Synopsis
Packed with action, humor, sex, and big gay feelings, The Z Word is the queer Zombieland you didn’t know you needed.
Chaotic bisexual Wendy is trying to find her place in the queer community of San Lazaro, Arizona, after a bad breakup—which is particularly difficult because her ex is hooking up with some of her friends. And when the people around them start turning into violent, terrifying mindless husks, well, that makes things harder. Especially since the infection seems to be spreading.
Now, Wendy and her friends and frenemies—drag queen Logan, silver fox Beau, sword lesbian Aurelia and her wife Sam, mysterious pizza delivery stoner Sunshine, and, oh yeah, Wendy’s ex-girlfriend Leah—have to team up to stay alive, save Pride, and track the zombie outbreak to its shocking source. Hopefully without killing each other first.
The Z Word is a propulsive, funny, emotional horror debut about a found family coming together to fight corporate greed, political corruption, gay drama, and zombies.
Review
A huge thank you to the kind folks at Quirk Books for the ARC!
The Z Word by Lindsay King-Miller is a romping good time, bursting with social commentary, personality, and a whole lot of zombie gore. On the heels of a gnarly breakup, Wendy is trying to navigate the social scene she only knew through the lens of her ex-girlfriend, Leah. The LGBTQ+ community in San Lazaro, Arizona is rather small and of course, seeing her ex hook up with her friends is less than optimal. The only thing that could be less ideal is a zombie-like outbreak during Pride; oh wait, that’s happening too. To survive and get to the bottom of things, Wendy joins forces with some unlikely faces with access to swords, flamethrowers, and other various weapons of zombie destruction.
Horror novels have a way of subverting expectations, and The Z Word is no exception to this given the most endearing aspect of this book is its sense of found family. From the very first few pages, King-Miller writes every one of her characters with tremendous personality, bringing about immediate investment. The various relationship dynamics at play and, dare I say drama, created in the first scene of a house party immediately drew me in wondering where things would go. Wendy is struggling with her breakup with Leah, a woman who commands attention and seems to be larger than life. Pride is a weekend filled with social obligations that are sure to bring Wendy face-to-face with Leah multiple times, a horror story in and of itself. What’s worse than frequently running into your ex in such a small social circle?
While this setup feels claustrophobic for Wendy, we quickly meet a multitude of other characters that add so much depth to this story. For example, Logan is a goth drag queen who catches Wendy’s attention and is one of the characters that intrigued me the most. There’s also Beau, Aurelia, and Samantha with equal levels of charisma and individuality that add to every situation. This is all before folks start to get bitey and throw up copious amounts of putrid bodily fluids. Cue the “zombies.”
King-Miller writes a somewhat classic version of the zombie outbreak story but through a completely nuanced lens of individuality and conspiracy. Horror thrives in the realization that the characters we care about most aren’t safe from this strange illness quickly spreading through the crowds present at Pride events. This can’t help but seem targeted as those who become infected are those of the LGBTQ+ community. These ideas of targeted violence speak to the greater feelings of inequality in our own society, a horror that is unfortunately nonfiction. Feelings of mistrust, unease, and coordinated attacks add an additional layer of conspiracy to the story on top of the need for survival.
All in all, The Z Word is FUN. Wendy and company present a wide array of talents and approaches as they form somewhat of a family unit to survive the unthinkable. Lindsay King-Miller writes electric dialogue and enthralling character dynamics all within the landscape of gore and horror. Most impressively, a few twists are thrown our way amid all the chaos, bloodshed, and action. If you’re looking for fun with your zombie horror, you must pick this one up.
The Z Word by Lindsay King-Miller is out TODAY from QuirkBooks!
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