The Briggs Boys Mixtape by Sylvester Barzey
First published, 2018
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The story follows brothers, Robert and Peter, during the zombie apocalypse. While bereaved super soldier Robert has to hold everything together for the sake of his son, Jordan, Peter, who has never committed to anything for more than a few months, would like nothing better than to just escape and pretend none of this is happening. But it is. And Robert needs his brother to step up and help otherwise they, and everyone in their neighbourhood will be eaten by a devastating horde, or used as bargaining chips by unscrupulous liars and worse.
The dynamic between the brothers was really well-captured, the storyline was well fleshed out, and I enjoyed the action. Best of all was the dialogue which was clever and incisive and had me smiling for minutes at a time. I really enjoyed this book and I love the author’s ethos of creating a universe with the classic concept of the final girl (she who survives despite absolutely everything being after her, think Laurie Strode), and she’s a woman of colour. I reflected with some – I was going to say amazement, but if I’m honest it was horror – I reflected with some horror that I can’t remember reading an action/horror/peril piece where the survivor is a person of colour. Fact is, even if I have read more than this one, I should surely be able to name a good handful. I read a good amount. Why am I struggling to come up with a list?
I appreciate anyone who can make me think and I will be following this author from hereon out.
Other reviewers have mentioned typos and editing; I can only assume these issues have been straightened out because the copy I read was pretty clean. There was a decent amount of eye-rolling, okay, but in the zombie apocalypse, you’re going to get more than your fair share of silly questions.
Not me. I’ll be one of the first to be turned. It’s important to know yourself.
Anyway, read.
Petrina Binney - Author 