Sourcebooks Fire
March 01, 2016
272 pages
add to Goodreads/buy from Book Depository/or Amazon
The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever is so bad, it could wake the dead…
After producing three horror films that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it's time to make something epic. In fact, they're going to make The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. They may not have money or a script, but they have passion. And, after a rash text message, they also have the beautiful Alicia Howtz as the lead.
Hemmed in by a one-month timeline and a cast of uncooperative extras, but aching to fulfill Alicia's dreams, Justin must face the sad, sad truth: he may, in actuality, be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever.
In the interest of protecting expectations (and gerbils) everywhere, The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever begins with a warning. Readers should know that it's a zombie book but not a zombie book (ie it's about zombies in a movie, but not 'real' brrraaaaiiinsss zombies). It does also warn you that there are going to be some jokes which seems almost misleading. It's not 'jokes' that make The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever so funny.
There are definitely jokes in the book but what's so hilarious are the characters, their plans, their methods, their dialogue, their thoughts and what happens.
Justin and his friends Gabe and Bobby make horror movies. They may not be award caliber but that hasn't stopped Justin from practicing his Oscar acceptance speech or from dreaming big.Now they're going to make The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. So what if they can't agree on a title, have no script or even story, no cast, no budget and only a month to do it all. It's going to be great.
Somehow, they do seem to be getting things together and actually making a movie but that doesn't stop things from going horribly, comically wrong.
I love The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever so much because much of it's wit is so dry and just part of the story. It doesn't feel like the author (or characters) are trying for jokes, except when it's obvious that they are. The observations on the characters lives, their dilemmas and behavior feel incredibly realistic and accurate.
I love how this story unfolds, who these characters - each unique and well written - are and seeign their movie making process (or lack thereof).
I do, however, want to know what a Rottweiler with a marshmallow is like.
Quotes:
"Justin needed to maintain focus on academics, or the only movie he'd be making would be a documentary about living in a cardboard box in an alley, scavenging half-eaten lizards for his dinner, and burning his hair to stay warm." -pg 110
"In fact, now that he was thinking about it, there had been many, many, many instances in which he'd put his mind to something and the end result had been pain, humiliation, or a combination of the two." -pg 13
"'Stop quoting me back to me,' said Justin, 'I say stuff, and then I say stuff later that contradicts it. I'm aware of that personality trait, and I accept it.'" -pg 63
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review copy received, via NetGalley, thanks to the publisher
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