Then one of my students brought up the book during class. She was going on and on about how wonderful it sounded and, that although the premise for it sounded just downright awful the trailer made it seem incredible. We watched the trailer right there in class and I showed her the aforementioned interview and we found some more stuff about the absolutely hipster (not meant in a derogatory way...just in case you are one of those people who hates the word) adorable Isaac Marion--we are hardcore crushing and we don't care. It's refreshing to crush on a writer as we are lovers of words. I tell her that I don't know if I can read the book, as I have, the aforementioned irrational fear of zombies. Later that day, one of my friends gushes on FB all about how 'Warm Bodies' deserves 'two thumbs' up and that Nicholas Hoult is just adorable. And, then like a week later my sister starts talking to me about it and how wonderful and adorable it is and she tells me that she just finished it and ask if I'd like to borrow it. I said, "Yes" and finished it in less than 24 hours, it has the best beginning of any book ("I am dead, but it's not so bad. I've learned to live with it.") and, well, I didn't put it down until the heart-racing ending.
How Isaac Marion managed to write this book is beyond me. It is brilliant in its prose and its message of 'hope where there's love' is delivered without sentimentality and trivialization. There are many ways this could have been delivered in a trite way...Marion never goes there--I envy his writing ability. I find it amazing that a book about a zombie who falls in love can be humorous and sad, filled with make you bite your nails horror and breath-taking moments of true tenderness. There are things and actions that make us all alive that Marion shows us that we take for granted. There are people in our lives who shape us and make us whole; we have to talk to and thank them more often. In the end it's all about what makes us human and what keeps us alive that matters and we know it matters through our interactions with others, by what we believe and what we value.
I'm not quite ready for full on zombie books (I'm reading "The New Hunger" right now and, well, it's darker and scarier than its predecessor...I'm not reading it at night) and I won't be watching "The Walking Dead" anytime soon, but I am ready for more books by Isaac Marion. I enjoy his writing style, his take on important issues of the heart and 'R'...the most thoughtful and sincere man to ever lumber out of the pages of a book. And, while this book has zombies in it, they are only the catalyst for the much deeper issues of what tears us apart, separates us as humans and ultimately binds us together. If we forget that we're all, well, we're all walking dead anyway.
Of course, this book reminded me of my favorite quote:
"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing." ~ Agatha Christie
Oh, wait, I didn't mention that this review was going to come in two parts? This review comes in two parts...the book and more on Isaac Marion. It's a win-win really...go read the book and then find Mr. Marion through various social media outlets, I promise you will not be disappointed with either.
Myriad Ways to find Isaac Marion
Ditlo: Isaac Marion...33 super photos; I especially like the kitty-cat
Facebook: Isaac Marion
Facebook: Warm Bodies
Formspring: IsaacMarion
"I attribute this decision to innocent funloving curiosity, NOT staggering narcissim." ~Isaac Marion
Goodreads
Isaac Marion
MySpace: Isaac Marion
Twitter: @isaacinspace
(this seems to be the place where he converses with lots of girls...no I'm not jealous, but it does make me wish we had social media when I was in my late teens and early 20s...sorta...of course, this means that I skulk around a bit, but do not commence in the witty banter; I have witty banter envy)
Tumblr: Isaac Marion's Nood Pix and ISAAC MARION'S BIG WORDS (<--after reading Burning Building...go here)
Favorite Quote (seriously, pretty sure Mr. Marion and I could be friends-ish):
BOOKS
There’s a warm, saturating comfort in having a good book in my life. Even when I’m not reading it, just the knowledge that it’s there, ready for me whenever I want to cuddle up with it, makes the rest of life feel richer.
110YouTube: Isaac Marion
and...my favorite Burning Building (I like it when people have blogs that they've been writing since before they were famous). There aren't very many posts, so you can kind of read it like a book...an autobiography if you will, posts of note (in chronological order):
Drive Far, Far Away
Poll: Cute or Creepy
A Few of My Favorite Things
Hot Social Worker
Amerrca
The End of Reading
My Adventures with Kitty
I haven't read 2008, 2009...yet...
Stage Fright!-Zombies in 21st Century American Theatre
What it was like for Isaac, having his eye gouged out
Energy Conservation Tips
Things My Dog Hates
Our Newest Enemy in the Animal Kingdom
Isaac and the Whale: A Road Trip Blog
Ouchies
Musical Camping Trip [Contains Nudity]
Reading About Myself
Meet Baleen
Women's Age
Plastic Dinosaur
A List of Bad Things That Happened to Me Today
Pastor Worley, Homosexuality and Looking the Other Way
Good Kissers
Zombies Young and Old
Send Me Stuff
(I'd like to write Mr. Marion a BIG letter...'ole school, I'm pretty sure he'd read it)
PS. The book is now in my classroom library and I can't wait for a couple of students to finish reading it so we can talk all about it...sigh.
Okay, zombies really creep me out (mmm, irrational fears) so I wasn't too sure about this book but I think I might want to read it after reading your review.
ReplyDeleteoh jeez...it's such a delicious good read. yes, read it...i'm excited that my review has enticed you!!! :)
DeleteI heard this book described as "Twilight" with zombies, which is the way to get me not to read this book. But your review makes it sounds better
ReplyDelete