Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Title: Warm Bodies

Author: Isaac Marion

Published by: ATRIA Books

Released: 2011

Summary: R is a zombie. He doesn't remember his full name, previous life, or even how he died. R lives at an airport with a bunch of other zombies, and his friend M. He makes his home in an abandoned jet and when the urge hits, he goes to the city with other undead companions to feast on the living.

R is sort of ambivalent about his whole existence. While consuming a boy named Perry's brain on a hunt, R is flooded by images and feelings for a girl named Julie. R decides to save Julie and takes her to his home jet. The more time R spends with Julie, the more alive and different he feels. In Julie's presence, R becomes a new kind of zombie.

Whatever's happening in R soon starts spreading to the other zombies as well. In a weird mix of zombies, love, and adventure, R and Julie must use this new knowledge to save the world and humanity.

My Thoughts: Yayy! My first zombie book with a zombie as the main character. At the beginning of the book, it was hard for me to connect with the rotting, undead, human-killing R, but as the story went on, R became one of the sweetest, most alive characters and the world zombie was the farthest thing from my mind. I think that's what makes this story so sweet and poignant. The reader starts off feeling disgust and aversion, but eventually grows to like R and his other zombie companions. We feel sorry for R, and view him not as a monster, but as a character with thoughts and dreams, deserving of Julie's love.

This book takes the reader on such a sweet journey, and really does the impossible, it makes a believable love story between zombie and girl. Watching R grow and evolve, becoming more human by the minute, was just the sweetest thing. At the beginning of the story, imagining Julie kissing R would have conjured up images of necrophilia and road kill, but by the end them sharing a kiss seemed like it was meant to be.

This book does contain some suggestible and not really meant for kids scenes. Zombie sex is just pure nasty, and I would like that image wiped from my mind. But, if you can handle minor adult situations and some not so nice language, then I highly recommend you pick up this book and read it. It's such a good, sweet story. Also maybe check out the movie. I haven't seen it yet, but now I want to see it all the more. 

All you zombie lovers, go out and READ THIS BOOK! That's an order!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.5/5

Gross yet so Sweet. A Zombie Hero that I'm Rooting for!