SPOILER ALERT!

WARM BODIES Review

Warm Bodies: A Novel - Isaac Marion

This book and its film adaptation have a horrible marketing team. I mean borderline brain-damaged. This is no TWILIGHT with zombies. The writing is crisp and fresh. Marion's gift for storytelling is remarkable, the way he can describe the smallest things with brilliant metaphors and similes. One of my favorite examples is something I shared here on Booklikes while I was reading the book: "Her hair is a natural disaster, post-hurricane palm trees." That ten-word sentence tells you so much in the context of the scene. What Julie looks like upon first waking, the fact that she tosses and turns in her sleep, that she could have possibly had a nightmare... so much. And the entire book is full of sentences like that. Most authors cannot produce a quotable line every chapter, much less every page, every paragraph. I'm in awe. 

 

SPOILED TURKEY COMING UP!

 

Now, the only reason I didn't give WARM BODIES a fiver is because the ending pissed me off. The ending of the movie pissed me off, too. I can't get over the fact that we're talking about zombies living and breathing again. They've been rotting for years. Then, all of a sudden, they all have fucking Wolverine's self-healing powers? Huh? Because of true love and a kiss? Grrrr... I know, I know, maybe I'm being too literal and cynical. I don't like happy endings as it is, but this one irked me more than most. It's inane. Le sigh...

 

END OF SPOILED TURKEY!

 

Besides that, I'm thrilled with having read this book. It was different enough to keep me interested. The prose if gorgeous, like wanna-hump-its-leg gorgeous. This book shouldn't be lumped in anywhere near Stephanie Meyer's stroke-fugue style of writing. Isaac Marion is leagues above many writers producing fiction these days. I can't wait to read something else from him.

 

Big shout out to my buddy Nettles! Thanks for sending me this treasure. Love yo face!