Helpful Score: 1
This was an excellent book. I had read some reviews on it that said it was really good, and they were all right! I was very impressed.
R is a zombie and has been for a while. He lives in a rundown airport with other zombies. Every once in a while they go hunting or a couple of them gets married or something; but for the most part it's a lot of lost time and shuffling around. Unlike other zombies R can still talk pretty well. During a hunting raid he kills and eats a young man's brain and starts living out that young man's memories. Because of this he is drawn to a live girl named Julie, who was the young man's girlfriend. He brings Julie back to the airport to live with him. Then things start to happen and he starts to change.
There are parts of this book that are very, very funny. Especially in the beginning, hearing the whole zombie thing from the viewpoint of a zombie is humorous and thought-provoking all at the same time.
While the book starts out with zombies being your pretty typical mindless brain-eaters, it quickly turns into something more complex. You can see that the zombies have a sort of society and continue to try and mimic the lives they had when they were living.
R's romance with Julie is a bit creepy and strange at first; but it quickly develops into something heartwarming and literally lifechanging. There are a lot of really great characters in this book. By the end you will be reconsidering who the monsters are in this book; the living, the zombies, or the leaders that drive them into conflict.
What starts out as a funny, endearing zombie tale ends up as a story that delves into some really deep questions about societal norms and how some things are true because we have decided they are true, not because they really are. This book isn't as dirty or gritty as a lot of zombie tales out there, it is more thought-provoking.
The book ends well, I am not sure if there will be a sequel...if there was a sequel I would definitely read it!
Overall this was just an excellent zombie novel. Definitely a zombie novel with heart. It was funny and heartwarming. It was a story that pondered some big questions yet remained engaging, easy to read, and accessible. I would definitely recommend this novel for anyone young adult or older. There is something here for everyone...zombies, romance, action, and politics. One of my favorite zombie reads this year. A couple other great zombie reads are The Newsflesh series by Mira Grant and The Angels are the Reapers by Alden Bell.
R is a zombie and has been for a while. He lives in a rundown airport with other zombies. Every once in a while they go hunting or a couple of them gets married or something; but for the most part it's a lot of lost time and shuffling around. Unlike other zombies R can still talk pretty well. During a hunting raid he kills and eats a young man's brain and starts living out that young man's memories. Because of this he is drawn to a live girl named Julie, who was the young man's girlfriend. He brings Julie back to the airport to live with him. Then things start to happen and he starts to change.
There are parts of this book that are very, very funny. Especially in the beginning, hearing the whole zombie thing from the viewpoint of a zombie is humorous and thought-provoking all at the same time.
While the book starts out with zombies being your pretty typical mindless brain-eaters, it quickly turns into something more complex. You can see that the zombies have a sort of society and continue to try and mimic the lives they had when they were living.
R's romance with Julie is a bit creepy and strange at first; but it quickly develops into something heartwarming and literally lifechanging. There are a lot of really great characters in this book. By the end you will be reconsidering who the monsters are in this book; the living, the zombies, or the leaders that drive them into conflict.
What starts out as a funny, endearing zombie tale ends up as a story that delves into some really deep questions about societal norms and how some things are true because we have decided they are true, not because they really are. This book isn't as dirty or gritty as a lot of zombie tales out there, it is more thought-provoking.
The book ends well, I am not sure if there will be a sequel...if there was a sequel I would definitely read it!
Overall this was just an excellent zombie novel. Definitely a zombie novel with heart. It was funny and heartwarming. It was a story that pondered some big questions yet remained engaging, easy to read, and accessible. I would definitely recommend this novel for anyone young adult or older. There is something here for everyone...zombies, romance, action, and politics. One of my favorite zombie reads this year. A couple other great zombie reads are The Newsflesh series by Mira Grant and The Angels are the Reapers by Alden Bell.
Helpful Score: 1
Simply put - wow. I enjoyed this more than most of the books I've read in the last year. I see why it garnered the interest of movie studios and I'm glad I read the book before I saw the film. I only hope the movie is able to capture the best part of the book, in my opinion -- the soulful and surprising inner thoughts, dreams and stream of consciousness of R, the most endearing zombie in fiction. Zombie books, as a rule, as not "my thing" but I will eagerly make an exception when Marion's series continues.
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Helpful Score: 1
This was an amusing, poetic story about a zombie who falls in love and begins changing into something not so zombie-like. I especially enjoyed the narration as well as the banter between characters.
R is a zombie. He has no memory of his past. He doesnt remember his parents. He doesnt remember his name. R doesnt even remember how he became a zombie. He lives with his fellow dead at an abandoned airport, spending his time riding the escalators and wondering through the world with no emotions. But when he and his zombie friends go looking for food, R eats the brain of a boy named Perry and gets Perrys memories including his time with his girlfriend, Julie. R is fascinated by Julie. When he sees her during a skirmish, he saves her from his friends. He doesnt want to eat herhe wants to keep her for himself. R takes her back to the abandoned airplane he calls home and tells her he will keep her safe.
This is a love story told from a zombies point-of-view. R is not like the other zombies. He is lonely and knows his life is lacking. He craves love and contact with humans. There is some humor in this book, and some parts that just totally creeped me out. I liked reading his thoughts on different subjects, and I liked his stilted conversations with Julie once she lost her wariness of him. I was not crazy about all of the Perry flashbacks that were going through his brain throughout the book. I sometimes had to skim these sections. But overall this is a unique book I would recommend to anyone who isnt squeamish on the subject matter. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is a love story told from a zombies point-of-view. R is not like the other zombies. He is lonely and knows his life is lacking. He craves love and contact with humans. There is some humor in this book, and some parts that just totally creeped me out. I liked reading his thoughts on different subjects, and I liked his stilted conversations with Julie once she lost her wariness of him. I was not crazy about all of the Perry flashbacks that were going through his brain throughout the book. I sometimes had to skim these sections. But overall this is a unique book I would recommend to anyone who isnt squeamish on the subject matter. My rating: 4 Stars.
Warm Bodies is not what I expected it to be, in the best way possible. I expected the book to be hostile to zombie culture for the main character R to be very critical of himself and all his fellow zombies. However, I found the book to be sensitive, intelligent, and funny. There wasn't any hard core zombie slaying expect for a few isolated incidents that were justified. Most of the zombie killing was done by the R, which was amazing.
R is not like his peer zombies, he is conscious of himself as a once upon a time human being, a soul, and maybe more then what his outer shell is. His one problem is the hunger that drives him, driving his to his humanity's salvation Julie. The girl who's boyfriend he just ate could be the one to help come back to at least semi-human. As the story goes on we find out Julie has her own scars and regrets just as R does. And together these two misfits may be able to save the plague cast upon the world, with the love or force they will prevail.
At times the story slows down from its ability to make everything ponderable and takes a look at life inside of the stadium, one of humanity's last refuge areas. In these moments we see what we don't want to see, ourselves and what we would do in the situation and its so real its almost cringe worthy. There will defiantly be so squirming as you read these parts, where Perry, the boy R ate shows us what life is like now, from his memories that he and R now share.
A recommended read to any zombie fan, or any fan to anyone who wants a new perspective on the definition of humanity.
R is not like his peer zombies, he is conscious of himself as a once upon a time human being, a soul, and maybe more then what his outer shell is. His one problem is the hunger that drives him, driving his to his humanity's salvation Julie. The girl who's boyfriend he just ate could be the one to help come back to at least semi-human. As the story goes on we find out Julie has her own scars and regrets just as R does. And together these two misfits may be able to save the plague cast upon the world, with the love or force they will prevail.
At times the story slows down from its ability to make everything ponderable and takes a look at life inside of the stadium, one of humanity's last refuge areas. In these moments we see what we don't want to see, ourselves and what we would do in the situation and its so real its almost cringe worthy. There will defiantly be so squirming as you read these parts, where Perry, the boy R ate shows us what life is like now, from his memories that he and R now share.
A recommended read to any zombie fan, or any fan to anyone who wants a new perspective on the definition of humanity.
I enjoyed this novel very much.
I had seen the movie, and I liked it quite a bit, but the novel was so much better. It was so much better, in fact, that after reading it, I'm not even sure I still like the movie.
The movie turned this story into a humorous, silly, and fun love story, but the novel? The novel was so much more than that. It was a love story, yes. And it had some humorous parts, yes. But there was a much deeper, serious tone to this novel that was simply absent from the movie. There was so much more going on here. So much more depth.
This novel questioned the very essence of what it is to be a human, to have a soul, to be ALIVE. We are more than meat and flesh and breath and bones. Wow.
I just really loved this novel. You know, I initially rated it four stars because I usually reserve five stars for things like George R.R. Martin and Neil Gaiman, but upon reflection, I'm going to change that rating. Because I truly did love this book.
I had seen the movie, and I liked it quite a bit, but the novel was so much better. It was so much better, in fact, that after reading it, I'm not even sure I still like the movie.
The movie turned this story into a humorous, silly, and fun love story, but the novel? The novel was so much more than that. It was a love story, yes. And it had some humorous parts, yes. But there was a much deeper, serious tone to this novel that was simply absent from the movie. There was so much more going on here. So much more depth.
This novel questioned the very essence of what it is to be a human, to have a soul, to be ALIVE. We are more than meat and flesh and breath and bones. Wow.
I just really loved this novel. You know, I initially rated it four stars because I usually reserve five stars for things like George R.R. Martin and Neil Gaiman, but upon reflection, I'm going to change that rating. Because I truly did love this book.
I loved this book, though I wish the ending was a tad bit different. This book does contain some more adult situations, but it fit well with the characters and the story line. The story flowed smoothly and was very believable, not some cheesey book that makes you go really....who thought of this? Loved it and will be getting the prequel and hoping for a sequel too.
I loved this book. I always get annoyed when editors don't find grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. But this book was so well written, no errors, and even a few words that I can add to my vocabulary. It is definitely not for children and there's more to this book than just what was shown in the movie.
What an adorably touching zombie story! I'd seen the movie so I knew what to expect but read the book because you know the books are always better than the movies. On that point I was not disappointed.
This narrative delved deep into the thoughts and primal neurological instincts driving "R," the main character. As he became more human, so did his thoughts, speech, and vocabulary. Marion weaved that into the story nearly imperceptibly. He also rounded out the characters well, including the minor ones, like "M" and Nora.
I grew close to R while watching his strong, kind nature suppress his violent, biological urges. I loved that sweet zombie. He ranks right up there with Stony Mayhall when it comes to zombie love.
*****************spoiler below*****************
Most intriguing about the story were the powerful last thoughts of R's to which we are privy. The message I inferred was: we can beat down our violent natures, our nastiness and cruelty, and make that difficult choice to be kind and good and full of love to others; that's under our control. And once we master that, we become complete human beings and we become the cure we seek. Just beautiful.
This narrative delved deep into the thoughts and primal neurological instincts driving "R," the main character. As he became more human, so did his thoughts, speech, and vocabulary. Marion weaved that into the story nearly imperceptibly. He also rounded out the characters well, including the minor ones, like "M" and Nora.
I grew close to R while watching his strong, kind nature suppress his violent, biological urges. I loved that sweet zombie. He ranks right up there with Stony Mayhall when it comes to zombie love.
*****************spoiler below*****************
Most intriguing about the story were the powerful last thoughts of R's to which we are privy. The message I inferred was: we can beat down our violent natures, our nastiness and cruelty, and make that difficult choice to be kind and good and full of love to others; that's under our control. And once we master that, we become complete human beings and we become the cure we seek. Just beautiful.
Very fun take on a zombie novel. I quite enjoyed it.
