Undead: 07/31/14

When I was younger, zombie apocalypses usually started in southern, swampy, or desert like environments. Part of that was the zombie story's ties to hoodoo (or voodoo as it's misconstrued in horror). Then in 2004, things changed with the goofy and memorable comedy, Shaun of the Dead. After that film, it seems that the new location for zombie attacks is the British isles.

Undead by Kirsty McKay follows in the tradition of Shaun of the Dead and Wayne Simmon's Flu. It's the end of the winter hols and Bobby (Roberta) wants nothing more than to get back home to her Mum and forget the whole horrible school trip. She's feeling like a complete fish out of water because she's British by birth but she's lived for most of her childhood in the United States, thus making her a mishmash of both cultures.

But no, Bobby ends up stuck with a small group of survivors after everyone else is suddenly zombified. Bobby's first person account of the events as they unfold are just the right blend of horrifying and humorous.

Here there's a chance that the zombies might win, not because they are super powerful, but because of other factors: the weather, the remote location, a lack of wifi or cellphone signal. Given all of the modern advances in communication and technology, this story has a plausible set up for why none of them would be working.

The book does end though on a bit of a gobsmacking cliffhanger. The sequel is Unfed which is on my to be read pile.

Five stars

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