Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

 

Warm Bodies

Author: Isaac Marion

Pages [paperback]: 239

memorable quote:
“I want to change my punctuation. I long for exclamation marks, but I’m drowning in ellipses.”

favorite characters:
R & Julie

summary:

R is a young man with an existential crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. His ability to connect with the outside world is limited to a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing.

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 choice to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.
Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies explores what happens when the cold heart of a zombie is tempted by the warmth of human love.

review:

 Oh, my God.

So. Good.

I haven’t read many zombie books, and none set in an apocalyptic setting like this. Of course, I’ve wanted to read one, which resulting in me picking this up. I’m so so so incredibly glad that I did! It’s already one of my favorite books of all time!

R is such a great character. He’s a bit different from the zombies around him, as he’s more apt to listen to some old records and think deep thoughts than shuffle around aimlessly and wait around for things to happen to him. He knows that, even among the Dead, he’s an oddity. Which is saying a lot. I’d have never thought that reading a book from a zombie’s perspective could have been anything like this, but now I can’t imagine it any other way. That was really a big part of what makes Warm Bodies special.

I also like how the romance part of it-which is really being played up for the movie being released in August-isn’t a major part of it. Because that’d just make it creepy. Well, creepy in a way different than having masses of zombies going after the Living so they can eat them. Know what I mean? And I really want to see this movie-especially because Nicholas Hoult will be R!-but I’m afraid they’ll try and make it into a Twilight with zombies. Ew.

The writing was perfect for this! There was humor, horror, poignant quips, sprawling descriptions, and characterization that can’t be beat. Will I read more by Isaac Marion? Absolutely. Throw at it me now, because this guy definitely has talent. Even the characters who are easily detestable are clearly defined, with motives and back stories and three-dimensional lives.

Even if you don’t go for zombies, don’t think romance could work in here, are reluctant to read this-pick it up. You won’t regret it. It’s definitely a new take on zombies, one more hopeful and heart-wrenching than anything I’ve known so far.

KILLS ME TO SEE IT GO. 5/5 stars