Warm Bodies by Issac Marion
Rating: 2 out of 5 Wine Glasses
This is the second zombie book I have ever read. The first was Zombie Island which doesn't have the beautiful cover, clever title or interesting chapter illustrations as this book has however what is gained in the external beauty of Warm Bodies is lost in content.
Throughout the book the characters remained dry as did my eyes. R is forgiven to fast for killing and eating Perry. I think it is strange that Julie couldn't forgive her boyfriend for having drunk sex with another girl but can forgive her "new" boyfriend for eating her ex-boyfriend brains. What the ....? I would have liked it more if Julie stayed mad at him or at least had some conflict about her feelings toward R. I wish she exhibited a greater dimension of emotions - denial, confusion, anger, fear of R, emotional trauma, ect.
The strangest part is that this book is based on Romeo and Juliet however I didn't long for the romance that this book presented since it felt fabricated and the relationship progression was unrealistic.
R experiences emotions and love through Perry memories and lingering thoughts similar to the way the Wandered forms an emotional bond with humans from Melanie remaining essence in The Host.
Each character in Warm Bodies has their own issues but the author only gives a bit of the information here or there so it is hard for me to care deeply about the fate of any of the characters. It is more like the author is telling why they have these issues - the majority of issues center around abandonment - versus giving me a background. Nora's parents kicked her out during the zombie apocalypse because they were drug addicts and couldn't feed her. End of that story. So much potential lost.
I liked the first part of the book when they were in the airport - then it went downhill for me. The ending felt like the author ran out of time so he just slathered it together without explaining the obvious questions. Why did her eyes turn yellow? Why did the Boneys retreat and become slow - the explanation given doesn't make sense. I am not sure if I want to read the second book just to find out these answer IF the author chooses to work them out.
I have read a few zombie books and I enjoyed this one primarily because it was a different take on zombies. I think the end got a bit weird. I also read Zombie Island-I have a review on my blog also. :)
ReplyDeleteBrianna @ http://listfulbooking.blogspot.com/
Are you going to read the rest in the Warm Bodies Series? Did you see the movie? I finally rented it last weekend and found R more likable in it. They changed up the story line - removing the whole zombie marriage thing and R's attack within the walls.
ReplyDeleteDid you know the author of Zombie Island is going to do a sequel from the cousin's prospective?
I didn't know there was a Warm Bodies series... I'm excited for it now.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the movie yet, but I plan on seeing it within the next few weeks. (The BF has been pestering me to watch it even though he hasn't read the book)
The sequel is expected to be released in 2014. Isaac Marion said he is writing another book and a half on Warm Bodies - don't know how that is going to work. I wonder if he is going to kill Julie and R off by the end since the story is loosely based of Romeo and Juliet.
ReplyDeleteYour BF and you will like the movie. It was funnier than I thought it would be.
That's kind of exciting! I sort of love unexpected sequels. I am curious to know what happens... it probably won't be good like you said.
ReplyDeleteHey you never know...sometimes sequels are better than the first novel. I experienced that with I am Number Four and Delirium. Plus, this will give him a chance to explain all the stuff that went unexplained in Warm Bodies.
ReplyDeleteVery true. The "not be good" I was referring to also was the whole Romeo & Juliet thing. Unless he's doing it with different characters.
ReplyDeleteOh, I see what you are saying. :)
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