Highway Bodies

Alison Evans

Highway Bodies
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Allen & Unwin
Country
Australia
Published
4 February 2019
Pages
384
ISBN
9781760685027

Highway Bodies

Alison Evans

Shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Book Prize 2019

Bodies on the TV, explosions, barriers, and people fleeing. No access to social media. And a dad who’ll suddenly bite your head off - literally. These teens have to learn a new resilience…

Members of a band wield weapons instead of instruments.

A pair of siblings find there’s only so much you can joke about, when the menace is this strong.

And a couple find depth among the chaos.

Highway Bodies is a unique zombie apocalypse story featuring a range of queer and gender non-conforming teens who have lost their families and friends and can only rely upon each other.    

Review

In Alison Evans’ latest novel the zombie apocalypse has hit Australia with force. Highway Bodies is written from the perspective of three different teens, all of whom are forced to lean on those close to them in this harsh new reality.

Dee and her bandmates escape to a secluded bush cabin on a post-graduation trip. Upon emerging from their isolation, they find no signs of life in the nearby towns. A social media blackout, limited television programming and no phone signal leaves Jojo and their sister Rhea, who are used to being saturated in information, in the dark. And a third, unnamed-until-the-end character, affirms her identity as a trans girl and finds partnership in a time of crisis.

The characters’ stories overlap in a gripping narrative. While trying to find answers, and ultimately survive, the teens are made to navigate issues of friendship, gender, and identity. Think Tomorrow When the War Began-style survival camaraderie, but with contemporary teens and lots of zombies.

If you enjoyed Evans’ 2017 novel Ida, this will definitely be another hit. Highway Bodies is for fans of LGBTQIA+ fiction, and anyone who loves a good post-apocalyptic adventure. For ages 14+.


Kealy Siryj works as a bookseller at Readings Carlton and Readings Kids.

This item is in-stock at 2 shops and will ship in 3-4 days

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.