Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Rating: 4.1/5.0

Re-read? I'm sure I will want to go back and flip through this again, but I probably won't re-read soon because of its length and my available time.

Recommend? I recommend this to anyone who is interested in the face behind the zombie. People who believe that Zombies are not just brain eating monsters.
Release Date: May 6, 2008
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Pages: 416

Synopsis:

Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent...and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them.

The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the "differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the "living impaired" from the people who want them to disappear--for good.

When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

My Thoughts:

Tommy is a good kid-- He's on the football team, he's good looking and well, he's dead. A strange event is occurring all over America. Teenagers who have died are not staying in their graves. Unaccepted by most, these Zombies are trying to live out a normal life in a world where they have no rights and are looked upon with either hatred or fear. This is not the case with Phoebe, a traditionally biotic person (or rather, an alive person). Phoebe finds Tommy and his friends interesting. Though, very few look kindly on her interest. There are people who hope to end any relationships between human and zombie. People who would kill to end any such relations.

When first picking up Generation Dead, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. A zombie novel with no brain eating zombies? It made me curious enough to buy it. Generation Dead was a creative novel that totally changed my opinion on zombies forever. The story was so fresh and original, I had to keep reading just to know where the author was going with it.

Though the pace and the story lagged at points, especially if you're not a football fan, I found myself unable to put it down. The characters captivated me and kept me interested. The POV changed often throughout the novel. I always had everyone's opinion on the events that were occurring, which was helpful to try and figure out what was going to happen next. If I had to pick out a favorite character, it would be Karen. She is a zombie who could teach the living how to enjoy life.

By the end of Generation Dead, I nearly cried out in fustration for not being able to go out and buy Kiss of Life right then. This is definitely a series I will keep up with from here forward.

Details:

Cover: 3.5
Plot: 4.5
Characters: 4.0
Writing: 4.3