Helpful Score: 2
So being a fan of zombie books and movies I just couldn't pass up this book. It was a pretty darn good book and I really enjoyed it. It has some heart, a somewhat sweet love story, zombies dismembering people, and rotting body parts...all in all a pretty complete zombie experience.
Andy Warner wakes up in the funeral home just recently embalmed. He is one of the undead. He is not taking it very well; his wife died in the car accident that took his life and his daughter has been sent to live with relatives. His parents pick him up at the zombie pound and for months he is kept in their basement watching TV and drinking their expensive wine on the sly. That is until he goes to an Undead Anonymous meeting and meets Rita, a sexy suicide victim, and Jerry, a car crash victim that likes to let people touch his exposed brain. Rita especially helps Andy see the positive in his undead existence. When another zombie introduces the group to the joys of..err...venison, things start to change and full-out zombie mayhem ensues.
This was actually a very well done book. It is darkly humorous but touches on issues of racism (or is it species-ism?) and what it means to be alive. There are a number of human elements such as Andy dealing with the loss of his family, his parents' rejection of his condition, and society's cruelty to zombies. That's not to say that it's all serious. Browne doesn't shy away from pieces of brain flying out of noses, cigarettes being put out in empty eye sockets, or any of that gory goodness.
To those who think the book starts out a little tame (with Andy picketing for zombie rights), just hold on eventually the book gets to a point of total flame-throwing zombie mayhem. What fun it is when it does!
I really enjoyed this book. All zombie lovers should give it a go. I think this would be a great book for everyone to read (except for the younger age set) it really helps to brooch the topic of what would happen if zombies entered human society. Oddly enough the next book on my list to read is "Kiss of Life" the next book in the zombie series "Generation Dead" by Daniel Waters...so onto more zombie reads for me.
I will be watching out for future books by Browne, I liked his writing style and the way everything flowed in this book...definitely a writer to keep an eye in the future.
Andy Warner wakes up in the funeral home just recently embalmed. He is one of the undead. He is not taking it very well; his wife died in the car accident that took his life and his daughter has been sent to live with relatives. His parents pick him up at the zombie pound and for months he is kept in their basement watching TV and drinking their expensive wine on the sly. That is until he goes to an Undead Anonymous meeting and meets Rita, a sexy suicide victim, and Jerry, a car crash victim that likes to let people touch his exposed brain. Rita especially helps Andy see the positive in his undead existence. When another zombie introduces the group to the joys of..err...venison, things start to change and full-out zombie mayhem ensues.
This was actually a very well done book. It is darkly humorous but touches on issues of racism (or is it species-ism?) and what it means to be alive. There are a number of human elements such as Andy dealing with the loss of his family, his parents' rejection of his condition, and society's cruelty to zombies. That's not to say that it's all serious. Browne doesn't shy away from pieces of brain flying out of noses, cigarettes being put out in empty eye sockets, or any of that gory goodness.
To those who think the book starts out a little tame (with Andy picketing for zombie rights), just hold on eventually the book gets to a point of total flame-throwing zombie mayhem. What fun it is when it does!
I really enjoyed this book. All zombie lovers should give it a go. I think this would be a great book for everyone to read (except for the younger age set) it really helps to brooch the topic of what would happen if zombies entered human society. Oddly enough the next book on my list to read is "Kiss of Life" the next book in the zombie series "Generation Dead" by Daniel Waters...so onto more zombie reads for me.
I will be watching out for future books by Browne, I liked his writing style and the way everything flowed in this book...definitely a writer to keep an eye in the future.
Helpful Score: 1
Breathers is a crazy, romantic, satirical gem. Its an absolute smorgasbord of ingenius bits of everything from Kafka to Orwell to George Romero melded together into a fun, finely stitched tale.
Breathers follows the plight of Andy Warner, who one day had it all- a loving family, a happy home, a functioning circulatory system- and the next day was reduced to an ambulatory corpse living in his parent's basement with two missing limbs, no legal rights, no friends, and nothing to look forward to but his weekly Undead Anonymous meetings with other hapless zombies.
Andy and his undead pals try to re-piece together their lives (zombies are not recognized as human and are universally despised and discriminated against by the living) and their bodies (stealing limbs has become a popular method of hazing among frat boys). They struggle with the moral dilemma of devouring the brains of the people who treat them as second-class citizens and with the more mundane worry of how not to smell like a decomposing corpse (bathing in Pine-sol works wonders). And still, Andy manages to find time for romance with zombie-babe Rita.
Breathers: a Zombie's Lament is a subversive, sweet, funny take on life, death and the American Dream.
Breathers follows the plight of Andy Warner, who one day had it all- a loving family, a happy home, a functioning circulatory system- and the next day was reduced to an ambulatory corpse living in his parent's basement with two missing limbs, no legal rights, no friends, and nothing to look forward to but his weekly Undead Anonymous meetings with other hapless zombies.
Andy and his undead pals try to re-piece together their lives (zombies are not recognized as human and are universally despised and discriminated against by the living) and their bodies (stealing limbs has become a popular method of hazing among frat boys). They struggle with the moral dilemma of devouring the brains of the people who treat them as second-class citizens and with the more mundane worry of how not to smell like a decomposing corpse (bathing in Pine-sol works wonders). And still, Andy manages to find time for romance with zombie-babe Rita.
Breathers: a Zombie's Lament is a subversive, sweet, funny take on life, death and the American Dream.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is easy to read and even fun to read. The description are vivid but not graphic. So unless you are very easily squicked you shouldn't worry.
Andy Werner got into an accident with his wife and they both died. Unfortunately, Andy came back. Now he can't see his kid, in fact, he can't do anything at all. Zombies have no rights and will end up someplace horrible if they aren't very careful. So Andy attends therapy and a zombie support group to come to terms with his new life or unlife.
This book made me laugh and even stop to ask questions of my partner. I won't say what the questions were so I don't spoil (no pun intended) any of the plot. But following Andy through his undead adventures was a great ride.
Andy Werner got into an accident with his wife and they both died. Unfortunately, Andy came back. Now he can't see his kid, in fact, he can't do anything at all. Zombies have no rights and will end up someplace horrible if they aren't very careful. So Andy attends therapy and a zombie support group to come to terms with his new life or unlife.
This book made me laugh and even stop to ask questions of my partner. I won't say what the questions were so I don't spoil (no pun intended) any of the plot. But following Andy through his undead adventures was a great ride.
What if zombies retained their memories, their feelings, but still had the legal rights of a corpse? This book explores this question with interesting characters and a take on how living humanity - Breathers - would likely react to the mere existence of zombies that hits a little too close to home.
expert: "I want to tell my mother that I love her but I can't. I want to give her a hug but I don't because I'm afraid she might scream. Or else open another can of Glad on me."
Such is the life of the Undead, zombies or better yet call it what it is reantimated bodies of the previously deceased. Not everybody reanimates and no one, Breather, aka Living, scientist included knows why but only a few dead bodies reanimate every year sometimes on the embalming table, sometimes in the coffin or sometimes during their autopsy.. which is messy if you can imagine.
Andy is a new member of the Undead society aka Zombies, he's not a mean zombie by all means. Andy's actually very passive, he stays to himself in the cellar, he goes to his Undead Annonymous meetings, therapy twice a week and doesnt consume any Breathers. Not a bad zombie at all but through meeting Rita, a stunning suicide victim and Ray a rogue breather eater and many other characters of the undead and living kind he changes. Andy makes small changes at first- his diet to begin with and his love life, who knew zombie affection could be so warming, and his ability to direct his future and those like him.Unfortunately things happen out of our control and like us zombies are what they are so when shit hits the fan so to speak what else can a zombie do except what they do best... eat some Breathers!!
I have a fondness for zombies, all zombies whether they are the slow meandering hollywood undead of Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days or Max Brooks World War Z. I have added this to those favorite zombies list. I loved how at times I would laugh out loud at Andy's witty thoughts or Rita's recipes for Breather or find myself feeling sorry for Andy who wanted to belong to something, someone. to replace the pain of his previous life.
I can't wait to read my next S G Browne currently on my shelf from a recent shopping trip, Fated.
1 like flag
Such is the life of the Undead, zombies or better yet call it what it is reantimated bodies of the previously deceased. Not everybody reanimates and no one, Breather, aka Living, scientist included knows why but only a few dead bodies reanimate every year sometimes on the embalming table, sometimes in the coffin or sometimes during their autopsy.. which is messy if you can imagine.
Andy is a new member of the Undead society aka Zombies, he's not a mean zombie by all means. Andy's actually very passive, he stays to himself in the cellar, he goes to his Undead Annonymous meetings, therapy twice a week and doesnt consume any Breathers. Not a bad zombie at all but through meeting Rita, a stunning suicide victim and Ray a rogue breather eater and many other characters of the undead and living kind he changes. Andy makes small changes at first- his diet to begin with and his love life, who knew zombie affection could be so warming, and his ability to direct his future and those like him.Unfortunately things happen out of our control and like us zombies are what they are so when shit hits the fan so to speak what else can a zombie do except what they do best... eat some Breathers!!
I have a fondness for zombies, all zombies whether they are the slow meandering hollywood undead of Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days or Max Brooks World War Z. I have added this to those favorite zombies list. I loved how at times I would laugh out loud at Andy's witty thoughts or Rita's recipes for Breather or find myself feeling sorry for Andy who wanted to belong to something, someone. to replace the pain of his previous life.
I can't wait to read my next S G Browne currently on my shelf from a recent shopping trip, Fated.
1 like flag
BREATHERS was an impulse Amazon buy, recommended when I purchased a separate zombie anthology. I don't usually give in to impulse buys (I have too many must-haves on my reading list as it is), but I'm so glad I decided to give into this one!
This book has it all - the blood and gore of typical zombie fare, but also romance (who wouldn't love a twenty-something hottie, even with the stitches at her wrists and throat, who happens to eat lipstick like it was going out of style), humor (I'm sorry, but breather disguised as venison is pure genius), murder (the opening scene is a husband-wife body part freezer bonanza), and an undead support group (yes, they even have field trips).
It's a quick read, and it is just so, so good. Andy, the main character, simply wants his life back, even if he is a member of the undead. As a member of society who now has absolutley no rights whatsoever, it's a lot more difficult than it sounds.
But if you've never had to drink VO5 shampoo (and sometimes conditioner) to get your formaldahyde fix, or had your arm ripped out of its socket only to be beaten over the head with it, or been shot in the face by a Social Security Administration guard, or been traumatized by frat boys in a cemetery, then you probably wouldn't understand what I'm talking about.
Seriously, just go buy it.
This book has it all - the blood and gore of typical zombie fare, but also romance (who wouldn't love a twenty-something hottie, even with the stitches at her wrists and throat, who happens to eat lipstick like it was going out of style), humor (I'm sorry, but breather disguised as venison is pure genius), murder (the opening scene is a husband-wife body part freezer bonanza), and an undead support group (yes, they even have field trips).
It's a quick read, and it is just so, so good. Andy, the main character, simply wants his life back, even if he is a member of the undead. As a member of society who now has absolutley no rights whatsoever, it's a lot more difficult than it sounds.
But if you've never had to drink VO5 shampoo (and sometimes conditioner) to get your formaldahyde fix, or had your arm ripped out of its socket only to be beaten over the head with it, or been shot in the face by a Social Security Administration guard, or been traumatized by frat boys in a cemetery, then you probably wouldn't understand what I'm talking about.
Seriously, just go buy it.
I didn't know what to expect from Breathers. It was touted as a zombie romance. I'm not much into romance but a zombie romance, why the hell not, I'll give it a try.
If you want to get all literary and boorish you can say it's an affecting look at what society finds acceptable and blah, blah, blah.
Nope, it was a really fun read with cannibalism (can you be a cannibal if your undead?), hot zombie on zombie sex and make up tips for the recently undead and some really nice recipes.
Most of it takes place during the holidays so it's a great holiday book as well.
If you want to get all literary and boorish you can say it's an affecting look at what society finds acceptable and blah, blah, blah.
Nope, it was a really fun read with cannibalism (can you be a cannibal if your undead?), hot zombie on zombie sex and make up tips for the recently undead and some really nice recipes.
Most of it takes place during the holidays so it's a great holiday book as well.
A fun and new take on zombies. The story is written from the POV of a zombie and what it's like to be an undead entity without any rights or entitlements, even though he use to be human.
I found it refreshing, with humor and drama, and a wee bit of romance.
I found it refreshing, with humor and drama, and a wee bit of romance.
A hidden gem among zombie novels! This was fantastic! There were so many parallels between the treatment of zombies and other minorities that it really made me sad for them. This was funny, yet touching and really made you think. Typically you're cheering for the living and hoping they don't get eaten, but in this you were hoping that the zombies made it out okay. And a few people got eaten that teally, really deserved it!
This was a fun read and I highly recommend it!
This was a fun read and I highly recommend it!
