Z is for Zombies

'One thing about the Deadlands, once you've been out there, surrounded by the dead, the living aren't anywhere near as scary...'

When seventeen-year-old Lele de la Fontein and her brother are forced to move to the city enclave to live with their estranged father and bitchy, war-hero stepmother, she has no idea her world is about to implode. Stuck in a school run by the Resurrectionists -- a fanatical sect who worship the sinister, all-powerful Guardians -- Lele dreams of escape. But she's trapped. No one can survive in the Deadlands, the shattered remains of Cape Town's suburbs, without being turned into one of the living dead. No one, that is, except for a renegade group known as the Mall Rats. But who are they? And are they the answer to Lele's prayers, or is she about to find herself in more trouble than even she can imagine?

I'm not a zombie fan. At all. Normally I would not pick up a book like this. But it was written by a South African and set in South Africa (where I live) and so I thought, zombies in Cape Town? This I gotta see!

A few chapters in I wasn't so keen, but then I got caught up in Lele's story and couldn't put the book down! Aside from the main story there are so many little things I enjoyed:

• the names Lele has for certain people (her stepmother is The Mantis)
• the random mention of real books and movies that were "in" at the time the zombies took over ("And I've got a treat for you, Lele," Ginger said, holding up one of his DVDs. "Transformers -- crap movie, but awesome explosions.")
• the sprinkling of South African colloquialisms that reminded me I was reading about home :-) (kak, ja, hayibo, seriaas)

The only thing I was a little disappointed with was the ending. The story seemed to wrap up a little quickly. I think I was expecting.... more (hello, sequel! Come to me!). But I enjoyed all the rest of it enough to recommend it :-)

'Deadlands is cool, provocative and sharp as spiny teeth. A viciously satirical, pop-culture loaded, teen zombie apocalypse with heart -- it's smart, dark, sweet, gruesome, political and, best of all, funny.' -- Lauren Beukes, author of ZOO CITY and MOXYLAND

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Phew! Made it to the end of the A to Z Blogging Challenge!

Thank you so much to Arlee and company for hosting this piece of blog epicness. And well done to everyone who completed the challenge!

And for anyone who's not feeling totally exhausted, don't forget the A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post on Monday 2nd May.