A few thoughts on “Breathers”

Here are a few notes I jotted down while reading.  Some of them have been clarified, but interesting nonetheless. 

1. I like how the ‘technical’ term for zombies is “spontaneous resurrection”.  Also the descriptions of each member of Andy’s Zombie’s Anonymous group is comical.

2. “Still I think we need to come up with a name other than Undead Anonymous.  After all, when you’re undead, you’re about as anonmous as a transvestite with a 5 o’clock shadow.” pg. 8

3. Interesting that the main character notes that it makes a difference whether or not you were embalmed before/after being reanimated.  Although it does make sense because you would decompose a bit slower.

4. I was sad that unclaimed zombies were left at ‘detention centers’ like lost pets.  Even sadder still was that zombies often end up homeless or some kind of shelters.

5. “But one of the major drawbacks of being a zombie, aside from the decomposing flesh and the absence of civil rights and the children who scream at the sight of you, is that food has lost most of its flavor.” pg. 23  I find it hilarious that he goes through this long description of all the *other* things that suck about being a zombie and then ends with the loss of taste of food.

6. There are actually Undead Commandments

7. “Except even in undeath, when faced with your potential demise, there’s a self-preservation instinct that kicks in…” pg. 34

8. “…aggression by zombies against humans is considered grounds for immediate destruction.  Even if it’s in self-defense.” pg. 35  How many times has this rule been applied to different classes/races of people?

9.  “…as Rita sits there in her Playboy Bunny costume holding the venison out to me, I’m reminded of Even holding the apple out to Adam…we’ve already been kicked out so I take the apple.” pg. 53  Interesting observation by the main character

10.  At this point in the book I was already predicting that Ray becomes the one to influence the others to start eating humans/Breathers; he was a hunter in his human life and has this bad-ass feel to him that whatever you want, you should be able to take it (reminded me exactly of Faith when she was first introduced in Buffy)

11. After eating the venison and experiencing feelings of restlessness and being caught roaming the streets, the main character begins to question what the definition of ‘citizen’ or ‘person’ really is according to any laws/constitution

12. “[Breathers] They don’t want to have to confront the unpleasant realities of their nature beneath the glaring light of the sun.  They’d rather deal with them after dark, where they’re harder to see and easier to ignore.” pg. 89  Very apt realization

13. “But sitting here by the fire, shoveling perserved deer meat between my lips with the juices running down my chin, I feel almost primal.” pg. 105  I saw this line as huge foreshadowing for what’s to come

14. Tom tells Ray he’s a vegetarian and so Ray hands him a jar of ‘tuna’; it really isn’t, it’s the same stuff everyone else is eating.

15. Andy feels an adrenaline rush for the first time pg. 114 and a few days after eating the venison again is beginning to regain his speech pg. 118

16.  I found it hilarious that Andy was getting make-up lessons from his mom on how to look ‘more human’

17.  Ray is “…kind of like a zombie preacher.  A messiah for the undead.” pg. 128

18.  Helen’s friend Ian is using cosmetics to fool the world that he isn’t a zombie; is he eating Breathers too?

19.  “I need to challenge the institution that has relegated me to the status of nonhuman.  After all, what do I have to lose by standing up for myself?  If being a rotting corpse with no rights and no future isn’t the worst thing…can’t be that much further to rock-bottom.” pg. 149.  I like how Andy eating the venison is prompting him to question his station in a world that refuses to recognize zombies as anything more than creatures and that as a zombie he can still have these philosophical thoughts about rights.

I’m really enjoying the humor in this book and also the now ‘morality’ question of whether or not the members of the group who have been eating the ‘venison’ will continue to do so now that they know it’s actually a Breather.  Will they give up this strange regeneration to become fastly decomposing corpses again or forge ahead and push for a semblance of equality?  I also like that Helen’s epithets are truly gaining meaning only after Andy’s been eating the ‘venison’ and now she’s asking them to stop.

Me and a zombie book?

Over Easter weekend I picked up “Breathers a Zombie’s Lament” by S.G. Browne.  I wouldn’t say I’m a hardcore zombie genere lover/hater; I’m pretty impartial.  What totally hooked me onto this book though was the blurb on the back.  Sounded hilarious and I know it’s probably something my husband will read in the future.  If not I will bother him ’til he does.

The basic storyline is this: man wakes up after a car crash to discover he’s a zombie (technically he’s been spontaneously resurrected).  There’s been a strange influx of this and support groups have even been formed to help zombies through this transition.  Our main character comes back to a life where zombies are treated with disgust and animosity and he’s dealing with the fact that he isn’t just dead like normal dead people.

I’m just starting Chapter 4 but the previous 3 chapters are funny as hell and I hope that continues throughout the rest of it.