The premise behind After the Cure by Deidre Gould is refreshing. It is not the same old same old zombie apocalypse tale. It is very unique in that it presents a society actively and successfully rebuilding. Eight years after the December Plague that cause most people to sudden attack and eat other people, society is slowly pulling itself together again. The reason it can rebuild is because a cure was discovered. It saved people and made them human again. What it did not do was remove the memory of the terrible acts they had committed under the influence of the plague.
The world is divided into Cured (were zombies but were given the cure), Immune (who somehow managed never to be infected) and Zombies that still roam outside the secure areas. The Cured still bear the physical and mental scars of their infection. A high rate of Cured individuals choose to commit suicide rather than live with the memories. There is subtle tension between the Cured and the Immune, not an outright prejudice but the Immune are better off financially. It is in this time and place that the individuals deemed to be responsible for the outbreak of the plague are being brought to trial. The doctor who is accused of engineering the plague and his assistant are being held for trial. Both must be evaluated for competency to stand trial. The defense lawyer is a Cured individual. The psychologist deciding on the prisoners mental state is an Immune. There is nothing straight forward or predictable about this book. While it did not have the urgency of attention for me as some other books, I continually come back to it because I wanted to know. What really happened? Who was really responsible? I liked the two main characters. The supporting characters each brought another piece of the world into view. As you met these characters and learned their story, you had a better understanding of the universe they existed in. I would suggest this book for apocalypse fans. I would especially suggest it for those who want a different perspective such as "what if there was a zombie apocalypse and then it stopped?" After the Cure is the first book in a five book series. I will probably get around to the other four as time and budget allow. I rate After the Cure 4 out of 5 stars with a bonus for being such an original idea.
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