Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

After swearing my allegiance to vampires I was reluctant to give this a go, but I’m so glad I did. It’s now all about the Zombies for me.

Set in a Steampunk/New Victorian future we’re thrown into the year 2193. A mysterious, sickening and ‘undeadly’ disease is spreading through society and the government is trying to keep this under wraps. Nothing was going to disturb the ‘Golden Age’.

Nora’s father died a year ago, her mother before that. She’s been left with her despicable Aunt and encouraged to consider possible suitors for marriage. Upon leaving boarding school she comes across a dark hooded man. Of course she becomes wary and even a little fearful as the man desperately tries to explain that she’s in danger. The night goes from bad to worse, Nora’s world changes forever.

I’ve never read steampunk before; it was so interesting to read about a society that had reverted back to the customs of the Victorian era (fashion, manners, social class) but was then surrounded with futuristic technology. I loved it. What I loved even more was how Lia Habel introduced ‘The Laz’, a disease that if contracted, would turn a human into a Zombie. Most people go insane and hunger after human flesh. A select few seem to keep their minds and learn to hide among the living as the ‘undead’. Enter the wonderfully handsome Bram. He’s one of the latter Zombies and is Captain of a secret army of ‘good’ zombies, battling to keep society under protection. Despite his inevitable decaying body he’s one of most swoon worthy YA characters I’ve come across. Not only has he managed to sustain his beauty, but he’s honourable, trustworthy and devoted to Nora’s safety completely. Thinking back, I can’t actually believe I was willing the protagonist to get together with a decomposing dead guy, but I still totally am.

Nora has some horrific truths to face, she’s scared. I mean, the idea of being eaten alive is a pretty terrifying thought after all. But instead of whining like some namby pamby characters I’ve read in the past, she proves herself to be sturdy and sure.

Yet these two, although the main characters, are not the only ones we hear from. Each chapter is written from another characters perspective. Sometimes this can be a bit annoying as I find myself skipping through pages to read the characters I like best. This didn’t happen with Dearly Departed. As a reader we’re able to be in two places at once and find out things the other characters remain ignorant to. I particularly liked Pam, Nora’s best friend. Like Nora, she proved to be robust and wilful; but more importantly, not too squeamish too stab a zombie through the eye with a parasol!

I could go on for hours about this book, the writing style, the quirky humour, the intricate characters, the rapid plot, and of course the cannibalistic dead people are all pretty impressive. So for now, put Edward Cullen to one side and take a trip to Z Camp.

P.S I really hope Lia doesn't mind, but I just had to share this pic she sent on twitter. So funny, and soooo true.