Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Forest of Hands And Teeth: Free for All!

Time for the final post after reading the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Time for my thoughts.


eta: I apologize about the first sentence... I came back and fixed it so it was in English, instead of oxygen-deprived raving.


After reading a post-zombie apoxyclips book I got to thinking... about the threat of a zombie apoxyclips. It hangs heavy on my brow. Every time I watch a zombie movie, I get caught up. All I can think is… what if? What if this happened and that was me? All the exits of my apartment face the same direction, and I have no boards or nails to cover my windows! Being that I’m a fatty, I’m toast, according to the rules in Zombieland. I’d like to think I’d go out like a hero though, like getting caught in a narrow space after my friends have made it through, thus blocking the path of the zombies. Until they eat through me of course. But considering how big I am, I’m sure my friends will have gotten away by then. Ironically, I had never read a zombie book. I’m glad to say the first didn’t disappoint, and I don’t think it will be the last.


My mother used to tell me stories about how, long before the Return, the living used to wonder what happened after death. She said that whole religions were born and evolved around this one simple uncertainty.

Now that we know what happens after death, a new question has risen up to take the place of the old: why?

Mary, The Forest of Hands and Teeth


Classic zombie mythos. What happens after we die? No doubt that is the impetus behind zombie movies and books, the reason for their very existence. What sort of life is that, though? The random firing of a brain stem and the never-ending hunger. It’s as if the physical body is an abomination after death, and inhabiting it, rather than going on to some sort of spiritual reward, can be nothing but punishment. And why does Mary think she knows what happens after death? There is a cemetery for the dead in her village, it isn’t as though the dead that weren’t infected will Return. Or does this mean they no longer believe in life after death, or that the focus has shifted? Not just oh Lord, don’t let me die, but don’t let me die like THAT! As if managing to die uninfected is the best you can hope for. Sort of makes you wish you had gotten taken down in the first bloody battles.


We should be safe for now. I don’t think we’ve managed to produce a zombie or a zombie inducing virus yet. It’s only a matter of time of course, but I hope by then I have an old farmhouse or a friend with a cellar. And a 12 gauge. And a van.


You can never be too prepared for the Zombie Apoxyclips.

2 comments:

  1. Loved this post! I just started The Forest of Hands and Teeth and I'm completely absorbed so far. I think it's interesting you brought up the point of: do they no longer believe in life after death? And it does seem like they're abominations, living only for this insatiable hunger. I'm definitely going to think about this more! Great post!

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  2. Thank you Loren! So exciting to have a comment. :)

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