The Deading

Let me preface with I listened to the audiobook. Thank you to Netgalley, RBmedia Recorded Books, and Erewhon Books for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. The Deading had great potential. The coastal town of Baywood is transformed by an evil that comes of the deep as the ocean warms. It starts in the snails that come to feast upon the oysters at the oyster farm. They infect the wildlife, and soon all of Baywood is experiencing the same phenomenon. They all find themselves "deading," falling to the ground, writhing in pain until they die, only to rise once again. The government severs the community from the rest of the world, leaving Baywood isolated besides the drones that bring supplies and food. A cult of "Risers" forms, and those few who do not "dead" must either find a way to escape or conform. A unique premise. I don't see a lot of eco-horror, and I liked the idea that this illness - contagion? - came from rapidly warming waters. The whole concept reminded me of the "brain-hijacking" trematode that we see in snails. I thought that was the direction the book was going. It was not. The snails quickly fade from focus. There was a lot of talk about birds, but I felt like the birds were not utilized enough for the plot to warrant the amount of information we were given. Maybe the author just really enjoys birds? Despite some very odd things happening in the town, I did not feel that this was truly a horror novel. There were some moments, but the most of the audiobook dragged and even the tense moments fell flat. I think the narrators did a decent job trying to bring more emotion to the story. Unfortunately, the writing just wasn't there. A lot of it felt like I was listening to a textbook. It was dry. I honestly really liked the idea but not the execution for this one.