Customer Reviews

Razor Girl (SHOMI)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When Molly was fifteen-years-old, people thought her dad, Ian Anderson, was a mad scientist. Ian was a scientist, but just because the man totally believed that the end of the world, as we know it, was about to happen did not mean he was insane. Ian bought an old fallout shelter, packed it with food and supplies, and gave it a timer so it would unlock after six years. Convinced the end was close, he made Molly come home directly after school and practice martial arts with him for several hours.

When a super flu begins spreading, no one really gives it any serious thoughts. But when rumors begin about hospitals turning people away, no matter how sick they were, Molly and Chris Griffin (a neighborhood and school friend) listens. The pair go to a local hospital to see if rumors are true. Not only do the two learn that it is true, but they see their first zombie! Of course, they tell no one. Who would believe the daughter of an insane scientist? But after Molly sees a zombie kill someone, she agrees to her dad's numerous suggestions of allowing him to perform surgery to give her a few enhancements for defense. It is very shortly thereafter that Ian escorts Molly and her mom into the shelter beneath their home and locks them within for six years.

Twenty-one-year-old Molly emerges from the fallout shelter a different person. After hearing the shelter unlock, Molly's mom dies. Once her mom is cared for, Molly begins her journey to Florida (two states away) where she is to meet her dad at Disney World. According to Ian, while Molly was in the shelter, he and some scientist friends of his would be creating a safe haven for any humans that manage to survive the apocalypse. Molly has no doubt she can make the trip alive. Thanks to her dad, Molly has four inch razors under her nails (that she can extract and retract at will). She also has ocular implants (to see in the dark), mirrored plates covering her eyes (fused to her skull), an internal GPS navigation (linked to an old-time satellite to allow her access to special databases Ian left up and running), and her body has nano computers (which make her stronger and faster).

It does not take Molly long to come face-to-face with her first zombie. She also meets up with Chris. He is now called Chase and explains that the "Others" may be cannibalistic zombies, but unlike the old horror movies, the Others are smart and often hunt in packs. Chase and a few guys have a small camp set up in the toy section of Walmart. They take care of eight kids found since the apocalypse. Disaster strikes, leaving Chase and the kids alone. Molly, Chase, and the kids must band together and struggle toward Disney World in hopes of finding safety.

***** This book will appeal to a large audience, especially for those gamers out there who played "Fallout". This book runs much like two stories. One chapter shows before the apocalypse, the next shows afterward, and it continues to alternate. Normally I detest this type of set up; however, the author did a terrific job and this method actually works extremely well. Molly and Chase are easy to identify with, no matter your age. (Anyone teen and up anyway.) There is a romance which blooms between the two main characters, but the story remains focused on the plot at all times. As with all good books, this opens with danger and will grab your interest immediately. Stellar! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Razor Girl alternated between two timelines that eventually intersect. The first chronicles the events in 2030 leading up to the apocalypse and Molly entering the bunker. The second chronicles time from the moment Molly leaves the bunker in 2036.

Molly is real, humble, and likable. I liked finding out about her past and present relationships to Chris/Chase, who was a pain in the bum but who eventually redeemed himself. The world they live in is very different from ours, but in a way that is entirely possible in the future. Kids now play virtual reality games, and most have never played a sport in real life. Everything is electronic and high tech, from tiny cell phones to televisions to refrigerators. There is now an AIDS vaccine, and sex is not allowed without a license. Ken dolls are now anatomically correct.

Molly and her family are different though. Molly's mom is mentally ill and needs to be taken care of. Molly's dad, a paranoid scientist, believes the end of the world is coming and makes Molly physically train every day to prepare for it. He refuses to use new technology in his home, believing the government uses it to monitor and control people. He ends up "improving" Molly with razors under her fingernails, ocular implants in her eyes, and nanotechnology in her bloodstream that makes her faster and stronger.

Molly and her friend Chris witness the start of the apocalypse when they discover an elderly neighbor who is coughing up blood. They call for an ambulance and instead a government van comes and takes the woman away. The government covers up people getting sick, and all the hospitals end up full and guarded by soldiers with guns. When Molly and Chris go out to investigate, they see a zombie, plus a dumpster full of rotting corpses. They come home to tell her dad, and he begins preparations to use the bunker keep his family alive.

After the six years in the bunker, Molly meets Chris again, though he has changed dramatically. He brings her to a Wal-Mart where he has been living with three other men and eight children. Molly intends to only stay there one night, so she can rest and get supplies. She promised her father that she would journey to Disney World when her bunker time was up. He expected scientists to be gathered there working on rebuilding society and curing the plague, and he'd implanted a secret message in Molly to be retrieved at a later time. Also, he programmed her nanos to start breaking down after six years, so she could die if she doesn't get there fast enough.

Molly ends up heading to Florida with a group from the Wal-Mart, and battling pus-ripping, hungry zombies and more on the way. What was really entertaining about this book was all of the pop culture references, including ones about the Thunderdome, the movie 'Pretty in Pink', Barbie dolls, and more. It was clever how Mancusi tweaked the future and also incorporated the past. I loved Razor Girl and definitely recommend it.

"Razor Girl" is an odd hybrid. It mixes the zombie, apocalypse, medical thriller, and romance genres together into what could have been a great novel. Unfortunately, despite being a solidly entertaining post-apocalypse adventure novel for the first four-fifths of its length, the extremely weak last fifth nearly sinks it and which downgrades it from what could have been an enjoyable five star book.

The novel starts off with Molly Anderson saying goodbye to her mother who has just died, and to her home of the last six years, which is an underground shelter whose time lock is opening today. Plague and disease, which had caused Molly's brilliant, but paranoid and unstable father to have locked her and her mother in the shelter in the first place has turned most of the world's populace into zombies.

She finds that the world has in the last six years gone to hell, zombies (the "Others") walk, the plague's survivors are few and far between, and most of the world's people are dead and gone. Molly is soon confronted by some of the living challenged, but is rescued by Chris "Chase" Griffin and his brother Trey "Tank" Griffin, who is oddly immune to the zombie disease. Molly finds that there is a bunch of young survivors that are in the care of the Griffins and are holed up at a near-by Wal-Mart. Molly has been "enhanced" by her father into a kind of superbeing before he locked her into the shelter, so she's no push-over, and she wants to go and find her father, and she wants to do it solo. Unfortunately due to circumstances she soon finds herself reluctantly in charge of the survivors, and having to abandon the store she takes them with her on her quest.

For the most part this is a pretty good novel, Molly and Chris are good sympathetic characters, you keep rooting for them, and the adventures that they have are constantly interesting, and range from the hopeful to the totally cynical. Realizing that there is no such thing as a totally original take on the zombie apocalypse Mancusi decides to wear her influences on her sleeve; Mancusi constantly has Molly tell us that she was created from a template found in William Gibson's "Neuromancer", we get touches of Romero, superhero comix, and even Joe Lansdale and Mad Max as Molly ends up in a town that practices zombie/people wrestling (to the death) in an enclosed arena. I often wondered while reading this novel if she was also influenced by Andre Norton, as Norton's once popular "Dark Piper" was possibly the first apocalyptic novel from a young person's viewpoint that was ever published. Those that like the tone of "Razor Girl", would probably like that novel as well.

Despite being a breezy and entertaining read, what almost sinks the whole novel is the incredibly idiotic and unbelievable ending. Now, I have no problem with happy endings, especially ones in context, but here Mancusi gives us a worldwide miracle that has you going "WTF"?!?! The basic problem is that the ending feels incredibly rushed, or to have been altered by a third party. I keep thinking that this was a concept that should have been a duology or even a trilogy, as Mancusi explores her characters and her character's destroyed world a lot more. Yes, there is time limit as Molly enhancements are starting to break down, but that is a time limit that could easily have been fixed. But that's a coulda woulda shoulda, and it's not what we have, and after reading "Razor Girl" and "Moongazer" I'm wondering if the inability to give her books the ending they need is going to be a continuing problem with her. This could have easily been a five star book, but the unbelievable ending brings it down to a mere three stars, and if the novel had been less entertaining and less interesting it would have only gotten a one or two stars. I can't help but think what an entertaining comic or graphic novel series this would make.

Like most Shomi books "Razor Girl" has an attractive cover, both in the illustration and in the typography, and like most Shomi books, unfortunately both go uncredited.

'Razor Girl' is a very enjoyable story that consists of two narrative threads, separated by six years, in alternate chapters. One of these threads shows Molly Anderson as a fifteen year old getting to know her neighbour Chris Griffin, a slightly nerdy and intense boy, and the two of them beginning to suspect something very dangerous is starting to happen. Molly's father has been a conspiracy theorist who consistently warns of the forthcoming apocalypse but Molly never believed him - until the evidence starts to point his way. Molly and Chris want to escape together but Molly may find that family ties are more important.

The second thread is post-apocalype when Molly finally emerges from the shelter in which she has lived with her mother for six years. Her mother is now dead and Molly's only option is to head for Disneyland where her father said to meet her. Apparently her father and other scientists would have worked on an antidote to the flu that had caused so much devastation. However the flu has had DNA-changing effects on various people which means that Molly is in danger from 'The Others', Zombie-like mutants who try to kill and eat people and whose disease is catching. When Molly bumps into Chris Griffin again she finds a very changed man, one who seems withdrawn and a mixture of helpless and self-sufficient, and as they set off together for Disneyland they will learn more about each other and about the cause of the pandemic.

I enjoyed this story very much, finding the post-apocalyptic world very much food for thought. The twin narrative threads worked well although I felt that the post-event story was more interesting than that of Molly and Chris before the plague struck. Characterisation was generally good and Molly's self image (her father has given her various bionic enhancements) was well written. There were some slight plot holes/improbabilities which didn't always work for me but overall this was a really good read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2009

Note: The story alternates between two time periods bringing the tale full circle.

The year 2030: Fifteen year old Molly Anderson has a very different home life than the rest of her peers living in Monroeville, SC. Her scientist father Ian had once worked for the government enhancing human soldiers into remorseless cybernetic killing machines. Ian however had been capable of remorse and had withdrawn from his government projects. This had landed him in prison for a period. Now he secluded himself in his basement laboratory preparing for the "End of Days", and kept his only child from enjoying the latest advancements in technology. Ian believed that the government was tapped into all the electronic gizmos that all of Molly's friends enjoyed, VR sim games, modern communication devises, computers, television, even e-readers. He'd even rejected her pleas to get the AIDs vaccine, a license to have sex, like everyone else her age. This had her boyfriend Drew extremely frustrated with her. Drew was the most popular boy in school and the only thing buoying her social status, which would otherwise have been undermined by her strange and reclusive father. Her mother Ashley was the cookie baking "June Cleaver" that every kid wanted for a mom, but she had stayed loyal to her husband through thick and thin. Ashley coped with life by taking prescription medications to dull her senses.

Molly humored her father for the most part, training with him to prepare for the apocalypse while enjoying a normal life on the outside with her friends. Her other big problem was the sweet but geeky neighbor boy, Chris Griffin, who has had a very obvious crush on her since the first grade. She didn't know which was more embarrassing, her lack of sexual experience, her doomsday spouting father, or her lovesick stalker.

Still when Chris calls on Molly to help him with a sick elderly neighbor, she capitulates starting as strange sequence of events. Instead of an ambulance being sent, men with respirators take the woman away in a government van and she is not heard from again. In the meantime Drew does what one has learned to expect from the popular boy who's girlfriend is not putting out and is caught cheating by Molly. Chris does some illegal computer searches and discovers people all over the world are becoming ill and believes an epidemic or plague could be responsible. He convinces Molly to introduce him to her scientist father, but rather than embrace Chris' conspiracy theory as one might expect, Ian is close mouthed and later tells his daughter to stay away from Chris. More angry than heartbroken over the betrayal by her shallow boyfriend, Molly continues to see Chris to try to uncover the mystery.

Things get much worse when they discover the hospitals truly are filled to capacity with many patients dying and the ones who didn't were becoming mindless infectious zombies who fed on the rest of humanity. Molly's dad insists he has safeguards against the viral apocalypse and forbids her to leave the house unless she submits to cybernetic enhancements. Molly refuses and sneaks out to make her own escape plans with her friends. But when she finds herself pitted against a zombie herself she realizes what she must do.

The year 2036: The timer Ian that had rigged to the family survival shelter had at long last opened its doors. Molly's mom had popped the last handful of meds, taking the easy way out leaving Molly to face what is outside alone. Ian had not joined the women their seclusion but had given them the directive to find him beneath the security laden underground of the Magic Kingdom (that's right Disney World) to begin a new society. A new cybernetically enhanced Molly emerges to do just that. She is stunned as everyone's images of an apocalypse had been a totally devastated earth instead, free of human influence the world had blossomed into an unruly jungle. Molly is on a deadline because her enhancements are breaking down and she must reach her father before she is completely disabled. The last thing she expected to find were survivors right there in her own little town. The first she meets is Chase who she eventually realizes is a 21 year old, to die for, Chris Griffin. A hot but very hurt and angry Chris Griffin whom she'd once loved and then abandoned in favor of her father's plan. Humans had not been the only survivors. Unlike Molly - Chris, his older brother and a small band of other children had spent the last six years following their own survival plan, battling the infected creatures while holed up in an abandoned WalMart, losing members one by one.

Chase convinces Molly to spend the night at the WalMart where she meets the rest of the survivors led by Tank, a.k.a. Trey Griffin, Chase's older brother. There she discovers that a member of the band is under quarantine after the latest zombie attack. It is Chase's turn to guard him but he lingers to speak to Molly and the next thing they know their friend has turned, escaped and killed Tank. In his dying breath Tank passes the mantle of leadership to Chase.

Chase feels ill equipped to take over the responsibility. Like Molly's mother, Chase has fallen prey to prescription pain killers in order to cope. Still there are the children to protect and Molly, who though she is physically equipped to fight has had no experience battling the "Others". Though they can only slow her down, Chase convinces Molly that they must all set forth together. What perils will they face along the way? Will Molly and Chase's love survive and what indeed will they find when they finally arrive at the "Happiest place on Earth?"

Though the SHOMI imprint is supposedly geared to the younger generation, as a member of the baby boomer generation, I have loved every one of them. With RAZOR GIRL however I truly feel for the first time that the story has really empowered the young. RAZOR GIRL showcased their potential for strength and courage, under the direst of circumstances while dealing with the everyday problems that face their generation - sex, drugs, over protective parents. Marianne Mancusi is known for writing both adult romance and young adult novels. Here she has combined both genres with a touch of horror to create a poignant and thrilling coming of age adventure that which has appeal for all ages. Having grown up in the "Burg," the setting for the George Romero movies referenced in this tale, I feel that Ms. Mancusi and RAZOR GIRL have done the "Living Dead" genre proud. Kudos! ~ reviewed for PNR Reviews

As a teen everyone thought scientist Ian Anderson was a lunatic because he believed the world was coming to an end. Obsessed he obtained an obsolete fallout shelter and filled it with food and water to last six years. Ian trained his fifteen year old daughter Molly to protect herself by teaching her martial arts.

When a pandemic flu begins rapid spreading, no one thought anything of it unless they caught it; that is until rumors spread that the hospitals are refusing patients. Molly and her friend Chris Griffin investigate only to affirm it much more than the rumor. They watch a zombie kill someone. Her dad performs some surgical enhancements on his daughter to keep her safe. Soon afterward, Molly and her mom enter the shelter.

Six years later, Molly exits the fallout shelter only to have her mom die. She heads to Disney World to meet her father, who had stayed outside to work on a more permanent haven. On her trek, she meets Chris who calls himself Chase now; he explains the Others, as he and his few allies, call the zombies, are intelligent precise militias. As they search for her dad, they also protect eight little kids from the deadly pack.

This exhilarating apocalyptic thriller effortlessly rotates back and forth between just prior to and six years after the pandemic disaster although some readers will find that story line approach somewhat off-putting especially when a sequence hooks the reader. Still Molly is a fabulous superheroine as all she has to do is save the world. Young adult readers will enjoy her efforts and the support from her sidekick Chase (gender bending the natural order intended it to be).

Harriet Klausner

The year is 2036 and the world has changed. Mutated monsters walk the desolate landscape of South Carolina looking for the last remnants of mankind. What might have been the imagination of a horror movie now has become reality. Everyone had made fun of her conspiracy theorist father, but his fears have become the reality. Her father had seen the signs of the end days. Government regulation had whittled down civil rights with all communications monitored to protect society. The virtual world had become more real than outdoor activities and neighbors suddenly disappeared never to be seen again. Six years ago, Molly Anderson and her mother escaped into a bunker, avoiding the apocalyptic plague that ravaged the earth's inhabitants. With ocular implant, razor implants and nanotechnology, Molly's father rebuilt her into a new woman, a woman who can surpass any athlete. Molly is a superstar ---- a Razor Girl who can fight and outrun and outdo any of her peers. She doesn't cry, she spits. But what if a girl wants love as well as saving the world? Can a girl have both?

Emerging from the bunker, Molly meets her childhood friend Chase. Six years ago, Chase had been a computer nerd. He always had a soft spot for Molly but she wasn't interested. Chase was the kind of a guy on whose shoulder a girl cries when love goes bad. Six years and an apocalypse later, Chase has changed. Now, he is a tough warrior, a man who fights the monsters, but he is man who may not be all that trustworthy. He and his brother head up a ragtag group of children, the last remnants of humanity. Together they plan to lead their tribe to Disney World, the place where Molly's father believed civilization would be reborn. Can Molly and Chase brave the now earth-ravaged landscape and the Others to save the world? Can childhood friends survive and discover love in this new strange world?

Marianne Mancusi's RAZOR GIRL alternates the time periods of each chapter between pre- and post- apocalypse, allowing the reader to see both the lead up to the current world and the results as well as Molly and Chase's past in a more innocent time. As these two time periods converge, Marianne Mancusi gives the reader an increasingly intense, suspenseful edge-of-the-seat thrilling ride. New dangers arise at every turn--- not only the perils of living on the brink of survival but also the dangers of the heart. Any misstep or unmerited trust can lead Molly or Chase to their death.

Marianne Mancusi's RAZOR GIRL is brilliant! Marianne takes the best of the best in classic literature, pop culture and familiar brand names morphed into survivalist mode, creating a hot new romance sensation all her own. George Orwell's 1984 and William Golding's Lord of the Flies meets horror and action romance in post-apocalyptic South Carolina. Imagine all the unique heart-warming tender emotion of Edward Scissorhands combined with the chilling danger of a futuristic devastated landscape, populated not by suburban families but a world ravaged by monsters, a world where all the comforts of civilization are not only gone but turned on their side. In this desolate landscape, Molly and Chase fight as rebels, a man and woman determined to save themselves and the world as well as the hope for love and a vision of a caring world. Marianne Mancusi's world is breathtaking! RAZOR GIRL creates an unusual exciting blend of emotion, humor, and danger that will make readers' hearts race. Marianne Mancusi's RAZOR GIRL is a stunning cutting edge romance, a romance for readers who crave something emotionally dynamic and rebellious in terms of a characterization that shakes up the romance hero/heroine paradigm. Marianne Mancusi's RAZOR GIRL is one of the highlight's of my romance reading this year --- fresh, intelligent, and avant garde.

I mean, it's still a good book for anyone over the age of 15 that likes an adventure book with a bit more romance than action.

...But im not that kind of girl.

There were many things that I didn't enjoy in this novel.One,of which, was a spoiler of one of the main characters(Chase/Chris) at the very beginning.It diminished my desire to read further on.It could have also kept the profanity and sex/lust down to a minimum.(not a big fan of inappropriate content in literature).
There could be an improvement in creativity and originality.The romance scenes aren't really anything new more like over-used ideas.Also...I thought that the main characters were too perfect. Since no one in real life is that perfect,characters shouldn't be either.

However,The action scenes were quite good. It gave you an image of what was happening.I enjoy that in a book most.

This may not be my cup of tea and my opinion,but you may like it. Everyone's tastes are different.

The recent past: the earth is changing, people are less caring than ever before and a "flu" starts to spread. Chris Griffin, who has always had a thing for Molly Anderson, is finally making a dent in their relationship. They are young teens who are trying to find a meeting point for their romance.

Fast forward to the present. Molly missed her appointment to meet up with Chris and has been holed up in a bomb shelter with her mom for the last six years. Before she went in, her father, who was a scientist, made minor changes to her body to make her better-equipped for the future. She knows that bad things have happened but is unaware as to how evil the world has become. Her mom dies when the shelter finally opens and she sets out to find her father. She has something that is suppose to save what is left of the earth. She is Razor Girl.

Of course she finds Chris within 24 hours of leaving the shelter. Chris is now Chase and he's holing up in a Walmart with his older brother along with a group of young adults and children. **OK, I wanted to like this book but the story continued to spiral downhill.** Certain incidents immediately happen to 'push' Chase and Molly together. Chase forgives her too easily and zombies conveniently come and go. The characters feel one-dimensional and much of the story was forced. I had figured out, long before the end, why things happened the way they did and who was responsible for the madness that took over.

This was the first Shomi book that I didn't like. If you are looking for a better read try 'Driven' by Eve Kenin or 'Countdown' by Michelle Maddox.

Note* The editorial review from Booklist that is listed above is not from this story.

Razor Girl by Marianne Mancusi
Mass paperback release date August 26, 2008

4 stars
Razor Girl is a solid Futuristic Romance. And one I would recommend for those readers who love the genre. Marianne Mancusi weaves a tale of Molly Anderson. She is the new "Bionic Woman". She has been outfitted with ocular implants, deadly, razor-like nails and nanotechnology to make her faster and stronger. She has just been released from a 6 year confinement with one mission. She must find her father. The problem: this new, unfamiliar world is fraught with danger after a deadly virus either kills humans or mutates them into flesh eating zombies. Molly must get to her destination soon because her nanotechnology is failing her, if left unchecked will lead to her death. Added to her stress, Molly has promised to take her old friend Chase and the band of children he cares for along.

Mariane Mancusi has created a world that is absorbing. The atmosphere is real and gritty. Molly is young so she is learning and not quite the superhero but still very much the vulnerable young girl. Chase is an atypical "beta hero" and carries a lot of insecurities throughout the story. Readers who enjoy strong Alpha males may be disappointed. The writing is clear and sure, but does have frequent flashbacks. While the flashbacks are crucial to the plot, I felt they slowed down the pacing and intensity of the story. I found the characters' journey exciting but had mixed feeling after what I felt was an anticlimactic ending.

Reviewed by Steph at Bookaholics Romance Book Club