character she was in the first book.
Speaking of Sal, I'm glad there was a real, medical reason for why she kept fainting all the time. That and her crying in book one did irritate me. There's less of both in this book.
I also liked how we see her embrace who and what she is more as she learns about her abilities.
I like that there's 2 villains, potentially 3, instead of just one. Makes things more interesting.
What I didn't like:
Nathan. Maybe this is just me being a massive lesbian, but ugh, he really irritated me. I don't like reading m/f romances (I know I have one in my book along with a f/f one, but I wrote that before I'd fully figured myself out). Nathan and Sal are a couple, and I hate that Sal kind of regresses into a damsel in distress around him. I hate that he's smarter than her. I hate that she thinks about him a LOT. Also, they're different species, which weirded me out a little.
The glaring continuity error from the end of book 1 to the start of book 2. I can't believe no one spotted it. At the end of book one Nathan and Sal go to the bowling alley with their dogs. But at the start of book 2 they need to go back into the dangerous, infected-ridden San Francisco to get the dogs from their apartment. It's a massive plot point! How did no one spot the error?
There was a lot of repetition. The book could've been a lot shorter if things weren't repeatedly explained.
I'm going to read something extremely sapphic before starting book 3. The lack of queer is starting to get to me!
Rep: Sal is dyslexic, bi side character and trans side character (these are on one of the villainous sides)
While I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book, it was still a good read.
What I liked:
There was more action in this one, which I enjoyed.
I liked Sal growing into a person with more backbone. She still has a long way to go, but she's come a long way from the timid character she was in the first book.
Speaking of Sal, I'm glad there was a real, medical reason for why she kept fainting all the time. That and her crying in book one did irritate me. There's less of both in this book.
I also liked how we see her embrace who and what she is more as she learns about her abilities.
I like that there's 2 villains, potentially 3, instead of just one. Makes things more interesting.
What I didn't like:
Nathan. Maybe this is just me being a massive lesbian, but ugh, he really irritated me. I don't like reading m/f romances (I know I have one in my book along with a f/f one, but I wrote that before I'd fully figured myself out). Nathan and Sal are a couple, and I hate that Sal kind of regresses into a damsel in distress around him. I hate that he's smarter than her. I hate that she thinks about him a LOT. Also, they're different species, which weirded me out a little.
The glaring continuity error from the end of book 1 to the start of book 2. I can't believe no one spotted it. At the end of book one Nathan and Sal go to the bowling alley with their dogs. But at the start of book 2 they need to go back into the dangerous, infected-ridden San Francisco to get the dogs from their apartment. It's a massive plot point! How did no one spot the error?
There was a lot of repetition. The book could've been a lot shorter if things weren't repeatedly explained.
I'm going to read something extremely sapphic before starting book 3. The lack of queer is starting to get to me!
Rep: Sal is dyslexic, bi side character and trans side character (these are on one of the villainous sides)
December 10, 2014
I'm not sure how to process this story... it's my worst nightmare, and yet in a sense I have to root for that!
Alright, so before I dig in to the meat of this book I have to warn you that part of what I'm going to say will be about things that were revealed in Parasite, the first book in this series. If you haven't read that book, don't read further!
I seriously do not know where I stand on this book. Mira Grant is so good at development. It's not so much that I believe that this world could really happen so much as she makes it all sound so good that I buy it despite how unrealistic it arguably is. (For the life of me, I can not believe anyone would opt to implant a tapeworm inside them!) However, the subject matter in this series is such a representation of, like, my entire host of fears.
I can't even handle earthworms, let alone a tapeworm!
And the worst part is that they never let you forget about those damn tapeworms! Multiple times in each chapter they're describing their soft bodies, or reminding you that they're only functioning because a tapeworm is behind the wheel of the human body. No matter what anyone says, sex is NOT hot when you know that one character is a dang tapeworm!
It's just too much. It's too gross for me. Call me shallow but I don't know how I would feel if I found out my significant other was actually a worm inside. It reminds me a little of that gross alien guy in Men in Black. The alien wearing the human skin. Ugh!
The best I can do is split the difference. I can't give it a high rating because of the worms and I can't underrate it because it's just so well done. I'm calling it at 3.5.
Thank you Netgalley and Orbit books for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.
Alright, so before I dig in to the meat of this book I have to warn you that part of what I'm going to say will be about things that were revealed in Parasite, the first book in this series. If you haven't read that book, don't read further!
I seriously do not know where I stand on this book. Mira Grant is so good at development. It's not so much that I believe that this world could really happen so much as she makes it all sound so good that I buy it despite how unrealistic it arguably is. (For the life of me, I can not believe anyone would opt to implant a tapeworm inside them!) However, the subject matter in this series is such a representation of, like, my entire host of fears.
I can't even handle earthworms, let alone a tapeworm!
And the worst part is that they never let you forget about those damn tapeworms! Multiple times in each chapter they're describing their soft bodies, or reminding you that they're only functioning because a tapeworm is behind the wheel of the human body. No matter what anyone says, sex is NOT hot when you know that one character is a dang tapeworm!
It's just too much. It's too gross for me. Call me shallow but I don't know how I would feel if I found out my significant other was actually a worm inside. It reminds me a little of that gross alien guy in Men in Black. The alien wearing the human skin. Ugh!
The best I can do is split the difference. I can't give it a high rating because of the worms and I can't underrate it because it's just so well done. I'm calling it at 3.5.
Thank you Netgalley and Orbit books for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.
February 1, 2015
I didn't think the book was perfect, but it was entertaining and I'm quite looking forward to the next one.
December 1, 2014
If you have not yet read Parasite I suggest you swallow the red pill and slip down the rabbit-hole that is Grant’s brilliant mind and join the rest of us in this frighteningly real apocalyptic future.
Grant allows us to effortlessly slip back into this multiple perspective tale, complete with journal and audio-recorded journals from characters trapped in this world. In Parasite we opened the doors wide, were both horrified, and fascinated by the world Grant had created beyond those doors. In this second novel, we begin to see the cracks as we gain insider information into the plans of several key characters and leaders in this chaotic zombie infested world. Unaffected folks are quarantined, a new species walks among us and sides are being drawn. The tale that unfolds kept me riveted with none of the symptoms of second book syndrome in sight.
One of the things I love about Grant (Seanan McGuire) is her ability to create fleshed out characters. Sal is such a curious character and we see character growth as she continues to define herself. Nathan, our geeky hero has moments where he shines, but I want more from him. Adam has such a childlike curiosity but we glimpse something more. Dr. Cole and Dr. Banks are ever present and while one shows more compassion than the other you cannot help but ask yourself, “How much sacrifice justifies knowing?” Sherman is perhaps the character whom I fear the most, and Ronnie is one I am eager to learn more about. Fishy, is a secondary character who I adore. The man is fearless, and downright hilarious. I have his six at all times. Grant, do not let anything happen to him. Tansy oh Gads! *tries to swallow* I cannot talk about it. I need more answers.
In Symbiont, we gain some answers but they are quickly replaced with larger questions that are more pressing and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds in Chimera, the final book set to release sometime in 2015. The world is in chaos as implants turn folks into flesh-eating mindless zombies. We see some glimpse of intelligence from some of them, and as always, I cannot wait to see how that develops. Their link to Sal is fascinating, and hints at untapped potential. Grant continues to raise questions for the reader, as each revelation and man’s interaction make you ponder the implications. You cannot help but question what our society’s future holds. The brilliant aspect of this post-apocalyptic horror is how realistic it all sounds. Just turn on the television, open up a science or discovery magazine. Man craves the answers, the cures and perfection. *shivers*
Copy received from publisher, full review on blog.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill -- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill -- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.- Morpheus, The Matrix, 1999
Grant allows us to effortlessly slip back into this multiple perspective tale, complete with journal and audio-recorded journals from characters trapped in this world. In Parasite we opened the doors wide, were both horrified, and fascinated by the world Grant had created beyond those doors. In this second novel, we begin to see the cracks as we gain insider information into the plans of several key characters and leaders in this chaotic zombie infested world. Unaffected folks are quarantined, a new species walks among us and sides are being drawn. The tale that unfolds kept me riveted with none of the symptoms of second book syndrome in sight.
One of the things I love about Grant (Seanan McGuire) is her ability to create fleshed out characters. Sal is such a curious character and we see character growth as she continues to define herself. Nathan, our geeky hero has moments where he shines, but I want more from him. Adam has such a childlike curiosity but we glimpse something more. Dr. Cole and Dr. Banks are ever present and while one shows more compassion than the other you cannot help but ask yourself, “How much sacrifice justifies knowing?” Sherman is perhaps the character whom I fear the most, and Ronnie is one I am eager to learn more about. Fishy, is a secondary character who I adore. The man is fearless, and downright hilarious. I have his six at all times. Grant, do not let anything happen to him. Tansy oh Gads! *tries to swallow* I cannot talk about it. I need more answers.
In Symbiont, we gain some answers but they are quickly replaced with larger questions that are more pressing and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds in Chimera, the final book set to release sometime in 2015. The world is in chaos as implants turn folks into flesh-eating mindless zombies. We see some glimpse of intelligence from some of them, and as always, I cannot wait to see how that develops. Their link to Sal is fascinating, and hints at untapped potential. Grant continues to raise questions for the reader, as each revelation and man’s interaction make you ponder the implications. You cannot help but question what our society’s future holds. The brilliant aspect of this post-apocalyptic horror is how realistic it all sounds. Just turn on the television, open up a science or discovery magazine. Man craves the answers, the cures and perfection. *shivers*
Copy received from publisher, full review on blog.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Shelved as 'owned-but-not-read'
December 25, 2014Ohhhhhhh, the pretty cover!
It's HERE!!!
It's HERE!!!
March 29, 2023
#1) Parasite ★★★☆☆
i don't know how much tapeworm horror i can take but i'm going to brave the sequel ☁
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Sal (mc) has amaxophobia; Nathan (li) is Asian; Shanti (sc) is Asian, paraplegic & uses a wheelchair; Sherman (sc) is bi/pan; Ronnie (sc) is a trans man.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
January 4, 2015
This is the second book in the Parasitology series by Grant; this was originally going to be a duology and was extended into a trilogy. The third book, Chimera, is set to release late 2015. This was hands down my least favorite book Mira Grant or Seanan McGuire (her other pen name) has written. I am a huge fan of all of Mira Grant's/Seanan McGuire's other books. For some reason though this series is just missing the mark for me.
Sal is coming to terms with the fact that she is no longer human. Her human host Sally died in the car accident she was recovering from in the first book (Parasite) and the tapeworm Sal has taken over. While Sal is reeling from this news, the world outside is falling apart. Sleepwalkers, including more aggressive variants, are taking over humanity completely. Sal and her boyfriend Nathan (who is a parasitologist) are working with Nathan’s mom, Shanti, to try and figure out how to stop this crisis and save humanity. Shanti is one of the scientists who helped to develop that tapeworm implants to cure disease in humanity.
I will start out by saying that the first book in this series, Parasite, was my least favorite book by Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire (although I still thought the story for that one was decent). This book was worse than Parasite. It is long and it feels long. It is also very wordy and the same ideas/concerns are rehashed over and over again.
It is still readable and decently written. There were just too many plot inconsistencies and the books is way, way too wordy. It's like the story doesn't know whether to be an action-packed zombie novel or a philosophical discussion on the ills of science/medicine gone awry. It teeters in the middle and ends up being pretty bad at both. There is also this strange power struggle going on between the three scientists that helped develop SymboGen’s tapeworm. It’s like all three scientists want to play God and so they like to jerk each other around a lot while humanity dies around them. Honestly it comes off as an obnoxious medical drama of sorts.
I found myself skimming portions of the story and then going back to reread them to make sure I hadn't missed anything (I hadn't). Vast portions of this book could have been left out and the story would have been better for it. I am not sure what happened here, but this is a bloated book. It is a book I did not enjoy written by an author I thought could do no wrong. I am very disappointed. It is still readable and there are sections and ideas within this book that are interesting. But, wow, this book needed some cuts and some editing before publishing.
Okay enough complaining...well okay there might be some more complaining. I have had trouble with the whole concept of this series right from the beginning. The idea that vast portions of humanity would allow themselves to be infected with a tapeworm to prevent disease is just..well...really unlikely. People are incredibly stubborn and incredibly protective of their bodies. It’s taken a lot for me to set all that aside and accept that “yes, of course everyone would get tapeworms implanted”.
The confusion comes in with the Sleepwalkers and the more aggressive tapeworms. There seems to be kind of two types of people infected, or maybe they are going through stages? It’s just all very confusing. People without tapeworm implants are not supposed to be infected, because it’s not an infection it’s a parasite. So I am still a bit confused about how cities are collapsing if only people with tapeworms are getting taken over. What is everyone who doesn’t have a tapeworm doing? Also why do they need the dogs to sniff out sleepwalkers? Aren’t they noisily moaning all the time? Or do only the active ones moan and the other ones need to be sniffed out? So confused...
All that confusion aside... let’s talk about our two main characters Sal and Nathan. Sal (Sally) has been a very confusing character. She is constantly passing out (we are given a reason for that finally in this book), she seems both too naive and too ruthless at times. In the last book she was supposedly still human but at the end of that book we find out she’s not. Now she’s getting used to be a tapeworm living in human skin. Okay I kind of get all that. Then in the second half of this book they are all like “Oh, but maybe you ARE still human too!” Okay make up your mind and get on with the story...I am totally losing interest here…
I do enjoy some of the ideas behind the story. I also enjoy the research that must have been done to write this book, there is interesting information on parasitology and genetics in here. Additionally I enjoy the relationship that Nathan and Sal have; it is one based on mutual respect and trust.
Overall parts of this book were okay but I did not enjoy the majority of it. The book is too wordy, too slow, and too long. There is too much back and forth in the plot and too much rehashing of the same ideas over and over. The characters are inconsistent and the side plots about scientist power struggles are too dramatic and preachy. I haven’t enjoyed our main character and am having a really hard time with the main premise of the whole series (that vast portions of humanity would allow parasite to be implanted into their bodies). I would recommend reading Grant’s Newsflesh series but would recommend skipping this one. I won’t be reading the final book in this series because I just do not care.
Sal is coming to terms with the fact that she is no longer human. Her human host Sally died in the car accident she was recovering from in the first book (Parasite) and the tapeworm Sal has taken over. While Sal is reeling from this news, the world outside is falling apart. Sleepwalkers, including more aggressive variants, are taking over humanity completely. Sal and her boyfriend Nathan (who is a parasitologist) are working with Nathan’s mom, Shanti, to try and figure out how to stop this crisis and save humanity. Shanti is one of the scientists who helped to develop that tapeworm implants to cure disease in humanity.
I will start out by saying that the first book in this series, Parasite, was my least favorite book by Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire (although I still thought the story for that one was decent). This book was worse than Parasite. It is long and it feels long. It is also very wordy and the same ideas/concerns are rehashed over and over again.
It is still readable and decently written. There were just too many plot inconsistencies and the books is way, way too wordy. It's like the story doesn't know whether to be an action-packed zombie novel or a philosophical discussion on the ills of science/medicine gone awry. It teeters in the middle and ends up being pretty bad at both. There is also this strange power struggle going on between the three scientists that helped develop SymboGen’s tapeworm. It’s like all three scientists want to play God and so they like to jerk each other around a lot while humanity dies around them. Honestly it comes off as an obnoxious medical drama of sorts.
I found myself skimming portions of the story and then going back to reread them to make sure I hadn't missed anything (I hadn't). Vast portions of this book could have been left out and the story would have been better for it. I am not sure what happened here, but this is a bloated book. It is a book I did not enjoy written by an author I thought could do no wrong. I am very disappointed. It is still readable and there are sections and ideas within this book that are interesting. But, wow, this book needed some cuts and some editing before publishing.
Okay enough complaining...well okay there might be some more complaining. I have had trouble with the whole concept of this series right from the beginning. The idea that vast portions of humanity would allow themselves to be infected with a tapeworm to prevent disease is just..well...really unlikely. People are incredibly stubborn and incredibly protective of their bodies. It’s taken a lot for me to set all that aside and accept that “yes, of course everyone would get tapeworms implanted”.
The confusion comes in with the Sleepwalkers and the more aggressive tapeworms. There seems to be kind of two types of people infected, or maybe they are going through stages? It’s just all very confusing. People without tapeworm implants are not supposed to be infected, because it’s not an infection it’s a parasite. So I am still a bit confused about how cities are collapsing if only people with tapeworms are getting taken over. What is everyone who doesn’t have a tapeworm doing? Also why do they need the dogs to sniff out sleepwalkers? Aren’t they noisily moaning all the time? Or do only the active ones moan and the other ones need to be sniffed out? So confused...
All that confusion aside... let’s talk about our two main characters Sal and Nathan. Sal (Sally) has been a very confusing character. She is constantly passing out (we are given a reason for that finally in this book), she seems both too naive and too ruthless at times. In the last book she was supposedly still human but at the end of that book we find out she’s not. Now she’s getting used to be a tapeworm living in human skin. Okay I kind of get all that. Then in the second half of this book they are all like “Oh, but maybe you ARE still human too!” Okay make up your mind and get on with the story...I am totally losing interest here…
I do enjoy some of the ideas behind the story. I also enjoy the research that must have been done to write this book, there is interesting information on parasitology and genetics in here. Additionally I enjoy the relationship that Nathan and Sal have; it is one based on mutual respect and trust.
Overall parts of this book were okay but I did not enjoy the majority of it. The book is too wordy, too slow, and too long. There is too much back and forth in the plot and too much rehashing of the same ideas over and over. The characters are inconsistent and the side plots about scientist power struggles are too dramatic and preachy. I haven’t enjoyed our main character and am having a really hard time with the main premise of the whole series (that vast portions of humanity would allow parasite to be implanted into their bodies). I would recommend reading Grant’s Newsflesh series but would recommend skipping this one. I won’t be reading the final book in this series because I just do not care.
November 29, 2014
I didn't love it as much as the first one. Maybe 3.5 stars?
I think Mira Grant could write a traffic ticket and I'd read it. :D I've been anxiously waiting for this book since I finished reading book one, "Parasite", in October of 2013. I was delighted when it was announced several moths ago that instead of two books, Grant will write three in this series. Frankly, I doubt she could have wrapped this up in two books. And these books are not short. "Parasite" was 512 pages and "Symbiont" is 516 pages. With plots as twisty and complex as Grants, she needs those pages.
"Symbiont" starts shortly after "Parasite" ended as Sal and company confirm their suspicions about the tapeworm in her body. That's the first of numerous revelations and twists and turns throughout the book. As in the first book, a few things were predictable but for the most part I never quite knew where Grant was going or what would happen next. As the revelations about the tapeworms and the infected come out, Grant gives us mini treatises on the nature of consciousness, souls, memory, gender, and identity. She also explores the notion of family, a recurring theme throughout all of her books, regardless of subject or genre. She uses Sal, Sal's boyfriend Nathan, his mother Dr. Cale, as well as another doctor, Dr. Banks, and several of Dr. Cale's other children to explore these questions. The book isn't all seriousness, there's humor and even romance, but this is not the book for when you want a light, easy read or a quick read.
There are no easy answers in Symbiont. The humans in America are at war with the infected and both sides play dirty. There doesn't seem to be a solution that allows for a peaceful co-existence. Who will win? Who should win? Which side do you root for? Sal is particularly conflicted as she belongs to both sides. While there's a fair amount of action, Sal gets taken prisoner at least three times by my count, much of the book is a mix of emotional and cerebral. Sometimes that meant the pace suffered and I would wish for something to happen. Grant makes you think and makes you feel. Once again, Nathan is too good and too understanding to the point of not feeling real. But every other character is fully formed and developed. Fishy, a new character, is both charming and scary. I liked him but didn't completely trust him.
"Symbiont" blends science, horror, romance, and family dysfunction with philosophy and mythical hero's quest into a story that grabs you, that pokes at your comfort levels, and keeps you reading to what will happen, what might happen, and what will the new world look like. It's a hell of a ride so hold on and don't let go!
I think Mira Grant could write a traffic ticket and I'd read it. :D I've been anxiously waiting for this book since I finished reading book one, "Parasite", in October of 2013. I was delighted when it was announced several moths ago that instead of two books, Grant will write three in this series. Frankly, I doubt she could have wrapped this up in two books. And these books are not short. "Parasite" was 512 pages and "Symbiont" is 516 pages. With plots as twisty and complex as Grants, she needs those pages.
"Symbiont" starts shortly after "Parasite" ended as Sal and company confirm their suspicions about the tapeworm in her body. That's the first of numerous revelations and twists and turns throughout the book. As in the first book, a few things were predictable but for the most part I never quite knew where Grant was going or what would happen next. As the revelations about the tapeworms and the infected come out, Grant gives us mini treatises on the nature of consciousness, souls, memory, gender, and identity. She also explores the notion of family, a recurring theme throughout all of her books, regardless of subject or genre. She uses Sal, Sal's boyfriend Nathan, his mother Dr. Cale, as well as another doctor, Dr. Banks, and several of Dr. Cale's other children to explore these questions. The book isn't all seriousness, there's humor and even romance, but this is not the book for when you want a light, easy read or a quick read.
There are no easy answers in Symbiont. The humans in America are at war with the infected and both sides play dirty. There doesn't seem to be a solution that allows for a peaceful co-existence. Who will win? Who should win? Which side do you root for? Sal is particularly conflicted as she belongs to both sides. While there's a fair amount of action, Sal gets taken prisoner at least three times by my count, much of the book is a mix of emotional and cerebral. Sometimes that meant the pace suffered and I would wish for something to happen. Grant makes you think and makes you feel. Once again, Nathan is too good and too understanding to the point of not feeling real. But every other character is fully formed and developed. Fishy, a new character, is both charming and scary. I liked him but didn't completely trust him.
"Symbiont" blends science, horror, romance, and family dysfunction with philosophy and mythical hero's quest into a story that grabs you, that pokes at your comfort levels, and keeps you reading to what will happen, what might happen, and what will the new world look like. It's a hell of a ride so hold on and don't let go!
December 20, 2015
At first I thought this book had an especially bad case of middle-book-treading-water syndrome, and then I learned from other reviews (and it seems to be confirmed in press releases from Orbit when the first book was announced) that this wasn't even supposed to be a trilogy in the first place. And all I can say is that if you look at a duology and think, "What this really needs is an extra 500 pages of absolutely nothing happening so we can sell more copies," then you really deserve nothing more than some highly critical and disappointed reviews.
Most of the time, the middle book in a trilogy serves as a bridge and connects the action between the first and last book. Skilled writers will at least make the middle book worth reading. The middle book of Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy was especially worth reading, so I know she's capable of it. But literally nothing happened in this book that moved the narrative forward. Nothing new was revealed, nothing happened that could set up action further down the road. There was no interesting character development or world building. The main character goes from running for her life to being held captive to running for her life to being held captive. Somehow she does this with pluck even after two back-to-back brain surgeries. Other characters make bizarre decisions like saving potted plants when they're trying to narrowly escape from being eaten by tapeworm zombies.
I still plan on reading the final book in the trilogy in hopes that the author and publisher shoved all the unnecessary crap into this one and moved on to where the story was supposed to go in the first place. Plus, I like Mira Grant and it pains me that this stinker is out there with her name on it.
Most of the time, the middle book in a trilogy serves as a bridge and connects the action between the first and last book. Skilled writers will at least make the middle book worth reading. The middle book of Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy was especially worth reading, so I know she's capable of it. But literally nothing happened in this book that moved the narrative forward. Nothing new was revealed, nothing happened that could set up action further down the road. There was no interesting character development or world building. The main character goes from running for her life to being held captive to running for her life to being held captive. Somehow she does this with pluck even after two back-to-back brain surgeries. Other characters make bizarre decisions like saving potted plants when they're trying to narrowly escape from being eaten by tapeworm zombies.
I still plan on reading the final book in the trilogy in hopes that the author and publisher shoved all the unnecessary crap into this one and moved on to where the story was supposed to go in the first place. Plus, I like Mira Grant and it pains me that this stinker is out there with her name on it.
January 14, 2015
2.5 stars: enjoyable, but quite a few things could have been avoided or handled differently. Also, not a fan of characters fainting often, or getting in kidnapping situations once too many. But I think part of this can be chalked up to "second book syndrome".
Read
December 21, 2014I love that the first couple lines of the synopsis are all shouty caps about how terrifying Mira's books are, hah.
December 21, 2016
I had some problems with the first installment (
Parasite
), but it was fairly entertaining for all that. This one was just silly.
November 4, 2019
Rating:
Generous 3 stars
Cover:
Still interesting...
Trigger:
Gory details from operation room
Short review:
When looking for someone to trust with your health, choose SymboGen. Because if you can't trust Nature, who can you trust?
-FINAL SYMBOGEN ADVERTISING SLOGAN
Here I am.
-SAL MITCHELL
After I finishing this book, my first thought was, the books are not named appropriately... the #1 should have been Symbiont 'cause the original purpose of D. symbogenesis parasite was to have symbiont relationship with its host, but it turned out parasitic in nature as we can conclude from this book :(
What is the difference between parasitism and symbiosis?
Symbiosis is a close relationship between two species in which at least one species benefits. ... Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species (the parasite) benefits while the other species (the host) is harmed.
The story moves at a sluggish pace and I was so over by how many times Sal's gonna lose consciousness. I mean there should be a limit of how many times our protagonist is allowed to faint.
At the end of the book, I read that this series was supposed to be duology than a trilogy, well I'd have liked with duology option better...
Review in image/gif:
Recommended:
Um....yes but prepared to be bored
Aftermath: (possible spoilers)
I think the main reason I was bored with this one was 'Don't go out alone' didn't show up as much as #1. That little nugget was amazing...I understand it is cherry on the top kind of thing but it didn't go unnoticed.
Also, as Sherman mentioned in #1 that every Symbiont has been designed specifically to fulfill the host's specific need, and I was just waiting for the answer of what type of symbiont Sally's was but we haven't provided with specific answer...only vague speculations...[sigh]
While I am starting on #3 of this series, I sure hope that it would be better than this...
Generous 3 stars
Cover:
Still interesting...
Trigger:
Gory details from operation room
Short review:
When looking for someone to trust with your health, choose SymboGen. Because if you can't trust Nature, who can you trust?
-FINAL SYMBOGEN ADVERTISING SLOGAN
Here I am.
-SAL MITCHELL
After I finishing this book, my first thought was, the books are not named appropriately... the #1 should have been Symbiont 'cause the original purpose of D. symbogenesis parasite was to have symbiont relationship with its host, but it turned out parasitic in nature as we can conclude from this book :(
What is the difference between parasitism and symbiosis?
Symbiosis is a close relationship between two species in which at least one species benefits. ... Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species (the parasite) benefits while the other species (the host) is harmed.
The story moves at a sluggish pace and I was so over by how many times Sal's gonna lose consciousness. I mean there should be a limit of how many times our protagonist is allowed to faint.
At the end of the book, I read that this series was supposed to be duology than a trilogy, well I'd have liked with duology option better...
Review in image/gif:
Recommended:
Um....yes but prepared to be bored
Aftermath: (possible spoilers)
I think the main reason I was bored with this one was 'Don't go out alone' didn't show up as much as #1. That little nugget was amazing...I understand it is cherry on the top kind of thing but it didn't go unnoticed.
Also, as Sherman mentioned in #1 that every Symbiont has been designed specifically to fulfill the host's specific need, and I was just waiting for the answer of what type of symbiont Sally's was but we haven't provided with specific answer...only vague speculations...[sigh]
While I am starting on #3 of this series, I sure hope that it would be better than this...
July 29, 2022
Um so this was definitely the bridge book lol 😆... overall it was okay but definitely suffers from middle book syndrome
December 14, 2022
Still awesome but not as good as the first book. Hoping the third one makes up for it!
January 4, 2015
I read Parasitology last year and loved it, loved the science and the amazing premise of the different "kind" of zombies and the starting of the apocalypse.
After the ending and revelations I was really looking forward to reading Symbiont, the sequel and I'm very happy to report that it didn't disappoint at all!
Symbiont started with Sal dealing with the revelations of Parasitology and even if Sal keeps having her doubts and is somewhat paralized, she does a pretty good job at figuring out what really matters about who or what she is.
Sal is not a heroine in the more traditional sense of the word, she is not strong or a natural leader and she finds herself very much over her head in many occasions, and she even proves unable to present a serious opposition even at times when her life is in danger BUT she is always ready to try and do what is right, asks herself hard questions and isn't scared to sacrifice herself for those she love.
If I had to choose one word to describe the book, the first one that pops into my mind is "creepy" and if you think it is because of the thought of parasites taking over my body by migrating from my gut to my head, nope, that's not it! All the science and the tapeworms and ethical issues were simply fascinating and made me love the book so much! Nope, the reason for my to think of the book as creepy is because of two characters: Sherman and Dr Banks, two guys that appear to be on opposite sides but that have more in common that you'd even expect at first. Both simply are monsters, stopping at anything to achieve their goals, however different they are, the ways they go about it are disturbingly similar.
The apocalypse has started, everything seems to be collapsing and no one knows how to react or how to stop what's happening, and to complicate things, these are NOT your regular zombies, they are not who they were before but could they be considered people with their implants? Are chimera people? What defines a person? are humans better just for the mere fact of being human? The amount of food for thought and ethical questions this book raises is amazing and I cannot help but highly recommend it to everyone that wants some deep substance in their books but also want some action and creepiness and zombies!
Also, as a dog lover having them fight and ensure both pups were safe and cared for was something that I simply loved! And I love how Sal actually said to Dr Banks that to her Beverly was more of a person than he was.
I'm finding it hard to say much more about the book without spoiling something or revealing something, so I'll just say that I highly recommend this book and the entire series and I cannot wait till Chimera is out next year! So excited because that damned ending was quite jarring!
Very much deserved 4.5 stars!
After the ending and revelations I was really looking forward to reading Symbiont, the sequel and I'm very happy to report that it didn't disappoint at all!
Symbiont started with Sal dealing with the revelations of Parasitology and even if Sal keeps having her doubts and is somewhat paralized, she does a pretty good job at figuring out what really matters about who or what she is.
Sal is not a heroine in the more traditional sense of the word, she is not strong or a natural leader and she finds herself very much over her head in many occasions, and she even proves unable to present a serious opposition even at times when her life is in danger BUT she is always ready to try and do what is right, asks herself hard questions and isn't scared to sacrifice herself for those she love.
If I had to choose one word to describe the book, the first one that pops into my mind is "creepy" and if you think it is because of the thought of parasites taking over my body by migrating from my gut to my head, nope, that's not it! All the science and the tapeworms and ethical issues were simply fascinating and made me love the book so much! Nope, the reason for my to think of the book as creepy is because of two characters: Sherman and Dr Banks, two guys that appear to be on opposite sides but that have more in common that you'd even expect at first. Both simply are monsters, stopping at anything to achieve their goals, however different they are, the ways they go about it are disturbingly similar.
The apocalypse has started, everything seems to be collapsing and no one knows how to react or how to stop what's happening, and to complicate things, these are NOT your regular zombies, they are not who they were before but could they be considered people with their implants? Are chimera people? What defines a person? are humans better just for the mere fact of being human? The amount of food for thought and ethical questions this book raises is amazing and I cannot help but highly recommend it to everyone that wants some deep substance in their books but also want some action and creepiness and zombies!
Also, as a dog lover having them fight and ensure both pups were safe and cared for was something that I simply loved! And I love how Sal actually said to Dr Banks that to her Beverly was more of a person than he was.
I'm finding it hard to say much more about the book without spoiling something or revealing something, so I'll just say that I highly recommend this book and the entire series and I cannot wait till Chimera is out next year! So excited because that damned ending was quite jarring!
Very much deserved 4.5 stars!
June 10, 2016
2.5 stars
On the one hand, I really enjoyed Symbiont. On the other, though, it did disappoint me. After loving Parasite on my reread, I find myself back here, once again disappointed in Parasitology. Newsflesh is pure perfection, and this series is not managing to achieve that magic again. Symbiont is clunky and second book syndrome all the way.
For one thing, not much that’s plot essential really happens in Symbiont. The whole book is plotting fail level video game, where Sal is always either on a mission to save someone or being kidnapped and needing to escape. She always has a clear goal to accomplish, but by doing so the larger plot is barely moved forward. Honestly, where Sal is at the end of Parasite is not very far from where she starts out in Chimera. It could have been a couple of chapters rather than a 500 page book.
The other thing that really annoyed me about Symbiont is how much recapping there was. I really didn’t need to bother rereading Parasite, though I’m still glad I did, because she explained absolutely everything you missed. That’s handy if you didn’t just read the first book but annoying as heck if you did. Even worse, there’s a lot of repetition. Both the recapping and new information get told to the reader more than once. For example, Sal’s fear of cars is explained (a miss in the first book) two or three times, rather than just the one time needed for me to know about it.
I mean, I enjoyed it. Grant’s funny in a dark way, and I do care about the characters a lot. The saving grace of this installment was Ronnie. Not so much because I liked his character, as he’s not really a character you’re meant to like. However, Ronnie’s a tapeworm in a female body who believes he’s meant to be in a male body. Grant gets into a lot of gender identity stuff here and I really love her treatment of it.
I’m glad to be reading the Parasitology series, but it pales in comparison to Newsflesh. Also, have you not read Newsflesh? THEN DO IT RIGHT NOW.
On the one hand, I really enjoyed Symbiont. On the other, though, it did disappoint me. After loving Parasite on my reread, I find myself back here, once again disappointed in Parasitology. Newsflesh is pure perfection, and this series is not managing to achieve that magic again. Symbiont is clunky and second book syndrome all the way.
For one thing, not much that’s plot essential really happens in Symbiont. The whole book is plotting fail level video game, where Sal is always either on a mission to save someone or being kidnapped and needing to escape. She always has a clear goal to accomplish, but by doing so the larger plot is barely moved forward. Honestly, where Sal is at the end of Parasite is not very far from where she starts out in Chimera. It could have been a couple of chapters rather than a 500 page book.
The other thing that really annoyed me about Symbiont is how much recapping there was. I really didn’t need to bother rereading Parasite, though I’m still glad I did, because she explained absolutely everything you missed. That’s handy if you didn’t just read the first book but annoying as heck if you did. Even worse, there’s a lot of repetition. Both the recapping and new information get told to the reader more than once. For example, Sal’s fear of cars is explained (a miss in the first book) two or three times, rather than just the one time needed for me to know about it.
I mean, I enjoyed it. Grant’s funny in a dark way, and I do care about the characters a lot. The saving grace of this installment was Ronnie. Not so much because I liked his character, as he’s not really a character you’re meant to like. However, Ronnie’s a tapeworm in a female body who believes he’s meant to be in a male body. Grant gets into a lot of gender identity stuff here and I really love her treatment of it.
I’m glad to be reading the Parasitology series, but it pales in comparison to Newsflesh. Also, have you not read Newsflesh? THEN DO IT RIGHT NOW.
January 20, 2016
This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Y’all know I have been a huge fan of Mira Grant ever since I devoured the Newsflesh trilogy. So when the opportunity came to read and review Symbiont, I was so excited! I quickly snapped up the chance and boy am I glad. Just when I think Mira Grant can’t get any creepier, she proves me wrong in all the best ways. I am blown away by every book Grant writes and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to review her books. It so hard for me to express how awesome sauce her writing is, but I’m going to give it a shot regardless.
The implant takeovers are no longer isolated incidences, tapeworms everywhere are waking up and taking over their hosts. Sleepwalker hordes quickly gain control of San Francisco. For Sal and the group, the sleepwalkers are the least of their problems as they search for the how and the why while the government, evil scientists and other tapeworms are making the odds of surviving this man-made apocalypse slimmer than ever.
The world building in Symbiont was once again phenomenal. We gain some valuable insights into why the tapeworms are taking over the hosts and are finally given some long-awaited answers, but with every answer that is uncovered, more questions are raised. This is how Grant keeps me on my toes and I can’t help but love every minute of it.
Symbiont was a wonderfully creepy, hair-raising installment in the parasitology series. The characters are even more heartbreaking, the science even more chilling and the plot is as intense as ever. I’m so terrified to see what awaits me in Chimera but I can’t wait to dig in. Fans of science fiction and twisted apocalyptic zombie horror need to pick up this series ASAP.
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