With the recent paperback release of Alden Bell’s highly praised post-apocalyptic zombie novel, here’s a new perspective on the novel. [Original review, by Shevaun, here.]
Reviewed by Shane Collins
Older than her years and completely alone, Temple is just trying to live one day at a time in a post-apocalyptic world, where the undead roam endlessly, and the remnant of mankind who have survived, at times, seem to retain little humanity themselves.
Temple has known nothing else. This is the world she was born into. Her journey takes her to far-flung places, to people struggling to maintain some semblance of civilization – and to those who have created a new world order for themselves.
When she comes across the helpless Maury, she attempts to set one thing right, if she can just get him back to his family then maybe it will bring forgiveness for some of the terrible things she's done in her past. Because Temple has had to fight to survive, along the road she's made enemies – and one vengeful man is determined that, in a world gone mad, killing her is the only thing that makes sense...
It is a standard of horror movies to wait until close to the final curtain to allow the audience a really decent look at the monster of the tale. When the director does let us stare into the eyes of the beast it is often in the moment of their death. I’ve always felt an uncomfortable tenderness in that brief period of staring. It is a final moment in which it is hard not to feel some kindred spirit with whatever alien creature has been chasing teenagers about this time. For this reason I often find zombies rather hard to hate. Unlike other monsters we frequently do get to stare at them long and hard, and indeed directors often draw great humour from moments of apparent familiarity in their strange behaviour.
