Weave Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 (edited) Title of book: Handling the Undead Name of author: John Ajvide Lindqvist Paperback: 464 pages Publisher: Quercus Publishing Plc (2 Jul 2009) ISBN-10: 1847249906 ISBN-13: 978-1847249906 Synopsis ~ Something very peculiar is happening in Stockholm. There's a heatwave on and people cannot turn their lights out or switch their appliances off. Then the terrible news breaks. In the city morgue, the dead are waking up...What do they want? What everybody wants: to come home. ‘Let the right one in’ also by John Ajvide Lindqvist is one of my favourite reads of this year, a remarkable story, not just a vampire story but so much more. ‘Handling the Undead’ is just as good, another amazing story from John Ajvide Lindqvist. ‘Handling the Undead’ begins in Stockholm on a night when the weather is heavy and everyone can feel that something is about to happen and it does, in the worse way imaginable, people who have been dead for two months are returning from the dead, the government are not sure what to do, the families of the ‘reliving’ (as they are eventually called) are at a loss of what to do or how to feel about it? ‘Handling the Undead’ is a book that makes you think, what would you do? So much happens once the ‘reliving’ return, the government find themselves making the wrong decisions, how do you handle people who are technically alive but not alive, do they have rights? Do they have a place in the world? Can they return to their families? ‘Handling the Undead’ is more than a story about life after death, what do you do when you lose someone and they come back from the dead? All the characters in the story are conflicted, they have lost someone in some way and now they have returned but the ‘reliving’ are different, they are not the people they once were, they are a shell of what they were but at the same time there is a faint glimmer of the person they were. All of the relationships are strong relationships, you can feel the strength as you read, and you feel their pain and their loss, their confusion, coming to terms with a loss and then their happiness when their loved ones return. I found ‘Handling the Undead’ to be a powerful read, so many questions are raised and so many social problems are brought forward, you will get very engrossed in this story, there is so much to this book that you will find enjoyable, enlightening, scary and most of all make you look at the world around you. A must read. Edited August 25, 2009 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Right, you have just caused this to be bumped up my wishlist considerably ! I thought from the Amazon blurb that it sounded a bit like a grownup version of Daniel Waters's YA novel "Generation Dead"; I was wrong - it is a grownup version of GD. I'm enjoying GD immensely so I can't wait to read this and compare and contrast the authors' views: just what do you do when your son/daughter/best friend comes back from the dead, and how about if they are the only ones who don't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 Right, you have just caused this to be bumped up my wishlist considerably ! I thought from the Amazon blurb that it sounded a bit like a grownup version of Daniel Waters's YA novel "Generation Dead"; I was wrong - it is a grownup version of GD. I'm enjoying GD immensely so I can't wait to read this and compare and contrast the authors' views: just what do you do when your son/daughter/best friend comes back from the dead, and how about if they are the only ones who don't? I like the sound of 'Generation Dead', 'Handling the Undead' did make me think a lot about what I would do?, would you be so happy that you would accept them, or let them have peace. There is a lot to the story but I did not want to give too much away, I hope you get the opportunity to read it Giulia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Fantastic review Paula, I'm definitely going to get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Fantastic review Paula, I'm definitely going to get it Thanks Lexie I think you will enjoy it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Excellent review Gyre! It really helped me make up my mind on this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuggleMagic Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 this is already on my reading list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Thanks Charm, MuggleMagic, I hope you both get a chance to read it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I'm just going to do a *mutter mutter mutter* about this excellent review. Having got hooked on 'Let The Right One In' because of Ms.Gyre, I should know better than to read this thread.................. ....................*mutter, mutter, mutter* My finances can't take this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuggleMagic Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I'm just going to do a *mutter mutter mutter* about this excellent review. Having got hooked on 'Let The Right One In' because of Ms.Gyre, I should know better than to read this thread.................. ....................*mutter, mutter, mutter* My finances can't take this! the librarians can't take this! I am always harassing them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Happy reading ladies, I hope you enjoy it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no-1-book-fan Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Brilliantly descriptive. I've only read 50 pages and I already am gripped. Arguably better than Let The Right One In! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I have just rescued a copy of this (it had been lying dusty and unloved on the murky top of a fridge for about a week...!), so I will be delving into it shortly and sharing my thoughts - can't wait, I've been meaning to read it for so long, as my post above will attest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 I have just rescued a copy of this (it had been lying dusty and unloved on the murky top of a fridge for about a week...!), so I will be delving into it shortly and sharing my thoughts - can't wait, I've been meaning to read it for so long, as my post above will attest. Looking forward to reading your thoughts, happy reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Porter Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 (edited) The book is almost entirely snubbed by zombie fans, in fact I hardly ever see mention of it on any of the related 'undead' type forums. I've not read it, but respect his Let The Right One In. Of course due to it's more literary reputation it might put a lot of the hard-boiled zombie fans off. Edited August 26, 2010 by Remy Porter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 I don't actually think the book is aimed at hardboiled zombie fans; this to me looks like a sociological horror which uses 'monsters' to talk about very human issues, and I don't think someone looking for gore for gore's sake would think of that as their cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Porter Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Still a zombie book though, no doubt with influences at the very least from the George Romero films. It's just a 'thinking man's zombie book' Just as Let The Right One in, both book and film, had some hard-core horror moments. It's probably the starkness of these horror images contrasted against the intimate human relationships that make his work memorable to an audience. Wonder what he does next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no-1-book-fan Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 The book is almost entirely snubbed by zombie fans, in fact I hardly ever see mention of it on any of the related 'undead' type forums. I've not read it, but respect his Let The Right One In. Of course due to it's more literary reputation it might put a lot of the hard-boiled zombie fans off. Totally disagree. It is much more than a zombie book. It is a coming of age tale, one about finding you own identity, sexual rites of passage, overcoming bullying. It has elements of horror and a wide range of generic conventions so it can reach out to a wider audience. I'll pick you out some examples if you want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Porter Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 Totally disagree. It is much more than a zombie book. It is a coming of age tale, one about finding you own identity, sexual rites of passage, overcoming bullying. It has elements of horror and a wide range of generic conventions so it can reach out to a wider audience. I'll pick you out some examples if you want! It's much more than a zombie book is it? Well plenty of zombie novels I know are also happy to dead with other subtexts. I know mine had plenty ...read any zombie novels just out of interest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 Remy, I'm afraid I fail to understand your position on this matter. First off you say the literaryness of Lindqvist could be putting zombie book readers right off him; then you claim lots of zombie novels deal in subtexts, which - correct me if I'm wrong - are a literary device. Personally, I haven't read many books on zombies that I can even remember the title of, precisely because I'm after subtext over gore. Handling the Undead looks promising, because it looks like the grown-up version of Daniel Waters's clever Generation Dead YA series, as does Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker, which themewise reminds me of Shelley's Frankenstein. In general however, though I have read zombie books aplenty (pretty much 80% of my reading material during my teenage years was horror), most of them so far have sadly been forgettable. Also *puts Mod hat on* - first of all, play nice; sarkiness doesn't often win friends, nevermind readers. Secondly, not everything needs to connect back to your book, even if it is a discussion about the genre it fits into, and to be honest this isn't even that, as technically it's a place for thoughts on Lindqvist's novel and there is a thread in this section devoted to more general Zombie Book Recommendations. I am sure you are a voracious reader with much to contribute on other areas of the forum, so please do take the time to get out of your comfort zone, explore and contribute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted September 6, 2010 Author Share Posted September 6, 2010 It is much more than a zombie book and I enjoy a good zombie story Whatever causes the ‘reliving’ to return is unknown but that is not the main focus, they have returned, so what happens next? That's why I feel it is so much more than a zombie book because there is more thought to who these people are, its not like there is a sudden swarm of marauding zombies, its people who for whatever reason have lost their lives and the ripple effect of them returning. They all have their own stories which makes it more than a zombie story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Porter Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I found the comment 'far more than a zombie book' a little sarky too. No problem though. Currently reading The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo, although without looking I'm guessing there is a million comments here on that book already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no-1-book-fan Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 It's much more than a zombie book is it? Well plenty of zombie novels I know are also happy to dead with other subtexts. I know mine had plenty ...read any zombie novels just out of interest? Not many but I can only go on what I've read. I don't know how it was a sarcy comment either. What ohers are on your mind then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Porter Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 (edited) Here's a list for you to be getting on with! Lol Plenty of insights in all of them Tomes of the Dead: The Words of their Roaring by Matthew Smith Domain of the Dead by Iain McKinnon Dead Beat by Iain McKinnon Autumn by David Moody Autumn: The City by David Moody Flu by Wayne Simmons Deadfall by Shaun Jeffrey The Estuary by Derek Gunn Zombie Britannica by Thomas Emson Autumn: The Human Condition by David Moody Edited September 8, 2010 by Chrissy Removed all unedited cut & paste from the site this info was taken from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no-1-book-fan Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 ^ Cheers Remy Porter, you have been of great help to me. I will have a look at them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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