I did find myself oohing and ahhing over this new read and frightening my friends when I explained my eyes were brimming with tears because of all the "living impaired injustice."
"Living impaired" or "differently biotic" are the PC terms for zombie. Teenagers all across the States are coming back from the dead. But wait. Don't think this is a horror or even action-adventure. Because while there are many elements of fantasy (zombies, "magic", telepathy)and horror (murders)there are also the underlying aspects of unconventional romance, drama and racism.
Waters uses an outlandishly drawn-out world of Oakvale High, where zombies roam among the living; walking, talking and generally acting just like us. But slower.
Pete Martinsburg is used to ruling Oakvale with the rest of the Pain Crew, Adam Layman and TC Stavis, by his side. Inflicting, well, "pain" left and right, picking up cheerleaders who giggle at their every word and taunting those of lesser status than them, Pete was ready for his best year ever. But zombies are flooding in to Oakvale and he knows he doesn't like it.
Pheobe Kendall, on the other hand, couldn't be happier about the sudden flush of the living impaired. Pheebs wears black and listens to loud, punk music. No one quite understands her except her three best friends in the world: Adam, Margi and Colette. But Colette is dead. Or rather, undead. And after the events leading up to Colette's death, Margi was never the same. And Adam's too much in love with Pheobe to be a friend to her. And then she meets Tommy. A zombie with a passion for football and a death threat joined to his name. Doomed love? Absolutely.
The only reason I'm not giving this "all five stars" is the extreme use of ellipses to point out how slow the living impaired speak and several storylines that never got anywhere. I do love the surprise ending however...
Total: four stars.
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