Wake Paperback – November 1, 2013

Wow - this book was different than I was expecting. I picked this one up after reading an article about how Whitcoulls had confused this novel with another YA novel that Elizabeth Knox had released last year - the story was so real-life funny that I thought it deserved a purchase just on that basis!The story starts with Theresa - a cop going to investigate a helicopter crash - in the small town of Kahukura in Tasman Bay NZ. When she arrives in the town she finds widespread mayhem instead of a sleepy tourist town. I think the whole scene is perfectly summed up by a couple who appear to be kissing by the roadside - oblivious to Theresa and anyone else. On second glance they're not kissing, they're biting each others faces - locked together in a mad embrace.Almost all the residents of the small town kill each other in horrific ways - there's a scene set in a preschool which has indelibly imprinted in my mind - but even those still alive die inexplicably after an hour or two.This leaves fourteen survivors - people who arrived after the madness descended - to discover they're now locked off from the mainland by a force-field that renders them unconscious if they try to leave the town.I very much enjoyed this book. It was unexpected, unsettling, and has an emotional impact that will linger long after I've turned the last page. My only complaint - and I wish I could do 4.5 stars as it may be more to do with me than the book - is that I found it hard to keep track of fourteen people. I mixed them up or completely forgot the characters and then had to try to work out who the hell they were when they appeared.I do have problems with names so this may be me-specific; I have to keep track of characters by actions rather than labels and when the characters are doing similar things I find it difficult to track.The writing is very compact - Elizabeth Knox has a lovely light touch with words - and the content delivers a satisfying emotional connection to the situation and the characters. Even at my slow reading pace I never had trouble picking the book up at night and instantly re-connecting with the story.As mentioned above there are probably parts of this that will linger on in my memory for a long time - something to dwell on and send chills of fear through me on sleepless nights.A truly engaging and enjoyable read - I highly recommend it. This woman could teach Stephen King a thing or two!

This book is a tough one to review. I have read two other books by the same author (The Vintner's Luck and Daylight). I loved The Vintner's Luck and enjoyed Daylight. I give Ms. Knox credit for writing very original and unique stories. I think the problem that I had with Wake was that it was horrifically violent (esp. the first 1/4 of the book) to the point of stomach-churning (nipples that were cut off and put in a fryer as an example), but also nihilistic. The story reads like "Lost" as if written by Clive Barker. Also, there is quite a bit of vomit, feces and other quaint descriptions--oh and a lot of people (children and babies) die horribly violent deaths. That aside, there is something to be said about an author than can use words to the point of making the reader feel unsettled and squeamish. Also, there were some very interesting and thought-provoking ideas along the way. All in all, I would probably NOT recommend the story to most of my friends who are readers. However, for those interested in an quasi sci-fi/literary horror novel, this book might speak to you.

There were some well-earned surprises in this book, which seemingly starts off with a gripping zombie apocalypse then metamorphoses into science fiction on a slow simmer. A bit too slow -- Ms. Knox throws a fairly large cast of characters at us and makes sure we get to know all of them fairly intimately. At times it's too much, and a bit exhausting to keep track of all these people who are simply not that interesting on their own. However, although the fate of the two similarly named characters becomes obvious a bit too early, it's still lovely to see the strands of plot being slowly braided together. It's also clear that the author did extensive research in a variety of areas, and has a great eye for the detail of small moments. I'm giving it a solid three stars, but add a star if you don't mind some meandering moments.

This is a compelling and memorable book. It is disturbing and intriguing. In the first half, it was about the immediate events without significant explanation of the causes of those events, then the second half is quite fast as things are revealed and explained. At first I found it hard to keep track of the many characters (14?) but they were all necessary and well delineated. The resolution was surprising but well connected to the direction of the narrative. A powerful novel.

You quickly get used to the opening zombie gore (not sure I would want to see the film) and then the device of extreme adversity and stress plus physical isolation is put to work.Some previous reviews found the style of writing confusing, written from different perspectives - I like this and find it interesting.Knox does a great job of connecting the characters by observing the same scene from different angles. And she does the same from the personal experiences of the characters.Being an adopted Kiwi, the NZ landscape made it personally relevant for me and she uses Maori terms without feeling the need to spell them out for her reader.Definitely recommend this book

I really liked the original concept behind the story - I couldn't guess 'who did it'. It's a real page-turner; but my main problem was the disjointed narrative - I could be totally wrong, but there doesn't appear to be a main character. This makes it hard to really engage and sympathise with the characters, as it's not really clear whose story is being told...But it's definitely colourful and an enjoyable read.

I can't help but refer to these TV shows when I think of this book. It is a cross between them & would also make a great series or movie.When murderous madness strikes a small coastal town in NZ which is cut off from civilisation - what would you do?This book is gruesome perfection

Good solid writing, but the characters are not fleshed out properly (no pun intended). I didn't get to know them well enough to feel any sympathy for their plight. William and Sam seem to be the main characters, and we learn a bit about their past; however they barely ever reflect on the situation they are in. They don't seem to be acting as one would expect anyone to act in a situation like this. For example why was the No-Go not properly tested or searched, they were only probing it a bit, and that was it. Some guys I don't know anything about, they are only names - it seems they were only added to get the number of people in the No-Go up to something substantial to play with. I am 3/4 through the book and I still have not been captured. The food poisoning part was barely pages and pages of two people running around with wet towels and medicines, it almost read like a hospital report without delving into emotions - surely the guys must have felt terror or despair or anything. The book evokes a good feel of the place; but not of the people.

Well written, atmospheric, a juxtaposition of reality and science fiction. A real page turner. Loved it.

very good.

The imagination of Elizabeth Knox knows no bounds. I first read her masterpiece, The Vinter's Luck, having started reading it when browsing in an airport bookshop. On a following trip to the airport, I scoured all of the shelves to find the book, and wasn't disappointed. Well written, uplifting, and incredibly imaginative, it's in my all-time top ten. Sadly, the excitement and pleasure generated by that wonderful book has not (so far) been matched by her subsequent (and equally imaginative) writing, which is a real shame. I found 'Wake' to be unpleasant. None of the characters are engaging (or in some cases even interesting), and because the essential story line is so odd (community cut off by 'alien' force which causes some sort of murderous madness to descend), you keep pressing on to find out why things are like that. It is explained, and I was grateful not to be left hanging in the air, but by then I wasn't really interested. In some places the writing seemed poor and rushed, maybe it could have done with a stronger editing process. It read more like the basis for a sci-fi movie, and if it is made into a film, the number of characters (14) needs to be drastically reduced, and a much more sympathetic hero / heroine created. The sort of book you plough on to the end rather than enjoy. I'm really sorry as I wanted to enjoy it, but didn't.

Intelligent, provocative, entertaining.....giving a sense of place, uniquely kiwi. Many aspects of local culture threaded through the narrative, deepening the characters reality.