Zombie: A Novel

If you liked the Dexter series -- either on TV or in book form -- you might like "Zombie." Told from the psychopath's point-of-view, the story centers on his mission to create the perfect zombie -- a companion who won't complain and will comply with his every whim. We see how he deceives his family and how he commits crime after crime.

I wanted to appreciate this book. This is the first book I almost didn't finish but I forged on and then it was over. it had no beginning or middle or ending. It simply was and I kept waiting for something to emerge. I'm sure there are folks who will love the gimmicky style. I simply was not one.

I was expecting a zombie book. Was I surprised. This is an okay book about a deranged group of people. There is intrigue and murder but it leaves you wondering and hoping that this does not exist in the world. Society cannot let this happen. Families cannot let this happen. I guess this is not my type of reading.

After all the hype that was written about this book, I had to read it. Was a fast read, but was pretty disappointing. Whoever said it was based on Dahmer, doesn't know much about him. I wouldn't even say it was even loosely based on him. If you are a fan of hers you may enjoy. Other than that, eh!

Creepy look inside the mind of a serial killer. Well written, though I was surprised that it just sort of ends. She does enough foreshadowing that you can tell where its headed from there though. Good read...I'm looking forward to more of her books.

As an artistic expression of the psychotic mind, Oates is successful. As a literary endeavor, I'm dissapointed. The ending definitely leaves the reader wanting some sort of justice. The sexual sadism is purely gratuitous and voyeristic.
My recommendation? Rent Dexter.

The upside: Joyce Carol Oates is a great writer who can spin a tale. Unfortunately this is one tale I wish she had kept to herself. Made me uncomfortable, odd, and felt like I had no one to 'root" for in this tale.

This was a completely disturbing read. I walked away from the book feeling like I just watched the film Sid & Nancy.... where the characters are so distasteful, you don't care what happens to them.
The lead character in this book is SO far detached from reality, and any human emotion....or rather, ANY emotion..
The author wrote a very dry, detailed "diary" of a human emotional void. A stain on society...from the point of view of the sicko. I wasn't comfortable being inside the head of someone as sick as this character. A character with no compassion... no sorrow... no regret.. no reason.
By biggest complaint is that the book didn't flow.... probably because it was coming "from" the view of the disturbed lead character. It was a very choppy read. ugly. Technical.

This book was quick to read and well-written. However, the content was disturbing. Some of the more unpleasant passages in the book stuck with me and I found myself thinking of them at work which wasn't awesome since the scenes were so hideous and depressing. I didn't want to keep reading it. The only reason I read it was to see how it ended. The ending was abrupt and disappointing to say the least. I couldn't recommend this to anyone because it's just depressing and not particularly entertaining.

I started reading Joyce Carol Oates when it was force fed to me in college. I enjoyed her short story "Where are You Going, Where Have You Been" a lot. I've also read a few of her other novels throughout the years, and was eager to read Zombie. This piece of literature was not what I was expecting and could barely finish it. It was graphic and unnerving. If that's what JCO was going for, she accomplished it.

For the most part, the book kept me interested but I felt as though something was missing as I finished. The story is interesting and disturbing (the type I like), so if you like this type as well then go ahead and purchase this book.

The grammatical styling of the book is interesting...giving an extreme train of thought styling..

That being said...the book just ends without much resolution or conclusion.  If the book is an introspective look inside a psychopathic person...it succeeds.

I almost stopped reading this book it was so terribly boring. I did make it through to the end thinking that it would get better. It did not!! It ended abruptly during a dinner party. It just seemed to go around and around and say nothing!

should have read the description a bit more carefully... this is not about the zombies for fun, it's basically a core dump of what Jeffrey Dahmer told his psychiatrist... very graphic, very disturbing.

I have read Oates before and was impressed by her book 'We Were the Mulvaneys'. But, after reading `Zombie', I will never read or recommend this author again. The subject matter was basically a man getting sexually excited (too many times to count) by thinking about and/or torturing vulnerable young men. This book was disgusting and definitely not worth my time. Unfortunately, I always finish reading a book I have started to give it a fair chance. Not a good choice with this Oates book. There was never a redeeming quality found. I can't fathom why anyone would give this book a 5 star rating. Horrible. UPDATE: I didn't realize this book was about a real-life serial killer; hence the dark, insane prose. However, it wasn't clear when I purchased it. I would have steered clear of this one.

This is absolutely the worst book I've ever read. The writing is horrible -- not a journal exactly, but horrible sentence structure. Example (done from memory): "Mom asked how I was and I said." Truly, that is the end of the sentence. Never tells what he said. This is done over and over. The word "and" does not appear in the book, even when it's the first word of the sentence it's replaced with &.

On top of the horrible writing, the story itself is ridiculous. I generally enjoy books about the inside mind of a criminal, but this has no socially redeeming value whatsoever. If you are into macabre sex, bad writing and lots of superfluous cussing, then read this book. Otherwise, skip this one.

Joyce Carol Oates is the author and I thought, "She's a well-respected writer in the American literary scene and I've never read anything of hers before, so I'll give this a shot." This is not for people with delicate (or any) sensibilities. The one positive thing I can say is that it's amazing how a nice (I'm assuming) little lady can put herself into the character of a pedophile/necrophiliac with no redeeming qualities. But I think she wasted her gifts with this work. I don't know who her target audience was for this, but it's not me.

Incredibly difficult to read not because of the style, just the material. I feel ill trying to read it and did not finish it and deleted it. For the faint of heart, I say no. I've read a lot of JCO, but this was too much!

This book was under the teen/ young adult category. Please let me say the book was new and the condition itself was great that was not a complaint but, as far as reading this book is VERY graffic and I by no means think this should be read by someone under 17 and at my 25 I didnt even finish the book it was way to inappropriate and uncomfortable. I do not have a problem with people being attracted to same or opposite sex but this book makes being gay and serial killing very hard to swollow. It discusses rape, very intense behavior and very intense use of foul language. It may be a good read for some but not for me.

This book is hideous and disgusting. I couldn't bear it and actually deleted if from my Kindle. How anyone could enjoy reading somehting like this I don't know, I guess that would be one more sign of our pathetic times. How little regard there is in this world for suffering and the value of human life and how everything has become "OK" under the umbrella of illness........sick, disgusting read!

Few books I have read I dislike. However, "Zombie" is a book that needs improvement. The writing is choppy and does not flow well. The form appears to attempt to set up the appearance of a journal, diary or biography however, this does not work. I was unable to get past the first 10 pages as there was no plot to follow as well. Use of vulgarity does not enhance the flow of the sentences either. Unfortunately, I do not recommend this book to others.

Terrible book -- a waste of time and money -- no start or finsh --no character development and certainly no depth
What did I miss here? I cannot believe that anyone thinks that this is worth reading
And ... It didn't have any if the "scary" that so many people ascribed to it
Bad bad bad