The Z Word

The perfect book for Pride month, if you can of course get past all the violence, gore, and not-so-happily-ever-afters. King-Miller has crafted a spectacular apocalyptic adventure--and an equally stunning debut!--featuring remarkable queer characters who will snuggle their way into the hearts of even the toughest readers out there. And that finale...oh my goodness, that fantastically explosive finale! I was groaning more than the zombies (yes, that is the "z" word in question) it was so incredible, and by the end I was braindead from visceral stimulation, which ever good zombie novel should aptly provide. So read this book because it's amazing, queer, and bloody--my personal favorite lesbian trifecta! Trust me, this isn't a story to miss!

As a zombie/horror lover, I was very excited to read this book, even more so because it shared queer themes written by a queer author. However, the book fell flat. The pacing was slow. It took 6.5 chapters to finally see some zombie action??? The characters were introduced as stereotypical caricatures, and the queer setting felt cliché. The perspectives from the characters felt annoying, frustrating, and unrealistic. Wendy was written as both a stereotypical white woman and bisexual woman. Her character's personality is very generic and naive. I didn't feel the chemistry between her and the other characters. Her continued trust in the police demonstrates that you can be part of the queer community and be part of the problem. The conflicts around "dyke drama," tropes of the queer community, felt too on-the-nose for me personally. Overall, this book felt like an LGBTQ+ social commentary on rainbow washing, corporate pride, "political freedom fighting influencers," with a splash of zombies here and there. This book was not for me, but don't let my opinion sway you from giving it a try.