Scan barcode
drjohnbrown's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is sticking with me like I had accidentally walked into a very intense, personal conversation between family members that I was not meant to hear. I can feel the feelings but I don't understand the context- I can feel the pain without understanding what it's about. I'm not quite sure how to explain this book, but it was beautiful, and I will be thinking about it for a long time.
sterlingisreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
A very introspective take on the zombie genre. I’ve noticed Scandinavian horror is usually more internal, more reflective. It’s not your classic zombie story. There’s very little violence or gore. It basically comes down to this: If our dead came back and they were decayed, vacant, and miserable, would we keep them close to avoid the pain of losing them all over again or would we be strong enough to lay them to rest? It’s a story about grief and letting go. There are some other supernatural elements at play as well. A lot goes unexplained, which I like in books involving anything supernatural or paranormal. When science comes to the rescue and logic prevails, the intensity and impact of the situation is usually dialed down for me. I like authors who are willing to leave things unsaid, who leave it up to the reader to decide what it all means or how it all fits together. 🧟♀️🧟🧟♂️ This did give me an itch to read The Stand again, which is my favorite horror novel. Actually, let’s be real, The Stand is one of my favorite books of all time.
anmast's review
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Interessant handling med de dødes oppvåkning/zombieroman - men også ganske kjedelig. Muligens fordi jeg ikke er så begeistret for i overkant skildrende romaner som at «han tok av seg brillene og puttet dem i lommen…» - Snork!!! Hvorfor skal jeg vite det? Det er for mye poengløst fyllstoff som verken setter stemning eller sier noe om karakterene. Karakterene er i seg selv kjedelige, antakelig fordi det er for mange av dem som overfladisk presenteres. Dette bidrar til lite innlevelse og engasjement, og jeg sitter igjen slukøret over et uforløst potensial. Romanen er tidvis morsom i språk, hendelser og skildringer - og plottet er i seg selv absurd/komisk/ekkelt. Men det er verken morsomt NOK eller ekkelt NOK - bare et sted i midten hele veien. Jeg leste romanen før jeg skal se filmen. Siden romanen er skildrende, kan den sikkert egne seg godt på lerret.
sara_brigit's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
as93lfc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
dimples0508's review against another edition
1.0
Didn't capture my attention as much as "Let the Right One in."
calubis's review against another edition
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I almost feel bad giving this such a low rating because it's very well written - parts of it are excellent and eloquent - and it explored some very interesting themes. On the other hand, it feels like hugely wasted potential.
The opening 20-30 pages and closing 40 pages (give or take) were by far and away the most interesting, so it's difficult to give it any higher than two stars when it felt like 250 pages of filler and little to progress the story in the middle.
I also did not particularly enjoy the characters from which the perspective was told. They felt more like walking flaws that happened to be people. Mahler had practically no redeeming qualities, and Elvy and Flora felt like entirely pointless characters past the halfway point aside from the fact that they just happened to be there to give the reader a viewpoint.
I loved the idea of the 'reliving' needing to eat to replenish their stock of flesh, but this was forgotten as quickly as it was introduced, whilst the idea of the 'reliving' matching the energy of the living around them certainly should have been more of a recurring theme throughout the book as opposed to contained largely to the final chapters. The drowned reliving is also a horrifying concept and I personally found this to be the most gripping chapter of the entire novel.
Whilst I'm convinced that John Ajvide Lindqvist is a fantastic writer capable of crafting interesting stories and engrossing worlds topped off with beautifully written prose, Handling the Undead just felt like it took too long to get going, and then it was over.
The opening 20-30 pages and closing 40 pages (give or take) were by far and away the most interesting, so it's difficult to give it any higher than two stars when it felt like 250 pages of filler and little to progress the story in the middle.
I also did not particularly enjoy the characters from which the perspective was told. They felt more like walking flaws that happened to be people. Mahler had practically no redeeming qualities, and Elvy and Flora felt like entirely pointless characters past the halfway point aside from the fact that they just happened to be there to give the reader a viewpoint.
I loved the idea of the 'reliving' needing to eat to replenish their stock of flesh, but this was forgotten as quickly as it was introduced, whilst the idea of the 'reliving' matching the energy of the living around them certainly should have been more of a recurring theme throughout the book as opposed to contained largely to the final chapters. The drowned reliving is also a horrifying concept and I personally found this to be the most gripping chapter of the entire novel.
Whilst I'm convinced that John Ajvide Lindqvist is a fantastic writer capable of crafting interesting stories and engrossing worlds topped off with beautifully written prose, Handling the Undead just felt like it took too long to get going, and then it was over.
lyndacclark's review against another edition
4.0
Not of the mind-blowing calibre of Let the Right One in, this is still an original, thought-provoking read that takes a horror staple and gives it a new slant.