UPDATE 2020 REREAD

In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the author created a podcast called Social Distancing Radio, in which he—at the request of a friend and long-time reader—read this book to create something familiar and safe in a time of stress. As a long-time reader and friend of his, I found this reading tremendously comforting. The unpolished rawness of it made it feel almost as though I were at a live author reading.

(You can find the podcast here: https://www.robustmcmanlypants.org/socialdistancingradio/)

ORIGINAL REVIEW
Perishables develops tension in a highly effective manner which makes use of its division into three parts (each of which can be considered a story in of itself). It begins with a sort of lighthearted zombie romp with a hint of darkness. I had several moments of laughing out loud and needing to explain myself to others. In part 2, the tone shifts to a balanced blend of equal parts humor and tension. While there was less laughter, there were plenty of smiles and moments of genuine concern for the well-being of the characters. It finishes with the kind of intensity that found me frozen completely upright and holding my breath.

There are many wonderful little details which allowed me to connect with the supernatural universe in this novel. I was somewhat reminded of the way Ridley Scott uses tiny realistic touches to give a sense of concreteness to his fantastic worlds.

I almost hate to say this last bit of praise, because it's a sad statement that it shouldn't be the norm. However, it isn't in most media, and it most certainly isn't typical of this genre. I was thrilled to find myself reading about a woman who was neither a helpless stereotype of femininity nor an idolized and often pornesque heroine("Up on a pedestal or down on her knees, it's all a male fantasy."-Margaret Atwood). She didn't fuss or moan about her hair, clothes or makeup. She didn't wail and worry about her romantic life. She had one, but it was simply a part of her life not her reason for being and not a focal point of the story. She was just a person, and I loved it.

And lest I forget, this author owes me 1.5 hours of sleep I missed because I was too involved in the book. ( )

This book is essentially three stories that become interconnected. Plus recipes for food that is just as terrifying as the monsters in the stories. The first tale is a light-hearted vampire/zombie tale with added suburban angst. It is as light and fluffy as the ambrosia salad, and about as filling. However, readers who are expecting nothing more than a few tee-hees will be disappointed as the subject becomes darker and more intense as the stories progress.

I greatly preferred the latter two stories, and was especially taken with the final story. It adds an element to the typical zombie fare which I've never seen before and was both horrifying and believable. What I've always liked about this author's work is the blurry line between happily-ever-after and the way things would probably really work out.

Perishables is a vampire and zombies book, with no shortage of humour. But it still manages to address real issues of dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event, the pain of being shunned by one's community and having to hide one's real self under a façade of normalcy. Those aspects of the book are where this author really shines, and those are 5 star sections. ( )