Scan barcode
A review by manwithanagenda
The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume One: At the Edge of Empire by Daniel Kraus
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had no idea what I was getting into with 'The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch', but I wanted something fun and splashy to end 2016 and this sounded like it would be just the thing, with a little gore thrown in as a bonus (it had been a rough year).
'Zebulon Finch' is the darkest thing I've ever read in young adult. The books for that age range tend to delve deep into emotion and pain, but rarely do they go into the specifics of violence and horror that Zebulon witnesses and commits. On top of it you also have extended discussions on the terrifying processes of decomposition and aging. The horror! There is some humor to lighten things up, but not enough to take away the disturbing impact of what's going on.
Our anti-hero is Zebulon Finch, an amoral teenage thug who ends up shot in the back in 1894 when he's seventeen. He sits up a few minutes later, dead but still walking. The story tracks his movements from that moment to America's entrance into World War II. Along the way he ends up in a sideshow, works with a scientist who studies his condition and goes mad, fights in World War I and tries to build a life for himself in NYC and Hollywood. Misery and violence accompany him everywhere no matter what he tries to do.
There are moments of pure ick and, though this has nothing to do with 'The Walking Dead', it has a similar pattern of progress being made until a reset button is hit and Zebulon ends up alone again. He doesn't feel like a hero, but he's drawn to do something, anything, with the strange existence he was given that has a purpose.
The pace can slog and like every teenager Zebulon tends to complain a lot: his skin not clearing up, his parents being weird, losing the girl, having his penis come off inside a woman...you understand.
Zebulon Finch
Next: 'Empire Decayed'
'Zebulon Finch' is the darkest thing I've ever read in young adult. The books for that age range tend to delve deep into emotion and pain, but rarely do they go into the specifics of violence and horror that Zebulon witnesses and commits. On top of it you also have extended discussions on the terrifying processes of decomposition and aging. The horror! There is some humor to lighten things up, but not enough to take away the disturbing impact of what's going on.
Our anti-hero is Zebulon Finch, an amoral teenage thug who ends up shot in the back in 1894 when he's seventeen. He sits up a few minutes later, dead but still walking. The story tracks his movements from that moment to America's entrance into World War II. Along the way he ends up in a sideshow, works with a scientist who studies his condition and goes mad, fights in World War I and tries to build a life for himself in NYC and Hollywood. Misery and violence accompany him everywhere no matter what he tries to do.
There are moments of pure ick and, though this has nothing to do with 'The Walking Dead', it has a similar pattern of progress being made until a reset button is hit and Zebulon ends up alone again. He doesn't feel like a hero, but he's drawn to do something, anything, with the strange existence he was given that has a purpose.
The pace can slog and like every teenager Zebulon tends to complain a lot: his skin not clearing up, his parents being weird, losing the girl, having his penis come off inside a woman...you understand.
Zebulon Finch
Next: 'Empire Decayed'