With an allegorical tone Schultz deftly commentates on the absurdities of hysteria, the indignities of sexism, and the dangers of acquiescence. ( )

Definitely a weird one. Enjoyed the story, but seriously? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THE CAUSE OF SHV???? ( )

I was pretty excited to read this book. Who doesn't think that the story of blonde women succumbing to viral madness sounds like a pretty fun read? Unfortunately, this novel did not live up to its potential. The first thing that struck me as odd was the narrator, who was telling this story to her unborn baby in a remote cabin, and things went limply downhill from there. I don't know how a book about an epidemic can be boring, but The Blondes proved that it can be done. There were gruesome attacks, a manic drive to the Canadian border, quarantine, people dying - nothing seemed to boost the story. How could everything that was happening sound so bland? I was disappointed, to say the least.

* I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads. ( )

The Blondes by Emily Schultz is an entertaining story about the unexpected contagion that affects blonde-haired women, causing them to first suffer from headaches and nausea until they reach such a rabid state that ultimately causes them to lash out in violence, committing both injury and murder.

The narrator is a young university student named Hazel Hayes undergoing her postgraduate studies and working on a thesis on beautiful women in a female-marketed-culture—except, not only is she alone and pregnant, she, like the rest of the community across the globe, is hijacked by the mysterious outbreak of what has been named, The Blonde Fury.

What begins as a rumour of curious and high-brow incidents quickly becomes a mass outbreak of disease, victimization to random acts of violence, and ultimately death.

The result? Mass hysteria, a lockdown of borders and states, and severe government protocols in attempt to control the proportion of this illusive contagion.

But, it isn’t all panic and terror as the novel unfolds to reveal dynamics of relationship especially between those that have suffered at the sexualization and betrayal of man—in this particular case that man’s name is Karl—a married professor with a history of sexual indiscretion and deviation that eventually leads to fatal sex addiction.

To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog, The Bibliotaphe's Closet: http://zaraalexis.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/the-blondes-a-review-08-30-2012/

Thanks,
Zara ( )

Some crazy pandemic, never fully explained, is affecting only women with blonde hair. Sounds stupid, and it is. Unlikable, indecipherable characters add up to a dark, annoying book that gives you nothing, takes you nowhere and makes you wish that you hadn't wasted your time reading it. It isn't scary, suspenseful, visionary or cautionary. Heed my warning - it's awful! ( )