If I wanted to, I could probably write a long rant about Chimera and Parasitology as a whole. But I’m too disappointed and I just don’t fucking care enough, which is really the biggest problem. After finally being won over by book one, books two and three frustrated me no end, and I’m left just glad that it’s over.

The plot of both Symbiont and Chimera can be summed up in one word: kidnapping. For 1000 pages, someone is always getting kidnapped. Then they have to go rescue them. Then they’re all so happy to be together again for like two chapters. Then someone gets kidnapped. Usually it’s Sal, but sometimes it’s other people for variety (see: Tansy, see most of Dr. Cale’s team). I’m sick of the kidnapping, and I’m sick of Sal’s stupid sacrificial rescue plans. I’m sick of it all.

After Parasite, I was riding high. I loved the whole cast so much. That held in through much of Symbiont, but by just a bit of the way into Chimera, I no longer gave a shit about anyone. There’s no character development. They all end the same way they were at the start. Basically the only change anyone goes through is Sal finding a chimera kid and deciding she has major mom feels. OH BOY WHAT A NECESSARY PLOT ELEMENT. The villains are boring and flat. The heroes are too.

Read the hell out of Newsflesh. Maybe don’t read this.