Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Title: Alice in Zombieland
Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: Mira Ink
Released: Oct 05, 2012
Buy: The Book Depository

"The monsters hunger for your flesh, your organs. If they see you, they will chase you. And if they catch you, they will devour you."

The title, Alice in Zombieland (coupled with that mesmerising cover) promises an impressive modern-day retelling of the Lewis Carroll classic. A Wonderland retelling with zombies, of all things. That was enough to capture my attention. This book, in fact, isn’t much of a retelling at all. While a light Alice in Wonderland theme is present throughout the story, it’s not a book that should be taken too seriously. This was a quick and fun zombie-filled tale that anyone looking for a humorous and action-packed ride will enjoy.

Zombies have been growing in popularity in young adult books, and I have to say I personally love reading about them. Gena Showalter puts her own twist on the creatures and delivers something a little different to what most of us have come across before. When Alice Bell, the main character, realises that her father’s frantic whispers of monsters are closer to reality than she first suspected, her new life away from home is focused on remaining one step ahead of the zombies. Enter Cole Holland, a bad-boy character that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. To find out all there is to know about the monsters that lurk in the shadows, Alice has to learn to trust Cole and his rough group of friends. With this, we are handed a plate of romance and butt-kicking, and plenty of entertainment on top.

The fiery relationship between Cole and Alice is one of the highlights of this book. Like everything else, it’s not too serious, but it is very enjoyable to follow. Although a little clichéd here and there, the sexual tension and humorous banter between them is sure to appeal to romance fans. It’s hard not to fall for Cole with his tough-guy attitude and adorable baseball caps. While not the most memorable character ever, Alice is also very likable. Her curiosity is very fitting, and despite the tragedy that she has to deal with, her sense of humour is as strong as Cole’s. The secondary characters, too, are a very entertaining group. I find, most of the time, that the best-friend role is filled with someone a little too typical and loud. Kat pretty much does fit that description, yet I still found her easy to like despite that. Alice’s slang-using grandparents were the characters to steal the show, though. It’s impossible not to love them!

This book gets going with a bit of a rocky start – I didn’t think I would like it all a few pages in! – and while it is not the most skilfully written book, I’m sure many readers will be able to appreciate the entertainment this story provides. There are a few nods to Alice in Wonderland scattered throughout, but nothing too reminiscent of the original story. In the end, it proved to be a fun book that made me smile in between some really not-so-great reads. The sequel, Through the Zombieglass, will definitely have a spot reserved on my bookshelf.  

Rating: 4 stars