Who Would Like This Book:
If you love tales that turn familiar genres upside down, "Hollow Kingdom" will be a feast for your imagination! This book offers a refreshingly original spin on the zombie apocalypse - told predominantly from the hilarious, irreverent, and surprisingly heartfelt perspective of ST, a domesticated crow with a love for Cheetos and a knack for colorful language. Animal lovers, fans of dark humor, and anyone who enjoys quirky, genre-blending adventures will find so much to adore here. There’s witty animal banter, deep reflections on nature and humanity, and a truly wild cast of characters, both furry and feathered.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Readers who aren’t fans of wacky humor or who shy away from crass language might find the tone a bit much - this book doesn’t hold back on the birdy expletives! If you prefer traditional zombie stories with gritty survival drama and human perspectives, the animal POV and the sometimes meandering plot could feel odd or distracting. Additionally, the book does dip into themes of animal death and can get a bit heavy-handed with its eco-messages at times, which might not appeal to everyone.
About:
In "Hollow Kingdom" by Kira Jane Buxton, the story unfolds in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, where the human population has been turned into zombies. The narrative is primarily told from the perspective of a pet crow named S.T. or Shit Turd, who embarks on a journey with his companion, a bloodhound named Dennis, to navigate the chaos and help other animals survive. Through witty and irreverent narration, the book explores themes of survival, interspecies communication, and the resilience of nature in a world where humanity has self-destructed.
The writing style of "Hollow Kingdom" is described as fresh, original, and humorous, with a mix of poignant moments and quirky characters. The story is filled with colorful animal voices, including S.T.'s sharp commentary on human behavior, interactions with other intelligent animals, and the exploration of interconnected networks in the natural world. The book offers a unique perspective on the apocalypse, blending humor, satire, and a touch of darkness to create a captivating and engaging tale.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include animal death and some gore related to humans turned into zombies.
From The Publisher:
A finalist for the 2020 Thurber Prize for American Humor!
"The Secret Life of Pets meets The Walking Dead" in this big-hearted, boundlessly beautiful romp through the Apocalypse, where a foul-mouthed crow is humanity's only chance to survive Seattle's zombie problem (Karen Joy Fowler, PEN/Faulkner Award-winning author).
S.T., a domesticated crow, is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his owner Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle's wild crows (i.e. "those idiots"), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®.
But when Big Jim's eyeball falls out of his head, S.T. starts to think something's not quite right. His tried-and-true remedies-from beak-delivered beer to the slobbering affection of Big Jim's loyal but dim-witted dog, Dennis-fail to cure Big Jim's debilitating malady. S.T. is left with no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into a wild and frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis, where he suddenly discovers that the neighbors are devouring one other. Local wildlife is abuzz with rumors of Seattle's dangerous new predators.
Humanity's extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one determined to save it is a cowardly crow whose only knowledge of the world comes from TV.
What could possibly go wrong?
Ratings (42)
Incredible (12) | |
Loved It (11) | |
Liked It (9) | |
It Was OK (5) | |
Did Not Like (3) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (145):
Read It (44) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (64) | |
Did Not Finish (6) | |
Not Interested (29) |
3 comment(s)
This book is one part love letter to nature, one part love letter to Seattle. You can really feel the author's deep appreciation and love for nature on every single page. There were so many beautiful descriptions of so many animals. And S.T. was such a fun protagonist and I loved getting to see the world through his beady little black eyes. Unfortunately, the story started to feel pretty repetitive after a while. I think the story would have been better suited as a novella. But as it stands, it was a pretty nice read.
“Hollow Kingdom” is an interesting novel in that it presents a literal bird’s eye view of the apocalypse while as well as serving as a journey of self discovery and awareness.
When the novel begins, S.T. is living a great life with his owner Big Jim and Big Jim’s pet dog Dennis. When Big Jim’s eyeball falls out while drinking a beer in his backyard, S.T. is slightly worried but doesn’t become alarmed until Big Jim becomes unresponsive to food and drink, starts drooling and is wildly jabbing a finger in the air.
Eventually, S.T. leaves the house and discovers that all humans (or MoFos as Big Jim calls them,) have become crazed, murderous zombies. As the book progresses, the reader is introduced to a variety of animals as they navigate the world without humans.
Since S.T. is a domesticated crow, he is wrestling with being raised to believe he is a human when the reality is that he is a crow. As S.T. and Dennis travel the streets of Washington, he discovers what lead to the downfall of humans as well as discovers that he can exist in the world as a self described part-MoFo and part crow.
This was an enjoyable read in that it presented an interesting perspective of the how humankind could be ended not by a natural weapon by instead by a man made weapon. Lastly, this book provides insight on what makes a family and the lengths one will go to protect that family.
Could not get past the body horror. I loved this idea. I'm just a coward
What can you read after
Hollow Kingdom?
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