[Heidi Loney] has written an exciting ride in [Ravenous]. The idea of student's being sent to a 'fat farm' is very much like something Orwell would come up with. The fact that they keep disappearing makes for an interesting twist.

I loved the use of the First Nation's and that they were the people to survive. The message that if you respect the land the land will take care of you and the same goes for people. The pace was good throughout the book and I am looking forward to reading [Ancestors] the second book. I want to continue this journey. ( )

Great concept, terrible book. The story starts with the idea that, in this world, food is scarce and thus everyone is monitored to make sure they have an acceptable BMI. Those who are over are shipped off to a fat camp. Our story begins with two girls who aren't over being shipped away. (Given that the story also talks about a man, who at 160 was unacceptably obese, their standards are more than a little skewed.)

So we've got an intriguing dystopian fic going on. That meanders on for a while, but then people start disappearing from the fat camp and we learn that they've been experimented on and died from it. Okay, I guess that makes sense.

But then -- zombies attack!

At this point, I've gotten the idea that the author has no idea how to plot a book and just throws something new out whenever faced with a plothole or a scene she can't resolve. This is born out by more of the same -- things just happening for no apparent reason. The end of the book comes about in just the same way, leaving me underwhelmed.

If you've got a great concept, then bloody well stick to it and *plan* what's going to happen in a consistent, logical manner. The firehose approach works on fires, not to create artwork.

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

3.5 ( )