Review: The Brief History Of The Dead

Title The Brief History Of The Dead
By Kevin Brockmeier
Genre Adult Dystopian/Parnormal
Pages 252
Recommended by Louise Goodreads friend

First sentence When the blind man arrived in the city, he claimed that he had traveled across a desert of living sand.

Synopsis
The City is home to those who have died but are remembered by those still alive. When the inhabitants of the City start disappearing and the rumor is that a horrible plague has wiped out humanity on earth, those left discover they have one thing in common; a young woman alone in Antarctica trying to survive.

What it had going for it
Um, well, yeah, the reason I read this one was based mostly on the cover. Well, that's why I picked it up, anyway. Check it out! Isn't it an awesome cover? Then I read the synopsis and thought it sounded rather intriguing. It was intriguing, the most unique story I've read in awhile, in fact. I enjoyed the chapters about Laura, the girl struggling to survive in Antarctica. Her story was filled with tension and heartbreak and I liked it. I also enjoyed the fact that her survival meant the survival of all the people in the City. It added another level of suspense to the story.

What's lacking
Sigh! I think I'm done with books that are dripping in symbolism. They make me feel so stupid. Especially when the symbolism is very subtle...too subtle and open for interpretation. I'm tired of trying to figure out what the author was trying to "say" using a story that, while good, is still weak and only a means to and end. Some symbolistic end meant to open our minds. Or something like that. Like I said, I didn't really get it.

Yea or Nay?
I say, if it sounds good to you and you then give it a go. It was interesting enough and wasn't boring or hard to read.