Good, but not great (Handling the Undead - John Ajvide Lindqvist)

Member Name: omarl

Product:	Handling the Undead - John Ajvide Lindqvist
Date:	15/10/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Intriguing story, well written characters

Disadvantages: Ending seems rushed

I hadn't read Let The Right One In but raved about the film and shortly after received this as a gift so as a result I can't say whether I am a fan of John Ajvide Linqvist's writing.

The story is set in Stockholm and asks the question - what would happen if the dead woke up? Rather than being a fantastical story it attempts to take place in the "real" world, so we have government being criticised for their handling of the undead, and the beaurocratic process involved in what to call them.

There are 3 threads to the story - a stand up comedian and his son trying to come to terms with their wife/mother returning, a telepathic grandmother/granddaughter dealing with religious visions and a journalist who goes on the run with his daughter and her recently undead son.

It has an intriguing premise and well rounded characters, but the language at times can be slightly basic - however I don't know whether this is just due to the translation from Lindqvist's original Swedish text. I was thoroughly enjoying this book, looking forward to the conclusion it was building up to....And then it finished. 2 of the story threads are fairly well concluded (though far too quickly for my liking) but one of them just stops, as if the author isn't sure where to go with it. This meant I was left fairly dissatsified with the whole novel as I'd invested time in hard going subject matter to have what felt like a half thoughtout ending.

Summary: An acquired taste