I have been keeping up with everything Walking Dead related, and so reading the novel series was always a must for me. When the governor was running Woodbury, I felt like I was rereading the comic books again, but Descent is the first time I truly feel I am getting a secret, insider look at life beyond Rick Grimes. There are spoilers for those who have not kept up with the show or the comics. If that’s you, be aware!
Woodbury is now run by Lilly Caul, the woman who killed Rick Grime’s wife and daughter. She is a great and complex character because nothing in her life has been easy, and that doesn’t include surviving the zombie apocalypse. Though I think she dates a bit too much for the state of the world, the hopeless romantic in me can sympathize with that desire. I love that she is soft and feminine at times, while also running an entire city like a badass. She is the type of girl men want to date and girls want to emulate. (Not meant to be a rhyme, but it works.)
Lilly’s new love interest was a little perplexing to me. She doesn’t seem to be the type of girl who is super into religious folk, but none-the-less she fell for him. In my opinion, she is just looking for a happy escape from the world around her, but we can’t blame her for that.
Bob Stookey is in his element in this book. He has a keen sense of when someone is up to something no good, even if no one else can see it. His fatherly love for Lily tugs at my heartstrings every time he worries about her. He is the best thing in her life at the moment. Now that he’s sobered up, he is really on his game.
The Reverend…I hate this man. I did from the beginning. Everyone reading this knows he’s up to no good, but it’s the mystery of what that keeps us reading. What he really had planned for the people of Woodbury was worse than I thought. Thank God for Bob is all I can say.
The story is a good one that kept me interested because of its element of mystery surrounding the Reverand and his group of followers. For the first time in a few books in the series, I didn’t already know what was going to happen, because it was not in the comic books. (Though if you played the game on your phone, his future with the town was hinted at in a big way.) For anyone stuck in the rise or fall of the governor and considering giving up, don’t! It does get better. I’m excited to read the next book, as this one left off on a cliffhanger.
I gave Descent 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
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