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Remnant
ASIN B005BRESFK moved to the most recent edition here
What would you do if you woke up one morning to find the world you took for granted was gone?
It’s a beautiful sunny day when Cass wakes up to find herself alone. It should be just a normal day – there’s a beach to enjoy with family and friends and the summer is at it’s height. Except today is not a normal day. Today there is no one around. In fact, the only living creatures Cass can see are birds. And a horse. Where is everyone?
As Cass struggles to find other survivors in this strange new world where nature is taking back the land, she discovers that being alone might not be the worst thing. It depends on who or what else is out there...
What would you do if you woke up one morning to find the world you took for granted was gone?
It’s a beautiful sunny day when Cass wakes up to find herself alone. It should be just a normal day – there’s a beach to enjoy with family and friends and the summer is at it’s height. Except today is not a normal day. Today there is no one around. In fact, the only living creatures Cass can see are birds. And a horse. Where is everyone?
As Cass struggles to find other survivors in this strange new world where nature is taking back the land, she discovers that being alone might not be the worst thing. It depends on who or what else is out there...
207 pages, ebook
First published July 7, 2011
12 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 22, 2019
Oh my goodness! This was boring until you reach 3/4 of the book. The book spent too much time creating no explanation of what has occurred and spent so much time describing the new world which isn't new per se just chaotic vacuum.
Then 3/4 along the way the two protagonist meet and bam bam they are intimate with one another... Now I can understand that the feeling of just two beings together all alone can catalyse intimacy but I just felt the quickness at which it happened in relation to the time wasted reading chaotic vacuum earlier is dissapointing. Then they meet and the story narrates their survival antics then gradually introduces more of the mysterious antagonist.... Who till the very end seems more mysterious and full stop the end.
Dissapointing....it genuinely had potential but I do not believe the author delivered on the potential she imagined.
Then 3/4 along the way the two protagonist meet and bam bam they are intimate with one another... Now I can understand that the feeling of just two beings together all alone can catalyse intimacy but I just felt the quickness at which it happened in relation to the time wasted reading chaotic vacuum earlier is dissapointing. Then they meet and the story narrates their survival antics then gradually introduces more of the mysterious antagonist.... Who till the very end seems more mysterious and full stop the end.
Dissapointing....it genuinely had potential but I do not believe the author delivered on the potential she imagined.
November 26, 2011
I once dubbed Kate Genet ‘the lesbian Stephen King’ then recanted the statement in favor of calling her ‘the lesbian Nancy Drew’. After reading Remnant I realize my first proclamation was premature but nonetheless accurate.
Remnant has all the elements of a good, old-fashioned horror story: the tingly ‘Oh !@#$ what’s going on’ feeling; the sickening drop when you realize what’s going on, then the subsequent wavering between hope and despair of surviving this very bad thing.
In Remnant, the very bad thing is that one morning Cass wakes up and her boyfriend’s gone. (I just heard a collective groan from half the lesbians reading this. Hold on. Stick with me. I had to trust Ms. Genet and so will you. I promise it will be worth it). So the boyfriend is gone, all his family, and the chickens too. Other than the native birds singing merrily in the bush, there doesn’t appear to be another living creature around but for a darling horse named Esmerelda. As she searches vainly for other humans, Cass gradually realizes that not only is everyone vanished but the land seems to be quickly reclaiming the evidence of human existence. Cities disappear in volcanic upheavals. Homes, stores and streets are engulfed by the encroaching vegetation. Cass and Esmerelda appear indeed to be remnants of a suddenly lost civilization. Just as Cass starts – oh, but wait. I can’t say more without giving away the fine suspense of the novel. You’ll have to read it yourself to find out if Cass is the only human left on earth, or at least in New Zealand.
There were enough twists and turns in Remnant to keep me up late two nights in a row. I get up fiendishly early so rarely stay up late with a book but Remnant was just too fun to put down. Reading it felt like being at a slumber party with your best girlfriends, you know, that magic time after you’ve all gone to bed but are too wired to sleep, so you tell ghost stories until someone gets too scared and makes everybody stop. Then you tease that poor girl for being a baby but you’re secretly relieved.
Remnant is only available as an e-book, but Genet is all the incentive you should need to pop seventy-nine bucks for a Kindle. I was lucky enough to discover her on Smashwords when her writing was free but Genet is still a bargain with her works priced at $4.99 or less.
Genet’s brand of horror is not without humor and tenderness, so don’t be put off if you’re not much of a horror fan. And I’m not even sure if horror is the correct genre. Maybe call it futuristic sci-fi and leave it at that? Whatever the genre, Remnant doesn’t disappoint. It’s a quick, fun, spooky read. Enjoy!
Remnant has all the elements of a good, old-fashioned horror story: the tingly ‘Oh !@#$ what’s going on’ feeling; the sickening drop when you realize what’s going on, then the subsequent wavering between hope and despair of surviving this very bad thing.
In Remnant, the very bad thing is that one morning Cass wakes up and her boyfriend’s gone. (I just heard a collective groan from half the lesbians reading this. Hold on. Stick with me. I had to trust Ms. Genet and so will you. I promise it will be worth it). So the boyfriend is gone, all his family, and the chickens too. Other than the native birds singing merrily in the bush, there doesn’t appear to be another living creature around but for a darling horse named Esmerelda. As she searches vainly for other humans, Cass gradually realizes that not only is everyone vanished but the land seems to be quickly reclaiming the evidence of human existence. Cities disappear in volcanic upheavals. Homes, stores and streets are engulfed by the encroaching vegetation. Cass and Esmerelda appear indeed to be remnants of a suddenly lost civilization. Just as Cass starts – oh, but wait. I can’t say more without giving away the fine suspense of the novel. You’ll have to read it yourself to find out if Cass is the only human left on earth, or at least in New Zealand.
There were enough twists and turns in Remnant to keep me up late two nights in a row. I get up fiendishly early so rarely stay up late with a book but Remnant was just too fun to put down. Reading it felt like being at a slumber party with your best girlfriends, you know, that magic time after you’ve all gone to bed but are too wired to sleep, so you tell ghost stories until someone gets too scared and makes everybody stop. Then you tease that poor girl for being a baby but you’re secretly relieved.
Remnant is only available as an e-book, but Genet is all the incentive you should need to pop seventy-nine bucks for a Kindle. I was lucky enough to discover her on Smashwords when her writing was free but Genet is still a bargain with her works priced at $4.99 or less.
Genet’s brand of horror is not without humor and tenderness, so don’t be put off if you’re not much of a horror fan. And I’m not even sure if horror is the correct genre. Maybe call it futuristic sci-fi and leave it at that? Whatever the genre, Remnant doesn’t disappoint. It’s a quick, fun, spooky read. Enjoy!
March 11, 2021
2.75✪'s
Almost 3
I was interested from the start. Cass is on holidays with her partner Hemi, waking up after a passionate night with him in the bush she finds that everyone has disappeared.
Cass has to figure out what to do and where to go while travelling with her only friend, a horse called Ezzy.
Eventually Cass finds another person and is relieved to have some human company.
This is where a got a little lost.
Cass figures out the reason why they got left behind while everyone else has gone. I enjoyed the reasoning because it was a new concept that I have not come across in any other dystopia themed fiction.
The ending seemed rushed and left me disappointed as the story was built up well and then it just deflated at the very end.
Almost 3
I was interested from the start. Cass is on holidays with her partner Hemi, waking up after a passionate night with him in the bush she finds that everyone has disappeared.
Cass has to figure out what to do and where to go while travelling with her only friend, a horse called Ezzy.
Eventually Cass finds another person and is relieved to have some human company.
This is where a got a little lost.
Cass figures out the reason why they got left behind while everyone else has gone. I enjoyed the reasoning because it was a new concept that I have not come across in any other dystopia themed fiction.
The ending seemed rushed and left me disappointed as the story was built up well and then it just deflated at the very end.
August 29, 2011
'Remnant' by Kate Genet is set in New Zealand at the time of a cataclysmic event that heralds the fall of mankind. I've enjoyed books of this type before: 'Earth Abides', 'I Am Legend', 'The Stand', and more recently, Cormac McCarthy's beautiful and depressing, 'The Road.' The genre's been around as long as humanity has been telling stories; a retribution for man's hubris exacted through a supernatural upheaval. Earth will abide with or without mankind, and in Kate Genet's 'Remnant', 'man' has literally disappeared overnight. For all the reader knows, the only living human on the planet is the protagonist, Cass, and she's bewildered and terrified at the transformation earth undergoes as the natural world reasserts itself. 'Remnant' is in many ways the spiritual opposite of McCormac's bleak vision; Genet's world is not dead but in the throes of a fantastical rebirth, and like all birth, it is violent, painful and its outcome is uncertain.
Writing in the first person is difficult, and an even greater challenge when there's only a single person guiding the story, but Ms. Genet writes in such a fluid style that I forgot I was reading a monologue for much of the novel. I quickly found myself engrossed in the story as Cass faces a situation beyond comprehension and yet one she must make sense of to survive. To say more would spoil the journey but readers of 'Remnant' will enjoy a mysterious tale of discovery to find out what happened, and more importantly, what WILL happen. A skillful novel and a very good read.
Writing in the first person is difficult, and an even greater challenge when there's only a single person guiding the story, but Ms. Genet writes in such a fluid style that I forgot I was reading a monologue for much of the novel. I quickly found myself engrossed in the story as Cass faces a situation beyond comprehension and yet one she must make sense of to survive. To say more would spoil the journey but readers of 'Remnant' will enjoy a mysterious tale of discovery to find out what happened, and more importantly, what WILL happen. A skillful novel and a very good read.
December 20, 2013
I’ve read all four books in Kate Genet’s Michaela & Trisha series, and loved them, because of the great characters and unusual plots, I figured it was time to dip into the well of that author’s offerings again. If nothing else, it would make a nice change from the murder mysteries and urban fantasy I usually read. So, having just finished Randye Lordon’s Say Uncle and Seanan McGuire’s Late Eclipse, it seemed the perfect time to try Genet’s Remnant, and I’m happy I made that choice.
Did I like Remnant as well as the Michaela & Trisha novels? Well, that’s kind of an apples and oranges comparison, and not a very fruitful one (pun intended), either. Let’s just say I liked it a lot, and I think it would appeal to readers with a range of literary tastes, one of the hallmarks of a good writer.
I love stories that combine the genres like sf or mystery with feminist content. While Remnant isn’t science-fiction, per se -- it involves more the supernatural -- it does share certain elements with the apocalyptic subgenre of sf. And, tho it doesn’t wear its feminism on its sleeve, its feminist stance seems pervasive though never mentioned in so many words.
The premise of Remnant is an interesting one: What if you woke up and everyone had disappeared, machines no longer worked, and wild plant and tree growth threatened to overtake everything? Well, easy answer: You freak the fuck out. Still, freaking out over with, you try to cope. You don’t really have a choice. You figure out how to get food, medicine, shelter, clothing. Eventually, though, you realize you need one thing more: other people, or even just one other person. This is the situation that Cass, the protagonist, is faced with.
And, even with all that, the ante is upped again by an ancient overwhelming “Other,” a presence which Cass feels is stalking her. And, guess what, no matter how much you’ve got it together, how much you’ve begun to put together some semblance of a new life, you still freak out again, and you realize the freaking out really isn’t over even then. And, guess what, it’s okay.
In fact, one of the things I like most about Cass is that she does freak out; she even contemplates shuffling off this mortal coil, aided by spoils from the local pharmacy. But, then, freak-out done, at least for the moment, she gets on with doing what needs doing. The freaking-out makes her seem more human, the squaring of shoulders and turning to the tasks at hand earns our admiration; both qualities combine to help us relate to her and to root her on.
I also like her attitude vis-à-vis the animal kingdom. Despite all she faces, like staying alive, she goes to the local zoo to free any trapped animals. I can’t imagine myself even thinking of doing that in a similar situation, and it really cements in my mind the sort of person Cass is. In fact, accepting the premise of an old god’s cleansing the earth and saving only a few people in a new Eden, her concern for other creatures may be why she was one of the ones selected to remain when others vanished.
Even more interesting is Cass’s relationship with Ezzy, a horse who is, for a long time, the only other living creature around save for a plenitude of birds. Cass treats Ezzy as an equal rather than a beast of burden. She recognizes that they need each other if they’re to survive. In a sense, Ezzy seems to realize this to. When Cass talks to Ezzy as if the horse were a person, it’s not the signs of someone losing her grip on reality, but more an understanding, and acceptance of her situation. Their relationship one of the story’s highlights.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Yes, Cass does finally find another human. (Yay!) The relationship between her and Pania seems a little rushed, maybe, but not so much to distract from the enjoyment of the story. Still, I wish we’d seen more of them together before the fast-forward to the conclusion. Their life together is just beginning, after all, and, having my interest in the relationship already piqued, I wanted a little more.
The writing is, I think, not quite as crisp as in the Michaela & Trisha mysteries, but this is an earlier work. The writing isn’t bad, by any stretch of the imagination, Genet’s voice just seems much more assured in the other books I’ve read. A reviewer on another forum wrote “each and every word is essential to progressing the story.” I couldn’t agree more. In a review of another of Genet’s novels, I wrote, “Personally, I'd call her style spare, with not one single word ever getting in the way of the important thing: the story.” I think Genet’s narrative style is perfectly suited to her stories, and that’s not always an easy trait to find, or to produce.
Another quality I’ve always found in Genet is believability, no matter how removed from the mundane the plot may be. In Remnant, she does a terrific job making us actually feel what Cass is experiencing, feel her fears, her uncertainties, her triumphs and her joys. She (Genet) also skillfully creates a mood of fear and dread, but also one of determination, and even wonder. Descriptive passages such of those of the burgeoning new plant life add to the sense of realism. In a book where so many things have become majorly FUBARed, Genet still shows us the beauty, and her ability to build suspense is every bit as good as in her later works.
One small complaint: Horses’ tack include “reins” not “reigns.” Just sayin’ okay?
So, I enjoyed Remnant very much. Updating reading progress on Goodreads, at the 25% point, I said “Gripping” and later, “Compelling.” Nothing happened in the remainder of the book to change either of those opinions. In short, it’s a damned good read, and it’s a shame (and a surprise) that Genet hasn’t been snatched up by a major publisher.
Did I like Remnant as well as the Michaela & Trisha novels? Well, that’s kind of an apples and oranges comparison, and not a very fruitful one (pun intended), either. Let’s just say I liked it a lot, and I think it would appeal to readers with a range of literary tastes, one of the hallmarks of a good writer.
I love stories that combine the genres like sf or mystery with feminist content. While Remnant isn’t science-fiction, per se -- it involves more the supernatural -- it does share certain elements with the apocalyptic subgenre of sf. And, tho it doesn’t wear its feminism on its sleeve, its feminist stance seems pervasive though never mentioned in so many words.
The premise of Remnant is an interesting one: What if you woke up and everyone had disappeared, machines no longer worked, and wild plant and tree growth threatened to overtake everything? Well, easy answer: You freak the fuck out. Still, freaking out over with, you try to cope. You don’t really have a choice. You figure out how to get food, medicine, shelter, clothing. Eventually, though, you realize you need one thing more: other people, or even just one other person. This is the situation that Cass, the protagonist, is faced with.
And, even with all that, the ante is upped again by an ancient overwhelming “Other,” a presence which Cass feels is stalking her. And, guess what, no matter how much you’ve got it together, how much you’ve begun to put together some semblance of a new life, you still freak out again, and you realize the freaking out really isn’t over even then. And, guess what, it’s okay.
In fact, one of the things I like most about Cass is that she does freak out; she even contemplates shuffling off this mortal coil, aided by spoils from the local pharmacy. But, then, freak-out done, at least for the moment, she gets on with doing what needs doing. The freaking-out makes her seem more human, the squaring of shoulders and turning to the tasks at hand earns our admiration; both qualities combine to help us relate to her and to root her on.
I also like her attitude vis-à-vis the animal kingdom. Despite all she faces, like staying alive, she goes to the local zoo to free any trapped animals. I can’t imagine myself even thinking of doing that in a similar situation, and it really cements in my mind the sort of person Cass is. In fact, accepting the premise of an old god’s cleansing the earth and saving only a few people in a new Eden, her concern for other creatures may be why she was one of the ones selected to remain when others vanished.
Even more interesting is Cass’s relationship with Ezzy, a horse who is, for a long time, the only other living creature around save for a plenitude of birds. Cass treats Ezzy as an equal rather than a beast of burden. She recognizes that they need each other if they’re to survive. In a sense, Ezzy seems to realize this to. When Cass talks to Ezzy as if the horse were a person, it’s not the signs of someone losing her grip on reality, but more an understanding, and acceptance of her situation. Their relationship one of the story’s highlights.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Yes, Cass does finally find another human. (Yay!) The relationship between her and Pania seems a little rushed, maybe, but not so much to distract from the enjoyment of the story. Still, I wish we’d seen more of them together before the fast-forward to the conclusion. Their life together is just beginning, after all, and, having my interest in the relationship already piqued, I wanted a little more.
The writing is, I think, not quite as crisp as in the Michaela & Trisha mysteries, but this is an earlier work. The writing isn’t bad, by any stretch of the imagination, Genet’s voice just seems much more assured in the other books I’ve read. A reviewer on another forum wrote “each and every word is essential to progressing the story.” I couldn’t agree more. In a review of another of Genet’s novels, I wrote, “Personally, I'd call her style spare, with not one single word ever getting in the way of the important thing: the story.” I think Genet’s narrative style is perfectly suited to her stories, and that’s not always an easy trait to find, or to produce.
Another quality I’ve always found in Genet is believability, no matter how removed from the mundane the plot may be. In Remnant, she does a terrific job making us actually feel what Cass is experiencing, feel her fears, her uncertainties, her triumphs and her joys. She (Genet) also skillfully creates a mood of fear and dread, but also one of determination, and even wonder. Descriptive passages such of those of the burgeoning new plant life add to the sense of realism. In a book where so many things have become majorly FUBARed, Genet still shows us the beauty, and her ability to build suspense is every bit as good as in her later works.
One small complaint: Horses’ tack include “reins” not “reigns.” Just sayin’ okay?
So, I enjoyed Remnant very much. Updating reading progress on Goodreads, at the 25% point, I said “Gripping” and later, “Compelling.” Nothing happened in the remainder of the book to change either of those opinions. In short, it’s a damned good read, and it’s a shame (and a surprise) that Genet hasn’t been snatched up by a major publisher.
November 24, 2020
Interesting premise, and I really liked the New Zealand setting as well as the romance, though I wish that had been better developed instead of more than half the booked wasted on Cass wandering around looking for answers and supplies without anything much happening. Somehow, the plot just never really got off the ground, and by the time things got more interesting with the introduction of Pania, we were headed straight into "WTF is this shit" territory with the (fairly flimsy) explanation of what happened to everyone else. Didn't care for either that resolution or the ending.
January 6, 2024
I got this one from a friend's lesbian book list, but it has actually more of a bi vibe to it. That's the only reason I can think of as to why anyone wouldn't give this 5 stars. It's a completely new track for a dystopia. There are no zombies, plagues, or natural disasters that cause people everywhere to go suddenly extinct. It literally happens overnight. This book captures the imagination, keeps you on your toes throughout everything, and is truly heart wrenching in places. Definitely worth the read!
December 22, 2017
The switch between the cosy life before and the time after the Change is superbly done, and for page after page, chapter after chapter, it becomes more chilling, more panicked, more lonely. It's relentless and beautifully observed. And then the second half, more uplifting, but still with that sense of the unknown.
I literally couldn't put the book down, reading it in one sitting, as good a recommendation as I can give.
I literally couldn't put the book down, reading it in one sitting, as good a recommendation as I can give.
April 14, 2012
Cass is enjoying a vacation at the family home of her boyfriend, Hemi. One morning she wakes up alone. No Hemi, no anyone else either. This is the day Cass’s world changes forever.
As Cass realizes nothing feels right, she becomes aware that the only other living creatures around are birds and a horse that she names Ezzy. Cass is in total shock.
Eventually Cass becomes restless and her thinking is, if she survived, maybe someone else did too. So, she sets out with Ezzy in a search for other survivors.
Pania, another young woman, is camping out in Auckland. She is also a lone survivor. One day a horse turns up, saddled, so Pania goes in search of it’s owner. She finds Cass, who has injured herself. The two women are so pleased they now have each other. They bond right away. Maybe there is even a chance of love again.
But, there is something out there, it is watching them from the trees. Will this thing, whatever it is, leave them to enjoy life together?
This book captured my interest right from the first page. It’s well written and a page turner. If you like futuristic sci fi, you will love this. It is different from any other book in the genre that I’ve ever read.
The story centers on Cass and is told from her point of view throughout. I loved the conversations between Cass and Ezzy the horse. It’s almost like Ezzy is human in her responses.
I think Kate Genet is very clever in the way she wrote this book, each and every word is essential to progressing the story forward. It is written in such a way that she makes her reader feel as though they are living the story alongside of the characters.
The story is fast paced, even though the first part is solely about Cass and her survival, followed by her search for others. I was kept in a constant state of anxiety to know what would happen next. The dark, brooding atmosphere and sense of foreboding really keeps the pulses racing.
This is a story about the end of mankind as we know it. It’s also a story of survival and new beginnings. The book ended far too soon for me. I would like to have read more about Cass and Pania’s lives after a life changing event occurred. But the book jumped forward eight years. Having said that, the story does actually conclude nicely.
This is the first book I’ve read by Kate Genet, now I’m hooked and have to buy more.
As Cass realizes nothing feels right, she becomes aware that the only other living creatures around are birds and a horse that she names Ezzy. Cass is in total shock.
Eventually Cass becomes restless and her thinking is, if she survived, maybe someone else did too. So, she sets out with Ezzy in a search for other survivors.
Pania, another young woman, is camping out in Auckland. She is also a lone survivor. One day a horse turns up, saddled, so Pania goes in search of it’s owner. She finds Cass, who has injured herself. The two women are so pleased they now have each other. They bond right away. Maybe there is even a chance of love again.
But, there is something out there, it is watching them from the trees. Will this thing, whatever it is, leave them to enjoy life together?
This book captured my interest right from the first page. It’s well written and a page turner. If you like futuristic sci fi, you will love this. It is different from any other book in the genre that I’ve ever read.
The story centers on Cass and is told from her point of view throughout. I loved the conversations between Cass and Ezzy the horse. It’s almost like Ezzy is human in her responses.
I think Kate Genet is very clever in the way she wrote this book, each and every word is essential to progressing the story forward. It is written in such a way that she makes her reader feel as though they are living the story alongside of the characters.
The story is fast paced, even though the first part is solely about Cass and her survival, followed by her search for others. I was kept in a constant state of anxiety to know what would happen next. The dark, brooding atmosphere and sense of foreboding really keeps the pulses racing.
This is a story about the end of mankind as we know it. It’s also a story of survival and new beginnings. The book ended far too soon for me. I would like to have read more about Cass and Pania’s lives after a life changing event occurred. But the book jumped forward eight years. Having said that, the story does actually conclude nicely.
This is the first book I’ve read by Kate Genet, now I’m hooked and have to buy more.
August 15, 2014
I didn't think I would like this as a first person horror novel. but once getting into it it was really good. a definet mind thinking story. What would you do if this really happened?
My take : the Gods or mother nature gets fed up with the pollution man has partaken on the land. so out of nowhere the world as we know it disappears first the people then the structures the world eats and brings back the primal lands before man polluted and contaminated it. But there are a very few human and animal left untouched from the Change as it is called. A woman Cass survives the Change all alone in this newfound world of tremors and nonstop trees . a horse female , a dog also female and eventually Cass finds another woman in the new world. What is common... it seems only pregnant females were spared. Both women had conceived on the nite of the change one with her lover the other by rape.. both had miscarriages. they feel ancient beings watching them the women must survive and find shelter and food where stores no longer exist. towards the end they link the reason that they were spared in this new world the "spirits" partake in form of their lovers in the last places they made love before the change and impregnate the two women. they birth a new race and after the children are born and reach a certain age horse and foal dog and pups they all trek through this new world and find .... more women and children... the gods broght the world back to primal clean days and kept women to impregnate to bring forth a new race and start over a new world ....
tired of the pollution and contamination man has done of the centuries of being what would happen if the world got even with the selfish smog infested world and started over in the day of the beginning? without stores and conveinces of today who would be able to survive having to find your own food and live off the earth with no grocery stores? no cars nothing with batteries no contact with anyone and all alone .... not go crazy with solitude?
I would definitely recommend this novel to others horro fans and anyone who would like a think of what could happen story. I may even reread this one someday...
My take : the Gods or mother nature gets fed up with the pollution man has partaken on the land. so out of nowhere the world as we know it disappears first the people then the structures the world eats and brings back the primal lands before man polluted and contaminated it. But there are a very few human and animal left untouched from the Change as it is called. A woman Cass survives the Change all alone in this newfound world of tremors and nonstop trees . a horse female , a dog also female and eventually Cass finds another woman in the new world. What is common... it seems only pregnant females were spared. Both women had conceived on the nite of the change one with her lover the other by rape.. both had miscarriages. they feel ancient beings watching them the women must survive and find shelter and food where stores no longer exist. towards the end they link the reason that they were spared in this new world the "spirits" partake in form of their lovers in the last places they made love before the change and impregnate the two women. they birth a new race and after the children are born and reach a certain age horse and foal dog and pups they all trek through this new world and find .... more women and children... the gods broght the world back to primal clean days and kept women to impregnate to bring forth a new race and start over a new world ....
tired of the pollution and contamination man has done of the centuries of being what would happen if the world got even with the selfish smog infested world and started over in the day of the beginning? without stores and conveinces of today who would be able to survive having to find your own food and live off the earth with no grocery stores? no cars nothing with batteries no contact with anyone and all alone .... not go crazy with solitude?
I would definitely recommend this novel to others horro fans and anyone who would like a think of what could happen story. I may even reread this one someday...
September 8, 2013
This was one of the most interesting book I have ever read when it comes to the apocalypse. There wasn't some war, or zombies. . .everyone just disappeared without a trace. What an interesting concept I just kept imagining what it would be like if something like that really happened. I was hook by the end of the first chapter and couldn't put the book down until I knew what was going to happen to Cass.
You are in Cass's head the entire time following her around as she tries to cope with the fact that she seems to be the only person left. On top of that she watches as the world starts to re claim everything, starting slowly at first only to speed up to the point that entire towns are gone.
The way everything is described had me seeing it in my head like I was walking next to her the entire time. I could picture myself handling everything the same way she did. Trying my hardest to just not lay down and never get back up again. Its pretty amazing how she kept herself going the entire time.
The big mystery to the book was not something I would have thought off, and I admit I found myself on google looking up certain things that show up in the book just to get a better idea of what they are. I don't want to give anything away in the book but for the most part I knew what some things were and if I didn't I figured it out pretty quickly, but there was a certain animal that shows up in the book that I had to look up and know more about.
The only thing I didn't like was how fast everything happened at the end. The book was relatively short, at least in my opinion. . .it only took me a few hours to finish it, so I feel that there could have been a few more chapters to wrap everything up at little more neatly. From what I can tell it doesn't seem like there will be another book in the works, but I would like to read more about the world and Cass, as well as get a better idea as to what exactly what happened.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, its a awesome concept and if you are looking for an easy read this book is for you.
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You are in Cass's head the entire time following her around as she tries to cope with the fact that she seems to be the only person left. On top of that she watches as the world starts to re claim everything, starting slowly at first only to speed up to the point that entire towns are gone.
The way everything is described had me seeing it in my head like I was walking next to her the entire time. I could picture myself handling everything the same way she did. Trying my hardest to just not lay down and never get back up again. Its pretty amazing how she kept herself going the entire time.
The big mystery to the book was not something I would have thought off, and I admit I found myself on google looking up certain things that show up in the book just to get a better idea of what they are. I don't want to give anything away in the book but for the most part I knew what some things were and if I didn't I figured it out pretty quickly, but there was a certain animal that shows up in the book that I had to look up and know more about.
The only thing I didn't like was how fast everything happened at the end. The book was relatively short, at least in my opinion. . .it only took me a few hours to finish it, so I feel that there could have been a few more chapters to wrap everything up at little more neatly. From what I can tell it doesn't seem like there will be another book in the works, but I would like to read more about the world and Cass, as well as get a better idea as to what exactly what happened.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, its a awesome concept and if you are looking for an easy read this book is for you.
http://zephyrbookreviews.blogspot.com/
August 10, 2016
The author has managed to produce what might be the most aggressively New Zealand book I've read in a long time. And I love the book for it.
The sheer parochialism of the text will probably be most apparent to the non-Kiwi in the opening chapter. The North Island place names would be the first clue, and the Maori words peppering the text are the second. Untranslated, they sit mellow and snug beside the equally untranslated words of Kiwi English. Everything is placed carefully in context to ensure meaning won't be lost even if you're not a fellow countryman.
For New Zealanders though, after the first shock wears off, the dreamy, sweetly melancholic writing will be intimately and instantly familiar. It is a struggle to explain why Kiwis might find it so without sounding like an idiot; suffice to say this particular style (each word laden with pensive, restless contentment) is highly typical of the most powerful of our novels.
To put it another way, our national literary tradition broods on themes of loneliness.
This book dwells on loneliness also, without pretentiousness. Cassy wakes up one morning, naked in the bush, to find everyone else in New Zealand gone. What follows is a story of a woman and the land, the nature and the unnatural, the sacred and the profane. The unreality of the human. Isolation. The Man Alone, in other words.
I had never thought to see the greatest of our national tropes paired so effectively with something... not trashy, exactly, but something that seemed like it should be trashy. The traditions from which it springs are framed in a way only another New Zealander would notice, but it's not a one-nation ride. The book certainly highly entertained my American SO.
I recommend this book, albeit I spent the evening staggering from the cultural power I was punched with. Impressive by the author, regardless.
The sheer parochialism of the text will probably be most apparent to the non-Kiwi in the opening chapter. The North Island place names would be the first clue, and the Maori words peppering the text are the second. Untranslated, they sit mellow and snug beside the equally untranslated words of Kiwi English. Everything is placed carefully in context to ensure meaning won't be lost even if you're not a fellow countryman.
For New Zealanders though, after the first shock wears off, the dreamy, sweetly melancholic writing will be intimately and instantly familiar. It is a struggle to explain why Kiwis might find it so without sounding like an idiot; suffice to say this particular style (each word laden with pensive, restless contentment) is highly typical of the most powerful of our novels.
To put it another way, our national literary tradition broods on themes of loneliness.
This book dwells on loneliness also, without pretentiousness. Cassy wakes up one morning, naked in the bush, to find everyone else in New Zealand gone. What follows is a story of a woman and the land, the nature and the unnatural, the sacred and the profane. The unreality of the human. Isolation. The Man Alone, in other words.
I had never thought to see the greatest of our national tropes paired so effectively with something... not trashy, exactly, but something that seemed like it should be trashy. The traditions from which it springs are framed in a way only another New Zealander would notice, but it's not a one-nation ride. The book certainly highly entertained my American SO.
I recommend this book, albeit I spent the evening staggering from the cultural power I was punched with. Impressive by the author, regardless.
August 18, 2012
I actually picked up this ebook because I read Baxter Clare’s review of it and it sounded intriguing. (link to the review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... )
The story is creepy in a twilight zone kind of way. I kept waiting for Cass to either completely lose her mind or wake up and tell us it was all just some weird twisted dream.
I had a little trouble with a few terms that were used in the story, for example I had no clue that Cass was popping acetaminophen when she was talking about needing to take some paracetamol. Thankfully my Kindle has a built in dictionary because it helped to understand what the heck the character was going on about.
While I was reading this story I spent a lot of time mumbling to myself saying “This is so strange” but in an interesting strange way. I’ve not read anything like this in a very long time, but I’ll keep my eye out for other titles by Kate Genet.
The story is creepy in a twilight zone kind of way. I kept waiting for Cass to either completely lose her mind or wake up and tell us it was all just some weird twisted dream.
I had a little trouble with a few terms that were used in the story, for example I had no clue that Cass was popping acetaminophen when she was talking about needing to take some paracetamol. Thankfully my Kindle has a built in dictionary because it helped to understand what the heck the character was going on about.
While I was reading this story I spent a lot of time mumbling to myself saying “This is so strange” but in an interesting strange way. I’ve not read anything like this in a very long time, but I’ll keep my eye out for other titles by Kate Genet.
May 7, 2016
Cass goes to visit her partners parents, whilst there she slept outside with him. During the night everybody disappears and most of the animals. Cass finds a horse and heads to her parental home to get some familiarity and try to find everybody or anybody else.
She eventually finds somebody else and the try to adapt to their new way of life and keep their sanity intact and try to work out what happened and is happening. I expected Cass o do a lot better at setting up her new way of life and almost wish that she would have.
The only criticisms I would have is the sex scenes which I never enjoy in books and the slow flowing storyline with a quick, abrupt and uneventful ending. Otherwise this is a good and enjoyable read.
She eventually finds somebody else and the try to adapt to their new way of life and keep their sanity intact and try to work out what happened and is happening. I expected Cass o do a lot better at setting up her new way of life and almost wish that she would have.
The only criticisms I would have is the sex scenes which I never enjoy in books and the slow flowing storyline with a quick, abrupt and uneventful ending. Otherwise this is a good and enjoyable read.
November 25, 2014
It had me guessing the whole time. I thought I had it figured out but never did. Loved the very last surprise of the book, though the ending felt a tad rushed.
Also, if it annoys you when an author uses local names for places, plants, animals, etc that you aren't familiar with - this isn't the book for you... unless you're really familiar with New Zealand. I knew NONE of the places she mentioned, and a lot of the other native names for animals/plants/people etc were lost on me.
Definitely not for younger audiences (a little bit of adult sexual content) in my opinion.
Very quick read, took me only 5 hours. There was a little bit of repetition, but not enough that I found it annoying.
Also, if it annoys you when an author uses local names for places, plants, animals, etc that you aren't familiar with - this isn't the book for you... unless you're really familiar with New Zealand. I knew NONE of the places she mentioned, and a lot of the other native names for animals/plants/people etc were lost on me.
Definitely not for younger audiences (a little bit of adult sexual content) in my opinion.
Very quick read, took me only 5 hours. There was a little bit of repetition, but not enough that I found it annoying.
April 12, 2013
This book would have benefitted from a proofreader as there were numerous fairly simple mistakes, ranging from typos to grammar errors to the constant use of 'reigns' (instead of 'reins') to refer to the part of the horse's bridle. Whilst it is difficult to know how one would react in such a situation, I found Cass rather too emotional and melodramatic for my liking. The book was certainly atmospheric; I'm not sure it needed the mysterious evil presence, particularly since the ending was rather an anticlimax (IMHO).
September 11, 2013
I read this book all in one day. I couldn't stop reading! I had to know what would happen next, or how Cass would react to the next issue she faced. I feel the plot took a turn rather abruptly and strangely in the end, but I can understand where the author felt it was necessary. Really makes me yearn for a sequel! I was disappointed by the numerous grammatical and spelling errors. Made me wonder who proofread this for the author? A middle schooler? ;)
August 7, 2014
Just for intensity, I gave this 5 stars!! It was good read. Could have been somewhat more cohesive, but, all in all, it was very good. Cass, the main (almost only!) character went thru many stages of shock and grieving - all while learning to survive. The story came alive and made me wonder 'what if?' many times, especially at the end.
Really enjoyed reading this one, could hardly put it down for wondering what would happen next!!! :)
Really enjoyed reading this one, could hardly put it down for wondering what would happen next!!! :)
February 9, 2013
I love stories that start like this one; Cass wakes up to a world where everyone else just disappeared. Later she surmises that her New Zealand home has also lost all its non-native animals except for a horse Cass names Ezzy. A fun read. I'm not sure a story like this can have a satisfying ending and the ending to this one is abrupt and weak.
September 5, 2013
A very enjoyable story of a young woman who wakes up one morning to find everyone else has disappeared, with the exception of millions of birds and one horse. It is a story of her struggle to survive, to find another survivor, and to discover the meaning behind The Change. It definitely kept me interested all the way through.
October 25, 2013
While this book isn't terrible, it's really not that great either. I found myself bored for most of the book and the ending was completely awful. What could have been the best part of the book was summed up in only a few paragraphs. The largest part of the story could have been summed up in a chapter or two. This book was a real drag.
March 24, 2012
Wow, this is truly different from any book I have previously read but, I enjoyed this story tremendously, it was exciting and full of adventure but really told a terrific story I recommend this book as a must read.
October 1, 2013
This was an interesting twist to "woke up and all the people were gone". By far, more character driven than other books I've read with the same story. This was a nice change of pace. Short, and a very quick read, but drew me along quite nicely.
September 26, 2015
4 stars
-Creepy, intense plot. Even quite scary at times with the eerie presence that was lurking and watching Cass
-The ending was very strange and the plot twists were very unusual
-I hope there will be more books because I would love to see how the story could be developed
-Creepy, intense plot. Even quite scary at times with the eerie presence that was lurking and watching Cass
-The ending was very strange and the plot twists were very unusual
-I hope there will be more books because I would love to see how the story could be developed
September 17, 2014
This was an interesting story but very dissatisfying. There are no answers, no explanations and no conclusions. It just sorta trails off. There's not even enough interest for me to be willing to try more by the author.
September 15, 2016
End of the world??
Im not sure you should call this an end of the world...maybe a reset of our world..reset of a new world. It was a great story, a love story, a survivor story, it was such a story. I look forward to read another book from this author
Im not sure you should call this an end of the world...maybe a reset of our world..reset of a new world. It was a great story, a love story, a survivor story, it was such a story. I look forward to read another book from this author
November 10, 2013
A fun read but pretty predictable.
December 9, 2013
Starts out interesting, but staggers and slows mid-way through.
January 6, 2014
This one was a bit odd - and the ending felt rushed....
October 9, 2014
If I heard 'I bit my lip' once I heard it countless times............ I waited for her to say it had fallen off.................
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