(by guest blogger Caroline Ross)
Traditionally the "living
dead" doesn’t move with great speed or finesse, but in the book publishing
industry Zombies have taken off like the speed of light. Over the past few
years, book stores have displayed an increasing number of zombie-related
historical fiction that has seemed to do quite well with the youth—so much in
fact that some titles are even appearing on required reading lists at select universities.
But of course you don't need to be a student to enjoy them. If you're looking
for a few good historical reads with a satirical, dark twist then check out
some of these titles just in time for Halloween.
Pride,
Prejudice and Zombies
Just like the title sounds, this parody
piece is a smashup of the classic 1813 Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice with sprinkles of brain-eating zombies,
courtesy of author Seth Grahame-Smith. It might seem a little bizarre to
picture a zombie infested 19th century England and a zombie-slayer
Mr. Darcy, but the story line actually works. Not only does Grahame-Smith do a
stellar job at creating an alternative universe within a classic story such as Pride and Prejudice, but he's also
successful at bringing out the laughs—this book is funny with a capital F.
(2009)