Enchanting Review: Generation Dead

GENERATION DEAD
DANIEL WATERS
YA paranormal
Hyperion
ISBN 978-142310921-1
392 pages
$16.99
Hardback-available now

Rating: 5 Enchantments


Phoebe Kendall has never hung with the popular kids at Oakvale High. She's used to standing out with her Goth outfits and pale skin. But there are others who stand out even more.

Teens in the United States are dying but coming back to life. No one knows why. They are called zombies, undead, and corpsicles while the PC term is differently biotic. And more of them are appearing at Oakvale High. Not everyone likes this. Bioism or racism against the differently biotic becomes more of the norm. There's even a Proposition for the federal government to issue rebirth certificates when they come back to life.

Adam is a football player and friend to Phoebe. When Phoebe becomes interested in Tommy Williams, one of the undead, neither Adam nor Margi, her best friend, can believe it. Adam later joins Phoebe and others in an Undead Studies class to help better understand what's going on. All the while he struggles with his own feelings toward Phoebe.

White vans and rumors of people killing the undead, again, surface. Adam worries if he can help Phoebe not make a mistake. Will her association in the Undead Studies class make her a target to the hate or even worse? And can he tell Phoebe how he truly feels?

I totally enjoyed this story. It's unlike any paranormal I've read this year. Who knew zombies had rights? I couldn't put down this humorous and original tale. Twists on the usual zombie stereotypes were throughout the book. They even had slogans! Dead….and loving it! Zombie Power! Open Graves, Open Minds.

There's even a love story which asks the question, what would happen if a zombie loved a blood bag-live person? This story is fresh and engaging. I highly recommend this book to those who are looking for a tale that is different. You won't be disappointed.

This is Daniel Waters's first young adult novel. You can find out more on his website at danielwaters.com and Tommy at his website, mysocalledundeath.com

Kim Rapier
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
JULY 2008