Book for The Dead Arising by Jamie Campbell
The Dead Arising, by Jamie Campbell, is a novella that tells the horrific aftermath of a morbid apocalypse, in which all the adults have died, and the children are left behind.
One day, when their parents mysteriously die, Everly and her younger sister, Faith, are left behind in the world of the living. As time goes on, the world around them begins to degrade into a shadow of its former self. The ghosts of the adults haunt Everly, and when her sister suddenly disappears, she finds herself falling into despair. This dark story describes the degrading beauty of youth, as children struggle to grow up, with memories of love and hope fading away in the midst of time.
It saddened me to see Everly degrading. It seemed that throughout the book, she was only ever looking out for herself and Faith. She knows she’s too cowardly to do much of anything for anyone else, but she clings to her abilities to protect Faith, despite everything that’s happened. I thought that her gift to see ghosts was also well integrated into the story. When Faith disappears, Everly slowly begins to join the dead, even though she herself was still alive. It’s ironic, considering that the ghosts have a purpose, and act as though they are still living. Campbell drives home the fact that the boundary between life and death is fragile, and I enjoyed it.
I loved the premise of this story, and how it shows the differences between adults and children. I liked how little Faith looked at the world, the innocence radiating easily from her, like a tiny candle in a dark, winter night. I also loved Oliver, and how he chose to take charge and help the other kids try and find shelter and food. They provided a sharp contrast between the cruel realities of adulthood and the carefree happiness of childhood. Everly could neither become one or the other, only a shadow of what the dead should have been. She removed herself from the world, unable to grow up, or depend on anyone. It was beautifully intricate.
This story was well developed. I loved Evelyn’s character, as well as the concepts of a world without adults. As such, I would give this story a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to those who enjoy The Wolves Within Our Walls by L.E. Finders and Velveteen by Daniel Marks.
