Review: Teenagers + Zombies = Nonstop laughing.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 16, 2012
Detention of the Living Dead is simply the best zombie novel I've ever read.  Amazing job with the narrative and humor.  I wasn't expecting to love this first chapter as much if not more than I loved the first chapter of Percy Jackson.  Seriously, it was that good.  I finished the book in 2 hours without stopping -- okay, I did stop once for diaper duty, but that was it!Overview:  There are very few books that can wow within the first couple of paragraphs and fewer still that keep that momentum throughout the entire novel.  Granted at around 180 pages, it isn't that long.  It also isn't your typical zombie novel.  There's some gore, but not much.  This isn't a horror novel, although I bet it will appeal to horror lovers by the way it is told.  The author keeps the situation realistic (as much as you can when dealing with zombies) and the stakes are high.  Considering that the main character, Max, gets turned into a zombie within the first few pages - the typical threat that she will die and turn into a zombie isn't an issue.  This book deals with the aftermath in a very sarcastic, teenage manner.  If you are a fan of Shawn of the Dead or spoof movies, then you will love this book.  If you like "light" horror from a teenage POV, then you will like this novel.  If you want to meet the zombie version of Casper the friendly ghost, then read this novel.  Just read the novel, you will LOVE it.Characters:  Max is an excellent narrative.  She divides her classmates into the typical stereotypes when she introduces each one, but over the course of the novel all the characters become more fleshed out (maybe from eating human flesh?  haha).  I liked Proctor (who wouldn't like a guy who tasered people for fun?) until the reveal about halfway through the novel.  Then he became less cool.Plot:  BRAINS.  Max has to learn how to survive as a zombie.  There is some romance, but it definitely takes a backseat in the novel.Ending:  When I finished on my Kindle, I kept tapping my screen hoping there was a few more pages.  I'm assuming by the way it ended that there will be a sequel.  I hope there will be, since this story is far from over.(I received a copy of this book as part of a book blog tour in exchange for my honest opinion.)