Remarkably readable considering it's essentially about zombies! Except it's not. It's about prejudice and discrimination and love - sometimes to a slightly preachy degree - but with strong characters who drive the book along. ( )

I have been wanting to read "Generation Dead" for awhile so I started it almost immediately after purchasing it. Usually books have a decent wait in my TBR stack first! This is the story of an America where for the past three years, recently deceased teenagers aren't staying dead. They are coming back zombie-like, this includes vacant stares, slow movements, and legnthly pauses before speaking. At least in some cases. In other cases, you almost wouldn't even know the kid next next to you didn't have a heartbeat. Why the difference? Will teenagers ever be able to give the Dead kids a chance? Its the newest movement in equality...you cannot descriminate based on religion, race, gender, sexual orientation...or biotic makeup. The story in particular focuses on Phoebe and her best friends Margi and Adam. Phoebe and Margi recently lost a friend who came back from the dead. Unsure of how to treat her, they ignored her pleas for help. Adam plays on the football team where a mean teammate wants to hurt a dead kid named Tommy because he wants on the team. I was afraid that this book would be like so many of the other YA paranormal books out there, but I have to say this one pleasantly suprised me. The characters felt genuine and I could empathize with both the living and the dead teenagers. The story has a nice message too in the struggle for equality and it was handled in a fun and never preachy manner. The book does end on a downer, a cliff hanger if you will. The next book is already out and I know that I want to read it as soon as possible! The book is fine for adults and teenagers. A preteen warning that there are some vague mentions of sexual relations here, but nothing else to really worry over your child reading. This book is published by Disney Hyperion. This book is worth your time if you have been interested in other paranormal tales. ( )

Terrific story about teen zombies. More heartwarming than it sounds. ( )

The concept behind Generation Dead is incredibly clever and executed well by Daniel Waters. I was expecting a book about teenage zombies - what I didn't expect was a well-written and complex young adult novel dealing with the universal themes of discrimination and acceptance. Daniel Waters blew me away with this fantastic debut!

The compelling characters leapt shuffled off the page and into my heart. Waters never stopped developing each of his characters - they constantly evolved throughout the story and entertained me to the end and beyond. The plot was original and perfectly paced, keeping the reader turning the page to see what was coming next. The dialog was enjoyable and witty and incredibly realistic.

Generation Dead is a quirky and surprisingly deep novel. Don't judge this book by it's cover (fabulous as it may be!) It is a well-written story with a whimsicality not often found in your "typical" zombie book. I really enjoyed reading this one, and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2, Kiss of Life. ( )