Frail is Joan Frances Turner's second zombie novel, after Dust. Now that the Feeding Plague has made its way through the country - both human and zombie societies alike - the country is full of 'ex's. Everyone is either an ex-human or ex-zombie. Everyone that is except for Amy. She's the only human survivor in her town, a frail.

With exes - flesh eating ones - everywhere and ghost dogs only she can see - survival in this new America is all Amy has on her mind.

And the ex-human Lisa she meets on her journey, she may or may not be able be able to trust is the only one she can turn to when things get even more dangerous.


Frail is an amazingly well developed, well thought out zombie novel - or just novel period. I did not read Dust so I don't know how much, if at all, the two stories build on each other or overlap or how much knowing that novel and its events would help a reader be drawn into the events of Frail.


There was trouble (for me) getting into the first half or so of this book. It was still good enough to keep me reading, it just read incredibly slow for me. (I put it down and picked it back up a few times.)

The last third to half of Frail is what really draws a reader in, though. It's when the novel really gets more action, suspense and things about the society start to get explained. It's when you really cannot put the book down.

The world Turner has developed for Frail is unbelievably well developed and all encompassing. While some books are ones that seem like they would transfer well to film (and ones readers would love to see made into movies), Frail is one that would make a great television show. While it would have to be on cable - if not a premium cable channel - there is so much story there and the society is so completely developed that it would be a joy to see it unveiled over multiple episodes.

There is not a lot of gore in this novel - a fair bit of violence and some disturbing things, but not that much gore. The language/swearing (along with some of the events) pull it up to to an older YA/adult range.


7/10


thank you to the publisher for my copy of the book for review