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A review by ladytiara
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
4.0
Generation Dead is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The cover's campy vibe belies the serious and thought-provoking story inside. In Daniel Waters' novel, American teenagers are coming back from the dead. No one knows why this is happening, but the zombie (or living impaired as some prefer) population is on the rise. The administration of Oakvale High welcomes the undead teens, but not everyone in the school is thrilled to have them there, and the living-impaired kids don't have an easy time.
Goth girl Phoebe is fascinated by a new living-impaired arrival, Tommy. The idea of a living girl dating an undead boy is anathema to most people, but Phoebe can't seem to keep her mind off Tommy. Adam is an old friend of Phoebe’s, and his feelings have become more than friendly. He's a football player and when Tommy decides to try out for the team, Adam is in a difficult position, caught between wanting to help and protect Phoebe and feeling pressure from his teammates and coach to get rid of the new kid. Phoebe, Tommy, Adam, and a few other students, both living and non-living, join a school program run by the shadowy Hunter Foundation, which seems to be promoting zombie acceptance, but may have a hidden agenda.
Zombies are often used as a metaphor for societal issues, and Generation Dead follows in that tradition. The prejudice and issues that the undead teens face correspond closely to homophobia, xenophobia, and racism. The zombies have no legal rights, and most people don't want them in their schools or their towns. Some in the zombie community want to push for integration (like attending classes with the living and trying out for the football team), while some are starting to become militant against the living.
Where this book differs from most zombie fiction is in its portrayal of the zombies: the undead teens aren't the usual shuffling, brain-eating-obsessed zombies of popular culture. The living-impaired characters don't eat the living. Some of the teens, like Tommy and Karen, are very high functioning and could almost pass for living where it not for the pallor of their skin. Others, like Colette, Phoebe's old friend, are at the lower end of functionality, but they're still able to attend school.
Generation Dead is a fascinating look at how the newly back from the dead adjust to the living world, and how the living world reacts to the dead returning. It's an absorbing and provocative spin on an old story, and I will definitely be reading the next installments in the series.
Goth girl Phoebe is fascinated by a new living-impaired arrival, Tommy. The idea of a living girl dating an undead boy is anathema to most people, but Phoebe can't seem to keep her mind off Tommy. Adam is an old friend of Phoebe’s, and his feelings have become more than friendly. He's a football player and when Tommy decides to try out for the team, Adam is in a difficult position, caught between wanting to help and protect Phoebe and feeling pressure from his teammates and coach to get rid of the new kid. Phoebe, Tommy, Adam, and a few other students, both living and non-living, join a school program run by the shadowy Hunter Foundation, which seems to be promoting zombie acceptance, but may have a hidden agenda.
Zombies are often used as a metaphor for societal issues, and Generation Dead follows in that tradition. The prejudice and issues that the undead teens face correspond closely to homophobia, xenophobia, and racism. The zombies have no legal rights, and most people don't want them in their schools or their towns. Some in the zombie community want to push for integration (like attending classes with the living and trying out for the football team), while some are starting to become militant against the living.
Where this book differs from most zombie fiction is in its portrayal of the zombies: the undead teens aren't the usual shuffling, brain-eating-obsessed zombies of popular culture. The living-impaired characters don't eat the living. Some of the teens, like Tommy and Karen, are very high functioning and could almost pass for living where it not for the pallor of their skin. Others, like Colette, Phoebe's old friend, are at the lower end of functionality, but they're still able to attend school.
Generation Dead is a fascinating look at how the newly back from the dead adjust to the living world, and how the living world reacts to the dead returning. It's an absorbing and provocative spin on an old story, and I will definitely be reading the next installments in the series.