Elegy for the Undead

Elegy for the Undead is such a bittersweet and beautiful read! This zombie-horror meets queer-romance meets literary-exploration-of love&grief book is one of those rare stories that fulfills everything it set out to do, while still managing to surprise you.

The plot intertwines three timelines: Lyle & Jude’s love story in the before times, their harrowing survival during the zombie outbreak, and the aftermath of living with Lyle’s terminal zombie infection. The book switches between these timelines non chronologically in a way that perfectly creates tension and raises the emotional stakes. I couldn’t put the book down because the other timelines gave me hints about what was to come or emotional moments hit me harder because I knew the aftermath. You know Lyle is going to die from the start, but the way you get there makes the end so much more cathartic and fulfilling to read…..and yes, way sadder.

The characters of Jude and Lyle are the emotional core of the story, and oh so loveable. Jude is sweet, thoughtful, and his story does not shy away from the complicated feelings that come with helping your partner through a terminal illness. Lyle is sarcastic and blunt but his love has such a soft and patient side. Their chemistry is compelling, but their imperfections really make this relationship something special.

And. The. Writing. Is. So. Damn. Pretty. And also layered, funny, horrifying, poignant. It’s luscious without being overindulgent. The author knows when less is more. Like who wouldn’t love lines like “All the dead flowers around us in the garden were listening.” Or “The end of my cigarette matched the color of the sky, burning on every inhale.” I won’t quote more because really, there are many lines worth discovering for yourself.

Yeah, if you couldn’t tell I really enjoyed this book. I think you should read it. Ultimately it’s a small book with a very specific story to tell, which is a sad one and more literary in style. It’s not a heart-stopping horror. It’s not a sweeping romance. But I think it tells its story very well and with a lot of hope and grace to balance it out.