Let me start off by saying this will be one of those books where you’ll have to let it simmer in your brain before deciding whether you liked it or not. (Newsflash: I loved it!)

This just wasn't for me. I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood or if it's because I'm sick at the moment but I just kept rereading the same sentences over and over and couldn't take it in so dnf'd about 15%

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-copy of this novella in exchange for a review. This book is so fitting for the current times. This novella clearly illustrates how the dangers of false narratives can be utilized as a mechanism of division in society. Truth is in the eye of the beholder, or is it?

Original and immersive. A recommended purchase for collections where literary horror and zombie tales are popular.

This short read was very interesting and kept me interested throughout! Reminded me a lot of the movie Bird Box. Perfect for October / spooky season.

Malcolm Devlin takes the unreliable narrator trope to the extreme with his bite-sized novel, And Then I Woke Up. And Then I Woke Up chronicles the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse ... or does it? Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, And Then I Woke Up tells multiple versions of a similar story, leaving readers to separate the fact from the fiction. Are flesh-eating zombies taking over the world or is it all in our heads?

On a cerebral level, And Then I Woke Up is truly a fascinating tale. Our individual perception of the world is everything, so what happens when some people begin to perceive a series of events differently than others. To them it is real, but what if it isn't? How do we manage these people? How should they be punished for any action taken against those they perceive to be bringing them harm? Are they acting out of self-defense if the threat isn't real? All of these concepts and more are explored in the thought-provoking And Then I Woke Up.

On the other hand, And Then I Woke up suffers from some muddled storytelling that personally left me confused through much of the novel. I did not know if I had missed some important details that prevented me from understanding this story better, or if I was supposed to truly believe what I was reading. It required me browsing many reviews to get a full grasp on what this story was trying to do, making the actual reading experience less enjoyable. The basis for this book is strong - the execution, not so much. 3.5 stars.

Thanks so much for this arc!

A very interesting take on zombies with a virus that makes you think there is an apocalypse. Loved the false native thing going on as well. Plus it was a quick read. But in the end I found it a bit full and the characters a bit forgettable.

A tiny story that packs a punch And Then I Woke Up is a standout in literary horror. It is thoughtful and horrifying, with elements of obsession and second-guessing. This book has all the classic components of an apocalyptic zombie horror - confusion, plague, and strangers arming themselves in the hope of survival. But it also weaves in some unique ideas and plot points that force the reader to think and consider their real-world existence.

This is the type of book that acts as an ear-worm - it will be running around in your subconscious for a while after you have finished reading.

The novella is absolutely brilliant! I went in with very little knowledge of what it was about other than it revolved around survivors of a pandemic that had decimated the world’s population. Now, I adore anything dystopian or post apocalyptic, so I thought I had a good idea of what was to come but NOPE. This one was wholly unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It’s psychological horror at its absolute best.

And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin was certainly unexpected. This very short novella appears to at first be an account of a zombie apocalypse survivor and slowly morphs into something different. Keep reading to get my take on Malcolm Devlin’s new release.

And Then I Woke Up starts at the end with Spence telling his story of how he ended up at the rehabilitation center. Through Spence’s story, you learn about how things in this world are not always as they seem. I enjoyed how Devlin threw the typical zombie post-apocalyptic story on its head. You start this book thinking it will go one typical way, but it takes the reader in an unpredictable and eerie direction.

Devlin utilizes the concept of the unreliable narrator, which I typically really enjoy. The basis of the virus and the fact that Spence was infected, certainly makes Spence quite unreliable. I think this is part of what makes this novella work well. For readers that are not fans of unreliable narrators, the short length of the novella might make this trope more palpable.

The unfortunate side of it being such a short book is the fact that it didn’t allow for more development of the story. In And Then I Woke Up, Devil creates a very intriguing plot through this plague and the side effects it has wrought on Spence. Although one could argue that brevity is what lends to the interest and mystique of the story.

Overall
I would certainly recommend anyone to read And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin. It is a quick read and has a curious and thought-provoking element to it. Do not think you are going to encounter just another post-apocalyptic tale when encountering this novella. Get ready for an unexpected creepy horror story.

This short little novella was SO MUCH FUN. Every once in awhile you want a short horror story that feels like a creepy fireside chat and that’s exactly what this book was. Highly recommend for a fast, fun read

Definitely a weird spin on horror but I didn't dislike it. This book is sort of a zombie book but also sort of technology horror? if that's a thing. I thought the concept was cool but felt the book focused too much on characters if that makes sense. There wasn't a lot of action to the story and I wanted more. It came off repetitive at times and took me out of the story. Luckily it was a novella and the author does write well enough to hold your interest. Not a bad read but not my favorite.

A fascinating horror novella that used a contagious somewhat-zombie apocalypse to discuss false narratives that people believe where the biggest monsters are humans themselves. A well-paced quick read with a chilling concept that was super engrossing.

We interviewed the author on the Wrath of the iOtians podcast. The interview was published in August 2022.

An interesting take on a dystopian future. Quite an interesting spin on the "zombie apocalypse" concept. Not my must enjoyable read of the year, but it is well written, and I did enjoy the perspective shifts throughout.

Perhaps the most successful theme of this (as I see it) is to question our own perspective and experiences compared to others!

I have decided 4 starts as I do recommend.

I strongly believe that zombie apocalypse could happen in the future so if there’s a book that exists with zombie plot, I’ll definitely read it!! And Then I woke up is an interestingly written zombie story and its less than 200 pages, so if you are like me, you can finish it in your lunch break! Yes the story is short, but I still remember every bit I read in October. Also this is not your regular Walking Dead kind of novel, its apocalyptic but in a different and creepy way that as a horror-lit reader, I immensely appreciate. Loved it!!

Thank you Tordotcom via Netgalley for the e-arc

Not your average zombie novel! Interesting novella, recommend for those looking to dip their toes into themes of zombies. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to an e-arc.

And Then I Woke Up is a great horror novella with a very interesting premise. I really felt this novella was a commentary on what is happening in today's world.

Absolutely wonderful.

If you are confused by how we have all become so divided, and want to understand it through a metaphor, then this is the one for you.

This horror novella literally takes the words out of my mouth for how I felt during the election, the inauguration, and the pandemic when my parents and I had wildly different views and the person I loved became the enemy. (I mean, not really I’m being dramatic, but we all experienced this in some aspect during the last two years).

How can any of us possibly justify hurting the ones we love, just because they disagree with us on something that fundamentally makes us who we are? Because the characters begin to see people that disagree with them as transforming into literal, fanged-toothed, man-eating monsters. “Because it wasn’t really them. It wasn’t the person I loved. Not anymore." And the fallout is as you’d expect.

I, for one, literally moved out of the US because I was so sick of the division. So this story was therapeutic in a way, putting what we all went through into metaphorical terms, and working through it while simultaneously entertaining us with horror.

This was a DNF for me at 20%. I set it down and picked it up multiple times, but I just couldn't get into it.