Elegy for the Undead

Vesley’s eloquent debut reimagines the zombie novel as a tender reflection on the complexities of human relationships. High school acquaintances Jude and Lyle reconnect at the small Christian college they both attend and begin dating. Seven years later, they’re happily married and living in a Philadelphia suburb when news breaks of a virus called Absolute Necrotic Arrest, which makes those infected turn violently aggressive before becoming zombies. Over the next day, they witness their friends and neighbors succumb to the virus as the city rapidly collapses. They survive with the help of a well-armed group, but Lyle gets bitten by a zombie. The National Guard rush him to an experimental medical treatment center—but the medicine, while an effective vaccine for the uninfected, only slows the process of Lyle’s transformation. Over the next several months, Jude navigates Lyle’s episodes of rage until a particularly frightening one pushes him to place Lyle in a care facility. As the men wait for the virus to consume Lyle, flashbacks to the early days of their relationship and just before the virus broke out create a moving depiction of their love. The lovely prose and nonlinear timeline successfully blend the tension of the outbreak and the surreal turmoil of its aftermath with the more emotional elements. This unique, intimate zombie tale is sure to impress. (Oct.)