It is interesting how what is going on in our world impacts how we perceive things and what we take away from our: experiences, art, music, news, and what we read.
I read this book years ago and enjoyed it. I found it more than what I expected. Reading this book this past week was an entirely different experience for me because of my current experiences in this world we live in.
Here is a story about Benny who was a toddler when First Night happened, First Night being the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. All he remembers is that his mother tossed him to his brother, Tom, who fled the scene with Benny in his arms. It is Benny's earliest memory (he was 18 months old) and he has always viewed Tom as a coward because he didn't save his mom, because he ran away. As this story opens, Benny struggles to find a job so his rations will not be cut and eventually decides he must work with his brother who is a Zombie hunter - he "kills" zombies. Benny has no respect for Tom as they begin to go out into the Ruin to do the work of a bounty hunter but that is about to change...
Why do I say this is fake news? This story begins with false impressions - starting with Benny's first memory but fed by brash bounty hunters who are admired by the town's people. They are the heroes in this small town that was formed after First Night and they are telling the only story that people hear. The truth in Rot & Ruin is quite different than the common beliefs but that truth needs to be sought after. And isn't this the same as the world we live in? Aren't there stories swirling around that are partial truths or outright lies that are shared and re-shared and accepted and believed?
Reading Rot & Ruin during a time that the phrase "fake news" is on everyone's lips, reinforces for me the need to dig for the truth. To look for the sources of information that are trustworthy, from good authorities who are knowledgeable, and information that is up-to-date especially when what we know about our world is evolving.
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