+++++++ Kirsty Mckay - Undead - Book Review +++++++
- Pages - 294
- Published - by Chicken House
- Date - 1 September 2011
- Age 12+
- ISBN: 978 1906 427870
It was just another school trip... When their ski-coach pulls up at a cafe, and everyone else gets off, new girl Bobby and rebel Smitty stay behind. They hardly know each other but that changes when through the falling snow, the see the others coming back. Something has happened to them. Something bad...Soon only a pair of double doors stand between those on the bus and their ex-friends the Undead outside. Time to get a life.
I have survived yet another action packed zombie novel and am still alive in which to tell the tale. I have actually had this book on the radar for sometime now, but I have only just finally managed to get around to reading it. Therefore, the question must be was it worth the wait? Well, all I'm going to say at this point, is that the story has all of the ingredients that you would expect within this genre, and perhaps even a few more . . . . .
1. Survivors - Bobby, who is a girl and bad boy Smitty. Alice (or Malice) as she is sometimes referred to and geeky-type character, Pete. Although, the last two characters are portrayed rather sketchily within the book.
2. Plot - an over run storyline of re-animated dead people wanting and needing to feast on brains and to bite flesh. However, to be quite honest this is good for the gore fest count!
3. Theme - perhaps a slightly different take on the world as it is still functioning within 'normal' parameters. Even when the characters find themselves fleeing to the safer castle grounds after looting a cafe and a petrol station.
4. Death - a small death count, which considering the genre, is really not too over the top. However, I think there will be a lot more to come perhaps within the next book. Especially, as it has finished on a very timely and clever note.
5. Romance - this final ingredient involves a slight and small romantic encounter between two of the characters.
I think this book is a great debut start which heralds a new writing talent of teenage horror. In parts it is written exceptionally vividly, but as a result, I felt at crucial moments that this did not always give that sense of reality that was required. Therefore, I felt it held back the pace and momentum of the storyline at times. However, the humour really did extend and lift the mood in places which uplifted the storyline and left me chuckling.
Teenagers will definitely relate to this book as I am sure that they will easily find elements of themselves within one or more of the characters!
I was easily entertained throughout this book. For me, the best part involved the scene that was created on the bus when the bus driver came alive and the chaos ensued. The story has some heart stopping moments, like the one I've just described, but I think it could have threaded more of these scenes throughout the book in order to fill a greater potential.
Nevertheless, this book is definitely worth reading. It is certainly written to a higher standard than most books within this genre, but unfortunately it is lacking some original elements. However, within such a well established genre, with so many books published each year, then this is a really difficult requirement in which to fulfill.
Comments
As to a third book in the series, she hopes to write one, but is currently working on two new books penciled for 2014. You heard it first here. What do you think?