I believe all you need to be
intrigued about this book is the first part of the blurb. Nope, not even the whole blurb. This is all that pulled me in and made me
part with my money.
‘3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel
door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the word.’
My Review
First, I’d like to congratulate
Winnacker on writing a ‘zombie novel’ that was different from the other zombie
novels I’ve read (and written). I think
that’s the hardest part about writing about zombies. How can you do it in a way that no one’s seen
before? Well Winnacker’s Weepers were
terrifying, super human, animal zombies, nothing like I’ve read before. She kept me guessing and kept me reading. I suppose the word ‘zombie’ isn’t even
correct for The Other Life. The Weepers were so much more.
You get thrown into The Other Life by meeting Sherry and her
family in the bunker they’d been hiding in for three years, having no idea what
had happened above ground. The
claustrophobia in the bunker came out and I wanted to get out as much as Sherry
did but it was a brilliant way to learn about her and her family before they
left the bunker and met new characters.
Speaking of them, the characters
were all really relatable and different from one another. It was great for a change to not be confused
at first by the new group of characters that had been thrown at me. They were introduced just the right distance
apart and their names and descriptions were all different enough that I knew
who everyone was without having to wrack my brains every time they appeared on
the page.
I loved the way that Sherry was
welcomed with open arms into Safe-haven.
It made so much sense for the characters that inhabit the place. I was worried that they wouldn’t trust her
and want to get rid of her but I think I’ve been watching too much Walking Dead as my worry was unfounded.
The description of the broken
city was wonderful and I’m not usually a description fan. I could see everything before me. The empty roads, the abandoned buildings, the
crumbling streets. Just excellent. Another reason I didn’t want to put The Other Life down. Every part of it gripped me, even the
description.
The brief snapshots of Sherry’s
other life before the virus contrasted beautifully with the chapters they
preceded. Those pages were filled with
safety and meaningless fears. They made
sure that you never forget that in their new lives, none of the characters were
safe. The stark contrast made me realise
how naive and thoughtless we all are.
Of course, as I’ve mentioned I
could hardly let the book out of my grasp, it had good pace. From chapter one in the bunker I was
hooked. There was just the right mix of
action and human emotion for me. After
all, my favourite thing about zombie novels is the way the characters react to
the situation around them and how their relationships change.
Evaluation
Plot -8/10 – I was right there with Sherry the whole way
Characters - 9/10 – Perfect, but I wanted to learn more
Style - 9/10 – Loved Sherry’s narration, I felt she was relatable and realistic
Pace -9/10 – Excellent, maybe a few chapters were a few pages too long though
Would I recommend it? Yes. If you like zombie books that aren’t really zombie books, full of apocalypse and survival, this is the one for you.
Would I look up the author? Yes, I can’t wait to read the next one: The Life Beyond.
The Other Life was everything I wanted it to be and I could read it
over and over.
Molly Looby
Author / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly.looby@hotmail.com
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