Why Zombie Stories Aren’t About Zombies
(AKA: Nicole’s New Obsession with The Walking Dead)
Guys, this post is a little late today and it’s totally my fault. Nicole from Feed Your Fiction Addiction was completely on time–ahead of schedule, even!–so my apologies to her and you all for dropping the ball. I promise, it has NOTHING to do with the fact that I just can’t with zombies, and that’s what Nicole is talking about today. Specifically, the zombies from The Walking Dead. EEEEEP!
I have a new obsession. And I know I’m about six years late to the game here, but I didn’t know. I didn’t understand what all the hullabaloo was about. But now I do. And I have been converted to a full-fledged fan of The Walking Dead.
Now, if you’re the type of person who’s thought about shopping for one of these, I’m preaching to the choir here. But maybe you’re more like me. I’ve never been a fan of horror – whether we’re talking movies or books, horror has never really been my thing. I’m not the type of person who loves to be scared (don’t even get me started on haunted houses – um, no). So, the idea of zombies never appealed to me. I just assumed that a zombie book (or movie or TV show) would be all about the chills and thrills. With maybe some gore thrown in for good measure.
What I didn’t realize is that the best zombie books aren’t actually about zombies – they’re about survival. They’re about humanity and who we become when the world is at its darkest. Some people live up to the challenge and become a better version of themselves – and some people turn into monsters themselves. These books make us contemplate who we would turn out to be under similar circumstances. They make us examine ourselves and the rest of humanity – with both encouraging and frightening results.
The Walking Dead is a prime example of that. Sure, there’s a lot of gore and there are some truly heart-stopping moments (I often watch while on the elliptical – hey, it’s a great way to help get that heart rate up!), but the real reason I love the show is because of the portrayal of humanity’s struggles – and because of the characters’ journeys.
Want some book recommendations for character-driven zombie (or similar) stories? I have some!
(Click on the links to see my full reviews.)
Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux – The fun thing about this book is that it’s supposed to be a woman’s blog as she experiences the zombie apocalypse and tries to reach out to other survivors. It even includes comments!
Warm Bodies and The New Hunger by Isaac Marion – Actually, I liked the Warm Bodies movie better than the book in this case, but it was still an enjoyable read. And I really enjoyed the prequel (The New Hunger)!
The Ash and Ruin trilogy by Shauna Granger – In this book, the creatures are called Pestas, but they’re pretty zombie-like! This series is very dark, but also incredibly addictive!
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle – The creatures in this one were actually vampires, I discovered, but they seemed really zombie-ish to me. This series is unique because of the Amish setting!
The Mad World series by Kate L. Mary – Hands down, this is my favorite zombie series ever, but be warned that it’s geared toward the 18+ crowd. The thing that sets this series apart is the characters. If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead, imagine if Darryl was the main character and the other main character was an ex-stripper – these aren’t the type of people who necessarily thrive or get a lot of respect in our society today, but they take on the world in an apocalypse! For the under 18 crowd, try out Mary’s When We Were Human, which is very similar, but involves aliens. I actually didn’t like it quite as much as her Mad World series (probably because I had a hard time not comparing the series in my head), but I’m clearly in the minority since it was the Silver Medalist in the 2015 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards for YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fiction.
Some zombie books I haven’t read yet, but I’ve heard great things about:
(I definitely plan to read these!)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan – There’s going to be a movie of this one, and Carrie Ryan says she really wants to get a bunch of YA authors to play zombies in it! We can only dream …
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter – Alice in Wonderland and zombies? Why haven’t I read this yet?
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard – This series is a combination of zombies and steampunk. I’m intrigued!
The Walking Dead is fantastic. And no zombie stories are not about zombies – well at least the really good ones aren’t. My favorite series is the Rot & Ruin series! Very well done and lots of character development!