THE ENEMY IS INSIDE US.

The SymboGen designed tapeworms were created to relieve humanity of disease and sickness. But the implants in the majority of the world’s population began attacking their hosts turning them into a ravenous horde.

Now those who do not appear to be afflicted are being gathered for quarantine as panic spreads, but Sal and her companions must discover how the tapeworms are taking over their hosts, what their eventual goal is, and how they can be stopped.

So, the other day I took a casual (VERY casual) count of the different series I’m reading…some I’ve just started, some have been ongoing for years, some I’m close to finishing. Either way, it’s a lot.

Like, a lot a lot.

I saw someone (and I’m spacing on who) post on their blog about Shiny Penny Syndrome, and I think that’s what I have. I mean, I haven’t gotten an official diagnosis, but I have all the symptoms. There’s just a fucking endless amount of trilogies/series that I am dying to read, and sometimes that temptation to get into that BOOK ONE is just overwhelming. But I’m trying to keep an eye on that number, and I really hope to do a better job at finishing up some trilogies/series in a more timely fashion! Stay tuned.

Anyway, on to book two of the Parasitology trilogy by Mira Grant, Symbiont. Let’s get gross.

This picks up right after the events of Parasite, so if you haven’t read that & plan to, you probably should bail out on this review…NOW.

One thing I was not aware of heading into Symbiont was that Parasitology was originally planned/sold as a duology, not a trilogy. After Parasite came out (and I imagine sold well), the decision was made to turn this into a trilogy. It does make you wonder a bit…like, was there that much more story to tell? Or could it have been told more effectively over two books as opposed to three? Obviously, we’ll never know. But I do think Symbiont, while entertaining as hell, could’ve been trimmed back a ways.

Sal continues to be a really fascinating main character, as she settles more into her new reality…accepting what & who she is, and further distancing herself from Sally Mitchell. And the relationship between Sal & Nathan is really well written, and kind of the glue of the whole story.

Mira Grant is just excellent at setting a scene…at this stage of the game, the world is slowly dying. She paints this picture of a near-apocalyptic San Francisco that’s eerie & very haunting. The sleepwalker plague is growing out of control, and much of the city is either abandoned or under quarantine.

Symbiont also fleshes our some minor characters from Parasite, and introduces some really fascinating new ones as well. Sherman really gets a chance to shine in this book, however creepy & unsettling he is. I don’t often “cast” actors in roles while I’m reading, but I could not shake the idea that Paul Bettany would be the PERFECT Sherman.

I loved the addition of Ronnie, a character that brings the concept of gender identity into this series in some really thoughtful ways. Fishy (yes, Fishy) is also a great addition to the cast…he seems to be struggling with some PTSD-type issues, which have caused him to view the whole world as a video game that he’s playing. It’s really sad in a way, but Fishy is also a guy that gets shit done.

Also, Mira Grant absolutely brutalizes Sal in this book…like…oof. She’s put through the wringer more times than you can count, including one fucking crazy scene that is NOT for the claustrophobic (read : me)

I guess if I struggled with any one thing in Symbiont, it’s that it felt at times a bit repetitive. Sal gets into a perilous situation, Sal gets out of the perilous situation. Repeat. It kinda had me going “Oh no, Sal, not again…” Like the shit has fully hit the fan in Symbiont, and there were moments where it seemed like Sal, a rather cautious person by nature, was acting somewhat recklessly.

So, overall, I didn’t love Symbiont as much as I did Parasite, but like anything Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant writes, it’s still an awesome ride full of quirky characters & gorgeous turns of phrase. I’m hoping to get to Chimera a bit quicker than I did Symbiont, because DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN…this one leaves you hanging!!