The Ladies' Book club: October 2011

Book Read:

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Ladies in Attendance:

4 regular members

1 new member

Treats shared:

Pita Chips
French Bread

Spinach Dip

Pumpkin Scones

Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Wine

White Wine

Apples with Caramel, Chocolate and Nuts to dip

To Read or Not to Read:

1 read it all, 2 read over 3/4 of it, 2 did not read it

My Reaction:

I had received this book as a potential review a few months ago and opted not to review it because I didn't think it would be something I'd like. I gave it to my friend Amanda who LOVES anything Zombie related and she really liked it. She likes to pick the book for the spooky month so it was her choice to read it for October. Overall, even though it was not really in the genre that I enjoy reading, I thought it was different enough to keep my interest. I wouldn't categorize it as horror or thriller. It was more of a straight forward novel that just happened to have a zombie as the main character.

It was fairly simple and easy to read. "R" was the zombie who was discovering he was not like the others. He was starting to feel things, and yearning to be different. He falls in love with one of the Living, a girl named Julie. He is a sweet, sometimes sad, hopeful and honest in his quest to figure himself out and essentially, get the girl. Aside from that storytline, you have the world surrounding them in shambles. The dead taking over the living, apocalypse everywhere. I just pictured the movie 28 Days Later, but fluffier! I'm glad I read it. I had about 30 pages left when I got to book club last night and I plan on finishing it today.

Description from Author's Website:

R is a young man with an existential crisis–he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, noidentity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy’s memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim’s human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Ladies' Reaction:

The Lady that picked it really, really liked it. She thought it was a straight forward social commentary on the life of zombies. Though parts did not match up to the zombie lore that she knew, it was still a twist on seeing zombies in a different light. Those that read it felt that "R", the Zombie had a lot more going on than the Living characters, especially Julie, the girl he falls for. Her character did not seem to evolve much throughout the book. This was an interesting contrast. As a reader you expect the Zombies to be lacking and the Living to have more depth. In this twist, it was quite the opposite. I have not read many other Zombie books but those that have, say it is quite different and worth reading.

Good Book Club Pick?

Our group was a bit smaller this time around, which happens this time of year but overall, the group of us that read it found it to be a different, unique read. We all agreed we needed something a little different and this was a good choice to shake it up!

Next Book Up:

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child