alotus_poetry

Plague Town by Dana Fredsti

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Plague Town by Dana Fredsti is literally and figuratively a zombie-gripping book. This novel has both plot and character development, which are two crucial elements I always look for in any novel I read, and Fredsti did a great job at both. I felt like I knew the ensemble of characters more and that the plot was simple, but well-developed enough to where the reader can see what's happening without any jarring breaks in the flow of the story. There are also cliches and pop culture references throughout the novel, which Fredsti uses them effectively and in new ways. However, as I'm not a die-hard zombie reader or film fan (but I do often read zombie fiction whenever I'm in the mood for it), I didn't get some of the pop culture references. Thankfully, most of the references are not entirely lost on the reader or deter away from the story itself. (In general, I would rate this book as 4.6 out of 5 stars.)

The female protagonist, Ashley Parker, is older than most of her college classmates, yet she is strong, smart, and is both a team player and leader. Although Ashley appears to be tough-as-nails in character, she is more of an individual who makes sarcastic, wise-cracking jokes to lighten any situation, which oftentimes win her favors. Nevertheless, she cares about the people close to her such as her roommates Zara and then later, Lil, and will do anything to help those who are in trouble. Ashley reminds me of the mild version of the female protagonist in the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton with this no-nonsense attitude. However, the differences between both female protagonists in each book are extremely apparent.

The setting of the novel takes place in a small university town of Redwood Grove, where people are quickly falling sick to a deadly strain of the flu virus called Walker's flu. However, as people are dying a rotten-black-bloody death, each person becomes the living dead/zombie. When Ashley gets bitten and attacked by zombies on a date with her boyfriend, she later wakes to find that she is a "wild card"--immune to the deadly virus with heightened senses and abilities--and is then enlisted by a military organization to fight zombies with her fellow wild cards, which readers get to know along the way. However, the concept of survival of the fittest comes into play as we learn what becomes more important to these characters: the desperate fight to live or fight against the zombies as civilization falls around them in constant moans. With limited manpower to fight more countless zombies out there, the wild cards become even more valuable assets to the organization as ever. I'm sure that readers know that this story will continue in the next two novels, where there would definitely be more zombie hacking, shooting, killing, and of course, saving what's left of humanity and discovering if there are any other wild cards out there.

Interestingly, at the end of the book, readers learn the truth of how the Walker's flu virus originated. Fredsti also leaves many pockets of surprises throughout the novel and executes them in a timely manner such as in between breaks of fighting with zombies or the wild cards training and honing their newfound abilities. For instance, readers see Ashley's vulnerability when she realizes that her boyfriend, Matt, is no longer human. Another example is when Ashley (ir)rationally speaks up wanting to help her roommate, the emotionally fragile Lil, find and save her two cats. Another important character, opposite Ashley, is the wildcard Gabriel, whom Ashley is attracted to and who is also her instructor in zombie combat. Many verbal spars ensue between the two, yet they both know that they are attracted to each other. It will be interesting to see how their relationship unfolds in the forthcoming novels.

Fredsti also creates balances among characters. For instance, in wild card Lil's previous life, Lil was shy, reserved, and sheltered. However, the reader can see how she evolves in the novel from the shyness to a much stronger individual, even as Ashley's partner-in-crime, so to speak. Another character is Kaitlyn, whom the characters view as the too-good-for-others attitude and is easily disliked by everyone, yet she sacrifices something in the novel that makes her death more dignified and earns the respect from her fellow wild cards. It is then that the reader can feel the greatest sympathy for Kaitlyn.

I enjoyed reading this book as it really drew me in. I look forward to reading the forthcoming installments and see how Ashley and her fellow wild cards develop and grow together, and yes, save the world from a zombie-Apocalypse.

Notes: This book was a Goodreads giveaway.


View all my reviews at Goodreads here.

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More Elfje poems I've written are now featured on Simply Elfje.  For those of you who are still new to this micropoetic form, an Elfje is a Dutch form consisting of 11 words spread over 5 lines.  Enjoy!


[foggy]

[coral]