2.5 stars for being an interesting idea but a book that required effort to get through. A philosophical read concerning what happens when one day, inexplicably, everyone in Stockholm who died in the past 2 months reanimates. These are not zombies attacking people or dead people suddenly jumping back into normal behaviour, except with a bad smell; they are dead bodies wandering around, trying to get home, but otherwise apparently aimless and mostly uncommunicative. Most of the book is concerned with how society would deal with such an event: what are the social and psychological effects, the appropriate health measures, and the appropriate ethical treatment of these people? What would you do--what would be an appropriate course of action--if your deceased grandparent, spouse or child showed up on your doorstep? How does this alter the grieving process? An interesting idea that ran a bit long for my taste, with no clear answers, but some intriguing questions raised. I really wanted to like this book.The author does a great job with his characters and I was very interested in their individual stories.But overall it just didn't go anywhere.It was not creepy or politically thought provoking although I had the impression the author was striving for both.And some of the character's actions were just not believable.And the behaviour of the undead was inconsistent at best.The ending was one of the worst I've ever read.I mean what is with the worm? If you want it to be significant then it needs to be in more than just the first and last chapters.
What do You think about Descansa En Paz (2005)?
I loved Let the Right One in. I liked Handling the Undead, but not nearly as much.
—Tone
Started out sooooo good and ended sooooo poorly.
—chicamm3
