The popularity of zombies is on the rise. In fact, the fans of the walking dead may be soon encroaching on the number one spot held by vampires. I don’t know why this is happening, it’s as mysterious as the reasons for the zombies climbing from their graves to start searching for a brain buffet in all the movies (and yeah, I get that some kind of gas was released in the Living Dead movies and in Raccoon City, but come on. Really?).
Zombies moved back into horror fiction with a much more sure step than they’ve had in a long time. But now they’re launching into teen romance fiction. In a way. Generation Dead by Daniel Waters is a mixed bag, and I’m going to be all over the place while describing my reading experience for you. It just refuses to lie down and die to be reborn into a familiar zombie novel of movie tradition.
The cover of the dead cheerleader with blackened eyes seized me at once. I mean, once you get that image in your head, it’s not going to easily go away. Neither will the romantic triangle between Phoebe, Adam, and Tommy, the “differently biotic” boy Phoebe falls for.
Phoebe was one of the Goth girls at school. She enjoyed being different, and the dressed-in-black thing really worked for her. Looking like the living dead really worked for her. It even earned her the name Scarypants from Pete, the novel’s villain of sorts. Of course, the look really lost its appeal when dead kids started showing up and coming back to school. The author does an excellent job of catching a teen girl’s feelings and confusion throughout the novel. Phoebe comes to life on the pages almost at once.
Adam is the football jock and Phoebe’s next door friend. As it happens, he’s just discovering that the friendship he’s always had with Phoebe runs much deeper. That realization is stymied by his own shyness, the fact that he is a member of the Pain Crew on the football team and he shouldn’t go for Goth girls, and Phoebe’s sudden crush on Tommy Williams.
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Article comments
1 - katie
I saw this one the other day at the store. I almost picked it up but I wasn't sure. Never been one for the zombies (hello Mel and Don!) but I might give it a shot.
2 - John Denner
You ROCK!!!
3 - Lima
This book is soooo good,
except the ending kinda made me cry (I know Im really pathetic lol, crying over a character, but its true) when adam died!
Me and my m8s wanted to know if there is gonna be a second book to this
coz the ending sounded like a cliffhanger
:)
4 - Dara
this book was great!
i loved it, and the ending was so sad :(...but also like a cliffhanger,which makes me wonder if theres going to be a second?....hopefully :)
5 - allison wolfe
this is one of the best books hat i have read that has to do with the living dead.
6 - Cassie
i cried at the end as well. i was kinda mad taht he died i was like NOO that cannot happen! but i like it and finished it quickly. i'm wondering is there going to be a sequel?
7 - ashleigh Gardiner
cannot wait for the second book to come out in july 2009 in the uk!!!
8 - megan
yes there is gonna be another book KISS OF LIFE! ahhh sooooo excited!
9 - Jo
Really loved this book, and am currently half way through the sequal, i reccomend both books highly, they have very different story lines and waters writes in an original way, i love his story line and enjoy the originality of the whole book. :)
10 - Amber
Im actually rwading it now, LOVE IT SO FAR!
11 - JNB
I really did not like this book because Phoebe seem kinda of whinny to me and she got really annoying towards the end.
12 - Me steph
Best book i will ever read EVER!!!!!!