If you fancy a zombie romance, between a zombie boy and a human girl, with a dollop of tenderness in the storytelling, then look no further.
What is it about
Set in the post-apocalyptic times, a zombie boy living in an abandoned airport narrates the story, introducing himself as R, because he does not remember his name, or his past. He along with other zombies spend their sluggish existence, roaming around the airport. His daily routine consist of riding the escalators at the airport, meeting his best friend, and listening to Sinatra in his makeshift home inside the Boeing 747 airliner.
Then one day, he meets a human girl called Julie, and saves her from other zombies. They develop a bond and faces difficulties living in a world where zombies and humans don’t co-exist. R and Julie work to change the world around them, but it will come at a price.
What I love about this book
R and his beautiful narration. I could forever live vicariously through his observations and thoughts. He has such an endearing self-deprecating humour that made grin, page to page.
Through him, I learned that there are two types of zombies, and how he belongs to the ones known as ‘fleshies’, who still retain behaviours from their previous lives as humans. This explains that despite his decaying body, he possesses more humanity than other characters in the novel.
I liked how the author, Isaac Marion focused on connections, rather than turning this into a rom-com or horror. The connection between R and Julie feels genuine and developed through the course of their journey. I found myself rooting for R and Julie, despite the stacks being against them. I learned that behind each zombie is a human person with identity and prior life.
It left me thinking a lot; about R, about the central theme of the book, which is the need to connect with other people. It left a smile on my face when I closed the book.