Dearly Departed

by Lia Habel

If you are a fan of steampunk and zombies then Dearly Departed is the book for you!  Set in a future South America in 2195, this world has been rebuilt after a series of catastrophes.  There are two different classes in this new society.  One is the high society that has been rebuilt heavily influenced by the Victorian era in England and also has access to all the latest technology. The lower class has been nicknamed the Punks, and are viewed as hostile and violent people who want to take down the upper class. 

Dearly Departed centers on Nora, part of the upper class and who has just lost her father who was a famed scientist.  Nora is in danger but she doesn’t know it, and so she is kidnapped and taken to a military base for her own protection.  Bram, her captor, is not a normal soldier.   He is infected with the Lazarus virus, a new virus that turns the average person into a zombie.  Bram and his fellow soldiers, however, react differently to the Lazarus virus.  They still turn into zombies, but they also keep their human nature.  The Lazarus virus is sweeping the nation and Nora’s father held the key to its containment. 

This novel is action packed, and the world building in Dearly Departed is really well done.  Also, this novel is narrated by different characters in alternating chapters.  So, you get to read from the point of view of Nora, Bram, Pamela (Nora’s best friend), Victor Dearly (Nora’s father who may not be dead after all), and Wolfe (the commander of Bram’s unit).  This is a cool way to read a book.  Each character’s story lines come together, and it is interesting to read from the different points of view.  Dearly Departed is long read, at 470 pages, but if you like action-packed adventures with zombies and steampunk themes, then this is the book for you!  Click here to find Dearly Departed in the Library!