Friday, November 25, 2011

Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion (Audio)

I am told that zombies are the new rage, replacing vampires and werewolves on the list of hot monsters.  According to the video games my son owns, this would make sense.  It is all about slaying the zombies.  All the fuss on TV and at the movies would support this as well.  (Did you see Zombieland?  Holy cow, was that movie FUN!)  I wasn't too sure, though, about a zombie love story.  Which is what this is.  All the other paranormal goons are in love, though, so why not zombies?  They need love too.

I started this audio with my cynical hat on, and not exactly an open mind.  But I was in the hands of Kevin Kenerly (the amazing narrator behind "Crooked Letter Crooked Letter") so I figured I could handle anything with him in my ears.

Synopsis:  R is one of thousands of zombies that walk the earth at some point in the future when everything has gone to hell in a handbasket...climate meltdown, financial meltdown, and a strange virus that has turned much of the world's population into blood-thirsty eaters of flesh and brains. 

R is cool though.  He loves music.  He longs for companionship.  Even though he can only utter simple grunts and a few words, and remembers nothing about his human life, he longs for more.  And he gets it when he eats the brains of a young male victim.  Suddenly, he is filled with the victim's memories, including those of his beautiful girlfriend Julie.  R finds Julie, whisks her off to his hideout, and befriends her. 

Is it possible for the undead and a human to have a relationship?  Humans are trained to kill zombies, and zombies instinctively eat humans.  In a twisted tale of an apocalyptic Romeo & Juliet, R and Julie are about to find out.

My thoughts:  This was one bizarre adventure, let me tell you.  It was graphic (brains and dead people smells?), it was creative, it was endearing.  Even a little bit funny.  It is hard to even describe my emotions really.  I liked R...he was kinda sweet and earnest and cool, for a member of the walking dead anyway.  But then the visual of he and Julie, like, being a couple?  Completely disgusted me.

I laughed out loud.  Zombies making derogatory comments about the drudgery of marriage?  Or Julie putting makeup on R to smuggle him into a human-occupied area?  What the hell!  I can't say that the story completely blew my mind, but I was very much entertained. 

A few words about the audio production:  My biggest thrill with this whole experience was the narration performed by Kevin Kenerly.  I believe the man performs in Shakespearean theater, but then turns around and narrates, to perfection, a Southern gothic literary thriller?  Then gurgles and grunts zombie-talk?  Really?  That is one versatile and talented guy.  If you like audio books, you need to make a point to track him down. 

3.5 out of 5 stars   
            

14 comments:

Beth F said...

I have the print here to read -- I've looked through it (and even teased it) but haven't yet read. Maybe I'll listen to it.

Beth F said...

Oh happy Thanksgiving!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

This sounds like it might be fun to listen to... if I had nothing else on hand! LOL

Unknown said...

Hmmm. I've never really been a fan of vampires and I think I like zombies even less. I don't think this one is for me.

Zibilee said...

I actually had a lot of fun with this book, when I read it in print for Halloween. I sort of think that I owe it to myself to check out all the various monsters, and see which ones I like best. I have done werewolves (they are ok, but I am not crazy about them), and zombies ( like them a lot), but I haven't really done any vampires yet (all the Twilight talk scarred me). I am hoping to read some vampire lit pretty soon though. This was a great review, and I am glad that you liked the book. It was funny and gross in just the right proportions.

caite said...

unlike vampires...who leave me cold...I like zombies!
but I need a 5 Star Zombie experience!

Alice said...

I really can't fathom having a relationship with a zombie... Hmm...

Happy Thanksgiving!

dog eared copy said...

I was the recording engineer who was in the studio with Kevin Kenerly as he narrated Warm Bodies, and I thought he was brilliant in interpreting the characters and, R especially! I loved working on this book and I'm glad to see that you enjoyed Kevin's performance as well :-)

bermudaonion said...

Hm, I'm not sure about this one. It might be a little too messed up for me.

Anonymous said...

Am I the only one creeped out by that hand???

Danielle said...

Your description actually reminds me of Stephenie Meyer's 'The Host'. Instead of a zombie, its a alien parasite living inside a woman's mind... but similar concept I suppose.

Heidenkind said...

I have not jumped on the zombie bandwagon, have to say. They're just really not sexy, I have to say.

Eesti said...

This book was the first zombie story I had read from the zombie point of view and had hope involved for the ending. It was about a living female and a dead male with an impossible and quirky love. I thought it was a great read and like another reviewer said, it would easily translate to a movie. I'm looking forward to rereading this story.

France said...

The story was amazingly written. R's perspective was completely enthralling and the story as a whole was nothing short of incredible. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop reading... even at the parts that made me cringe! The world building in Warm Bodies wasn't much different from present-day society... only, you know, it has zombies and stuff - which is something I am almost certain does not exist.