Peeps is about a young man who has become infected with a disease that causes its victims to become violent, light sensitive, strong and craving raw meat. Sure, you can call it vampirism, but it's not quite what you think of from Bram Stoker and the movies.

Interspersed with Cal's adventures, we get snippets of information about parasitology - the study of parasites and their effects. I know that sounds weird, but I loved how it grounded this dark fantasy in the real world. Truth is stranger than fiction and all that.

http://archthinking.blogspot.com/2009...

Before Peeps, I had never read any of Scott Westerfeld’s novels. After Peeps, I am eager to get my hands on as many as possible. This is a dark, original, snappy new spin on everybody’s favourite night-stalking enigma: the vampire. Westerfeld has a new explanation for every vampire myth, from cruciphobia to fondness of bats and rats. By the end of this novel, readers will be experts on a whole new species of twisted, powerful creature – the peep. It is not the fictional information, however, that gives this novel its most engrossing edge.

Every second chapter of Peeps is devoted entirely to parasites. Not fictional parasites – but real parasites that exist in our own world and could threaten us at any time. This book is most definitely not for the squeamish – Westerfeld unveils hundreds of facts about numerous deadly parasites, from Plasmodium to Toxoplasma, including their methods of taking over their hosts, their breeding patterns, and why our planet’s ecosystems would be lost without them. Cal’s succinct, conversational narration guides readers through the ups and downs of the parasite world so charismatically that there is not a single boring sentence in the book. The real advantage of all this information, however, is that it blurs the line between fact and fiction, giving readers the eerie, menacing feeling that the events of Peeps could easily take place in real life.

Were it not for the ending, Peeps would easily be on my ‘Top 10 Favourite Books’ list. Despite nearly 300 pages of riveting, rat-infested brilliance, Westerfeld still manages to pull off the worst ending in the history of fiction. It almost makes this brilliant novel worth setting aside – or perhaps it should have a sticker on the front saying ‘Warning – do not read more than 290 pages’. Without spoiling the plot too much, it is virtually impossible to explain why the ending is so appalling – suffice to say that the word ‘anticlimax’ was invented to describe the last pages of this book.

If you are willing to forgive the dismal finale, however, Peeps is still a highly recommended read. Steel yourself for a world of dank, subterranean horrors, and dive in. ( )

This was a very interesting book choice for me. I had some difficulty getting into the story -- not a big Sci Fi fan, plus Westerfeld spent a lot of time describing parasites and what they do to humans and animals. Kind of freaked me out. Plus at the end, he made a point of saying that everything he had described regarding parasites is true. Makes me not want to eat or drink or breathe the air. I have to admit though, I found myself enjoying the story the more I read. It was a fun take on an old topic with some mystery, horror, and romance thrown in. ( )

A VERY good book - I would recommend it, but I wouldn't back you into a corner trying to get you to read it. ( )

Great book. I could not put it down. Weterfeild is an amazing author. ( )