The Living Dead, begun by George A. Romero and, after his passing, finished by Daniel Kraus, follows the lives of a number of characters as they attempt to survive an attack by the undead and rebuild their lives in the aftermath. It has many elements found in your standard zombie story, but The Living Dead goes so far above and beyond the typical zombie tale. I really don't want to give anything away, and I feel any summary will do just that, so I will simply say this story begins with one homeless man. This man, by most, is treated like trash, someone to just throw away because they don't seem to serve a purpose. If we treat the lowest and most downtrodden members of our society like trash, are we really a society? Is it a society worth saving?
I love this novel, plain and simple. While The Living Dead is written by two authors, I can honestly say that I couldn't tell where Romero left off and Kraus began. Their voices merge together seamlessly and the story they tell, and its messages, are beyond phenomenal. The gruesomely awesome descriptive language used in The Living Dead is extraordinary and made me laugh often; yes, a zombie novel made me laugh over and over again. I enjoyed experiencing the action of the novel through the eyes of many of the characters; I was better able to appreciate their perspectives and reactions during the crisis and the aftermath. This is a behemoth of a novel that caused some massive fatigue to my arms seeing as I could not put it down; it is a page-turner that will draw you in and keep you there until the last page.
The Living Dead is so much more than a zombie novel; I see it as a social commentary, only it uses the undead to send the message. The timing of this novel is somewhat eerie, given the current pandemic, and it covers so many themes and issues that we are facing today. The Living Dead covers relevant topics such as the press, politics, race, religion, income inequality, and the power of wealth, to name a few, as well as the affects these things have on society, both positive and negative. The power of mob mentality is also addressed, and how powerful and destructive one dissenting voice can be. It even includes things like the desire to build a wall, erase history and knowledge, and arm citizens to create an “us versus them” perception. Romero and Kraus created some remarkable characters that are so varying in their backgrounds, ethnicities, and beliefs, and they show the reader that we are all capable of accepting people, regardless of and because of their unique differences, and of working together towards a common goal.
Human beings are the most invasive species on the planet; we take what we want, often without replacing what we take, and we destroy whatever is in our way, all in the name of comfort and advancement. The Living Dead not only shows just how invasive we really are, but it also shows us that humans are not infallible; nature is capable of taking its revenge and will survive long after we are gone. Maybe the zombies aren't the living dead, maybe human beings are the living death.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Zombie lover or not, I think this novel can be enjoyed by so many people for its story and its messages. Make sure you check it out when it is released on August 4th!
Thank you to BookishFirst and Tor Books for sending me an ARC of The Living Dead, given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
I love this novel, plain and simple. While The Living Dead is written by two authors, I can honestly say that I couldn't tell where Romero left off and Kraus began. Their voices merge together seamlessly and the story they tell, and its messages, are beyond phenomenal. The gruesomely awesome descriptive language used in The Living Dead is extraordinary and made me laugh often; yes, a zombie novel made me laugh over and over again. I enjoyed experiencing the action of the novel through the eyes of many of the characters; I was better able to appreciate their perspectives and reactions during the crisis and the aftermath. This is a behemoth of a novel that caused some massive fatigue to my arms seeing as I could not put it down; it is a page-turner that will draw you in and keep you there until the last page.
The Living Dead is so much more than a zombie novel; I see it as a social commentary, only it uses the undead to send the message. The timing of this novel is somewhat eerie, given the current pandemic, and it covers so many themes and issues that we are facing today. The Living Dead covers relevant topics such as the press, politics, race, religion, income inequality, and the power of wealth, to name a few, as well as the affects these things have on society, both positive and negative. The power of mob mentality is also addressed, and how powerful and destructive one dissenting voice can be. It even includes things like the desire to build a wall, erase history and knowledge, and arm citizens to create an “us versus them” perception. Romero and Kraus created some remarkable characters that are so varying in their backgrounds, ethnicities, and beliefs, and they show the reader that we are all capable of accepting people, regardless of and because of their unique differences, and of working together towards a common goal.
Human beings are the most invasive species on the planet; we take what we want, often without replacing what we take, and we destroy whatever is in our way, all in the name of comfort and advancement. The Living Dead not only shows just how invasive we really are, but it also shows us that humans are not infallible; nature is capable of taking its revenge and will survive long after we are gone. Maybe the zombies aren't the living dead, maybe human beings are the living death.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Zombie lover or not, I think this novel can be enjoyed by so many people for its story and its messages. Make sure you check it out when it is released on August 4th!
Thank you to BookishFirst and Tor Books for sending me an ARC of The Living Dead, given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.