A Quick Rinse for the Emptied Jar

Alright! I've finished Jam and am, for the most part satisfied.

The characters are what brings it through for me. And I think that a large part of that is the first person perspective. Looked at as a whole, the story isn't overly intricate, and just as there are hordes of zombie scripts pouring into the remaining characters' laps at the end of the book, the book's overall plot is really nothing special. It follows a standard three act structure, and involves the general range of character types that are often found in survival horror movies.

However, those characters have unique motivations, and that's what makes them interesting. Even from the first person perspective of Travis, we still get a very strong sense of just who and what Angela, Don, Tim, and X are, along with the ancillary characters Deirdre, et cetera.

Plus, though sparse, Croshaw really writes action sequences well. There's no faffing about with single line paragraphs or shorter sentences. The way he writes his fights is kind of like a written form of bullet time, wherein each action is detailed in a sleek and direct form, giving readers a very clear delineation of what's going on while also being quick about it.

So, overall, is this a book that I'd recommend? Is it a book I'd advise to a friend? Yes. Yes it is. The strength of the writing wanes near the end, and the analogies wear on you if you try to tackle the book in fewer than five sessions, but the characters carry it through.

In a world inundated by a multitude of very similar plots, having an expected, yet diverse cast is essential, and Jam delivers on this end.