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chwaters 's review for:
The Reapers Are the Angels
by Alden Bell
Temple has been on her own for a long, long time. She's been living on an island lately, but the season is changing and it's only a matter of time before the will have to move on. The zombies will come. So Temple takes off. She starts off attempting to stay with an established community, but accidentally kills a man in the process of defending herself from his advances. She is then forced to flee before the other men retaliate. Temple decides it's better to move on her own. She picks up a companion, a man with special needs that she finds and feels compelled to help care for. Together, they embark upon a journey that takes them across the American South. They'll meet a variety of other people and groups who have all adapted (or not adapted, as the case may be) to this post-apocalyptic and unforgiving landscape. All the while, the brother of the man killed by Temple is determined to track her down to exact his version of justice.
This book was amazing, particularly for a zombie novel. I've read a fair amount of zombie-related fiction, but nothing has ever had quite the same emotional impact that this book had. Of course, it's really not so much about the zombies in the first place. It's definitely Temple's story. Temple is tough, street-smart and has the soul of a poet. The book opens on a moment that captivates Temple and fills her with a sense of wonder. Moments later, she's smashing in the head of a zombie with a large rock. She's compassionate to an extent, but survival is her primary motivation. And then there's the fact that this book starts years after the zombie infection has taken hold. Temple doesn't know who her parents were, she's never seen the inside of a school. She doesn't know how to read. She does, however, know how to survive. There's also a running theme of religious imagery that is both poetic and thought provoking, particularly since it shares space with a setting that seems almost entirely devoid of happiness and hope. Highly recommended.
This book was amazing, particularly for a zombie novel. I've read a fair amount of zombie-related fiction, but nothing has ever had quite the same emotional impact that this book had. Of course, it's really not so much about the zombies in the first place. It's definitely Temple's story. Temple is tough, street-smart and has the soul of a poet. The book opens on a moment that captivates Temple and fills her with a sense of wonder. Moments later, she's smashing in the head of a zombie with a large rock. She's compassionate to an extent, but survival is her primary motivation. And then there's the fact that this book starts years after the zombie infection has taken hold. Temple doesn't know who her parents were, she's never seen the inside of a school. She doesn't know how to read. She does, however, know how to survive. There's also a running theme of religious imagery that is both poetic and thought provoking, particularly since it shares space with a setting that seems almost entirely devoid of happiness and hope. Highly recommended.