Book Review Overgrowth by Mira Grant 5/5 stars

   I requested the audiobook advanced listener copy for Mira Grant's Overgrowth and I could not believe when I was approved! 

I am STILL OVER THE MOON!  Also - I was not disappointed at all. 

  This is likely going to be one of my top reads for the year! I feel like it was a mash up of Beautyland and HG Wells War of the Worlds!

   If you'd like a Spoiler free video review Go Here:  no Spoilers below because Spoilers just SUCK! 

  Imagine you disappeared for 3 days as a child and returned to your family telling them that you'd been replaced by an alien.  You look like you, and act pretty much like you, so of course, people assume the trauma of the event caused this small delusion. Unfortunately for you, you can't help but tell everyone, despite the difficulties it may cause. You think there's no one else like you in the world, but that's ok, because you are the vanguard of an alien race. 

Eventually, your alien people will be coming back for you- but, of course, you don't know when.  This is what happened to Anastasia Miller in Overgrowth.  Anastasia grows up- gets a job and a boyfriend, and is essentially living her best life when the alien bat signal starts to come a calling and making things - a wee bit messy for her and the global community in general. 

This is a first contact narrative with teeth!  There is a touch of body horror, Sci Fi, humor, suspense and a dash of romance in this rapid moving story which had me on tenterhooks wondering what was going to happen next! While the first contact idea, and the nature of the alien were not wholly new - the way that Grant's world is constructed is broadly and wildly imaginative and distinctly unique from other Sci-Fi I've read. I found the building of the alien experience to be entirely creative, engaging and fairly easy to follow despite it going from plants to quasi-Vampires, to dinosaurs at 100 MPH. 

I was particularly enamored with the main character's earthly relationships and the way the FMC explored her evolving emotions and feelings regarding her human people. I especially liked Grant's portrayal of Graham, a trans man, in this book.  While not the main character, and not the main story line, I really liked the diversity shown throughout the novel, without it being an actual novel about someone being a trans person. I have to admit also, the deep love that the characters had for each other, was also masterfully illustrated through the writing. 

 I am hopeful that this will be nominated for a Hugo next year, as it certainly is standing out as an immensely readable and thought provoking novel. 

   

   I did enjoy the audiobook- the narrator was not distracting from the novel and read in a very natural way. 

So... If you're into space aliens, the Little Shop of Horrors, or a good story, this is a book you're going to want to consume in large, meaty chunks. 

Have you  read Overgrowth yet?  It's only a story and as Grant will tell you- as a story, it can't hurt you anymore! 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 480

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, people, people consumption, bullying, body horror, questionable dietary choices, gun violence, fire, mental health, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)