Elegy for the Undead

by Matthew Vesely

Jude and Lyle's newlywed life is shattered when a vicious attack leaves Lyle infected with a disease that transforms him into a violent and often incomprehensible person. With no cure for the "zombie" virus in sight, the young husbands begin to face the last months they have together before Lyle loses himself completely.

Fond remembrances of young love meet the challenges of navigating a partner's terminal illness in this bittersweet tale that explores both how we fall in love and how we say goodbye when the time comes far too soon.

Genres: Horror, Queer, LGBT, Novella, Zombies, Romance, Adult

188 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2020

About the author

Matthew Vesely (he/him) writes genre-bent, queer, contemporary fiction. He is the author of Elegy for the Undead: A Novella, a 2020 Foreword INDIES finalist. His work has also appeared in Adelaide Literary Magazine. A 2019 graduate of Rowan University, he currently resides outside of Philadelphia. Visit www.MatthewVesely.com to keep up.

Reviews

[Lala BooksandLala · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Alina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆

I’d give Elegy for the Undead by Matthew Vesely a solid four stars. What stood out most to me was how effectively it captures the cultural and emotional Zeitgeist of its setting, it feels very attuned to the anxieties and undercurrents of that particular moment in time without ever becoming heavy-handed.

I was genuinely invested in both of the main characters and appreciated the care put into their development. A small but memorable detail for me was one character’s love of goats, I share that fondness, so it was a charming and unexpected point of connection that made the character feel even more real.

That said, readers expecting a traditional horror experience might be surprised. This leans much more toward literary horror, focusing on atmosphere, relationships, and existential unease rather than outright scares. I enjoy that style from time to time, and it worked well here, though I’ll admit I wasn’t as emotionally affected as I know some other readers have been.

Overall, this is a thoughtful, well-crafted novel that lingers more in its mood than its shocks. If you liked Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield, I think you’ll find a lot to appreciate here as well.

[Brandon Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An allegorical zombie apocalypse relationship drama- It was definitely sad and emotional, but little things kept annoying me with the POV’s. I think it would have been a more impactful story (or at least better for me lol) if it was single perspective, or possibly even dual 3rd person POV.

[Susan Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

While horrific, this was less a zombie horror story and more a love story. This novella made me cry several times. I thought it was beautiful. 4.5⭐

[Ali Do Is Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
my heart 😭 this is my perfect zombie book [from a former zombie book hater]

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This is the kind of zombie fiction that really is not about the zombies. In fact, it might even appeal most to readers who don't normally read the subgenres. I personally love zombie stories, so I really enjoyed the more action driven scenes in this novella. However, the majority of the narrative was much slower paced.

Given current events, the pandemic in this book felt scarily realistic with discussion of quarantine and infection control. This made for a fascinating backdrop for queer romance at the heart of this story. At its core, this book was really the relationship between these two gay men. Particularly, it explored how terminal illness affects a relationship. While I enjoy queer horror, I personally don't love when fictionc focuses on romance. Readers who enjoy those emotional elements will likely love this book a bit more than I did.

I would recommend this one to anyone looking for slow burning ownvoices queer horror with a heavy focus on the relationship.

Disclaimer I received a digital copy for review.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about titles that should have been right up my proverbial alley not landing lately but this book had it all, the queerness, the zombie plague, the slow decay of sickness that renders one alien from oneself, you know my favorite things to read about. Yet, I didn't really vibe with it. There were a couple of scenes I liked but overall I was rather indifferent to what these guys were doing, their relationship was complicated in a boring way, which is to say they were adult about it but the way it was described wasn't particularly interesting.

[Shaun Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not really a fan of zombie stories, yet this is a zombie story and I am a fan. It's also a story about love and about two people learning how to love one another and then how to let each other go. Maybe it's just the isolation making me more maudlin than normal, but Jude and Lyle's story hit me hard. It was painful but it gave me hope. It is a simple story elegantly told. I can't wait to read more of Vesely's work.

Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was a unique pleasure. I felt both narrators added a level of intimacy that you don't often find in books. Lyle's narrator especially captured the voice and earnestness and yearning of the character.

[Rhiannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking. Extremely accurate portrayal of a Philadelphian zombie, Wawa is life and death

[Hussein Baher · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

An allegorical story about loving someone with a terminal illness in the context of, weirdly enough, a zombie apocalypse. Also its gay.

It was 3 stars until those last pages made me ugly tear up on the bus.

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quiet zombie apocalypse novella that focuses on love, illness, and loss. The shift from developing their love story to exploring how we say goodbye and move on was devastating.

[chasc.taylor_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegy for the Undead has been sitting on my TBR for far too long, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up. This story is deeply emotional, and while I wasn’t quite prepared for it, I loved every moment. Set against the backdrop of a pandemic/zombie apocalypse, the true heart of the book is the romance between Jude and Lyle.

Told in a nonlinear, dual POV structure that works beautifully, their relationship feels raw and authentic. Their love isn’t perfect, and the struggles they face are relatable, which made it all the more powerful. Despite its novella length, this story packs an incredible emotional punch, and I wasn’t ready for it to end.

It’s rare that a book makes me cry. It’s even rarer to finish a book and immediately want to start it all over again. Elegy for the Undead has officially ended my five-star drought. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“That’s the thing about love: it’s messy. It builds you and breaks you and makes you question everything about yourself, but you never hold any of that against your partner. You don’t push it onto them as a problem; you ask yourself how you’re going to change —if you want to change—to be a better you, to have a better relationship, to love and be loved in the way you want. “

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

Elegy For the Undead is a novella that takes place while an apocalyptic zombie-like pandemic sweeps across the country. The pandemic theme is secondary to the love story between the two main characters, Jude and Lyle. It read more like a coming of age story than the horror story I was anticipating.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m dumb and didn’t read the preview and had no idea this was about a fucking zombie apocalypse which is so off brand but it was actually so cute and sweet. 3.5 stars

[Amanda Sola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread thoughts: Still love it lol

This time around, I was able to consider Lyle and Jude as individual characters a little more. One thing about this book is that a lot of the character growth is unsaid or brushed over. So we have Lyle in college considering his own physical needs and not communicating leading to indiscretion. As the couple grew and learned to communicate, he found that physicality is much more than sex and the cowardice in his youth turned into the man that tried to fight a zombie to protect the man he loves. He was afraid to lose Jude and wanted to hurt him but then turned around and chose to let Jude go as his illness was overtaking him. It was a beautiful but subtle transformation.

Jude is a saint. That's all :)
__________________________________
Yes, this is a book with zombie like creatures, although more of the Crazies type of zombies. But this was way more than zombies. The zombie aspect was more of an allegory for a long, fatal illness, like AIDs or cancer and how you can get sick and try to live your life still, but it's always there, waiting to take you. It's a love story and a moving on story and a growing up story all in one. This was beautifully written, and I was honestly sad when it ended.

[Tessa {bleeds glitter} · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't tell if the disconnect I felt came from the writing or the fact that one of the narrators sounded like he was being sarcastic all the time, especially when doing voices.

I'm not sure we needed the zombie apocalypse drama for the tragedy of having a loved one loose themselves to an illness over time (I feel like this was a bit more of an Alzheimers allegory than other mortal illnesses but maybe that's just me), especially because it was over quite quickly and easily afterwards. It was... engaging, sure, but I feel like there could have been another setting.

Still, it's a moving book about different moments that defined the relationship between our two protagonists and the eventual and tragic death of one them that they both see coming.

(I'm glad the book ended on the wedding vows because I was about to start ugly crying but I truly cannot stand that kind of romantic love confessing atm and so my heartless cringing lessened the blow significantly)

[Matthew Vesely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did write this, so I’m incredibly bias. But hey, if you like gays and the harsh parts of love, might be for you!

[Kate♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5stars

This was a really beautiful little book that explored the idea of grief and grieving someone who is terminally ill through the use of the zombie apocalypse. I think it also had some great metaphors and ideas about mental health and I really liked everything this had to say.

I didn't like how much of this very short little book was about cheating, though... it made me not love the characters as much which didn't help with the emotional side of things. But, that was my only real critique of it.

Overall I'd highly recommend and definitely get tissues ready - I wouldn't recommend this for people who are grieving or are sensitive to things like that because tbh I'm not sensitive at all to it and this book really had me going through an existential crisis and getting upset thinking about wtf I'd do if me and my own husband were in this situation so

[Sam Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is very good.

their relationship was painfully relatable and familiar which made me enjoy and also hate reading this lol but as good as the characters are, the plot for this was lacking some and this is a different horror. i figured with a zombie (and big sigh pandemic) story there would be a bit more spooky scary action but it felt more lit fic (not a bad thing, expectations were just in the wrong place) overall this story is heartbreaking and sad and i'm very happy i've read this <3

[Miss Syreena · Rating 4 out of 5]

At its heart, a queer love story told from different time periods around a zombie plague (ahem, apocalypse). Great character development and would make for a suspenseful movie if we could include the flashes forward and backward throughout.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

A very different type of zombie story, although it wasn't without its heart racing and anxious scenes of running from and killing the undead! It's more that it uses the zombie genre as a lens to take a deep look at a gay relationship between two men who meet in high school, become friends in university, fall in love (not without its bumps, including some infidelity and terrible communication), and get married.

During an outbreak of a virus that causes zombification, one of them gets infected, while the other doesn't. Very sweet and cute, while realistic and also occasionally scary and gory. An odd mix that works most of the time.

[bweadbun · Rating 4 out of 5]

the kind of love only a zombie apocalypse can bring out in a person😭😭 bill and frank in another universe <3

“I want to relive it like it’s happening all over again. Perhaps living again in this way is the beautiful death we all deserve. […] All these horrible moments feel more controllable now, as if nostalgia gives me greater strength but less truth.”

(tbh i’d rate this higher if not for all the pop culture references but that’s just personal preference)

[Rissa (rissasreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 - I listened to the audiobook at work and I literally had to go to the bathroom to finish the last chapter because I was crying.
This is such a sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and gut wrenching read. I really loved both of our main characters, flaws and all, because they are so perfectly human. Especially in the face of this awful illness that will take someone away, their love remained perfectly intact and they embraced each other even more. My god, this was a story that made me want to hug my partner and never let them go and I love that.
I think the way this story was told took away from my enjoyment when I was listening to the audiobook because I felt confused at points by where we were in the timeline of the story and I feel had I actually read this, that wouldn't have happened. So that did take away from my enjoyment a little bit but I feel like that's just a format issue not a story issue.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. Nope. Not what I was looking for- wanted zombies. Was promised zombies. This was dystopian drivel; more about the love story than apocolyptic events. Not a hater but did not meet expectations. Happy so many others enjoyed it.
Glad it was short.

[Ej Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought about my girlfriend when I read this which made me cry a lot. I LOVE GAY PEOPLE 🗣️🗣️🗣️

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quiet little book that focuses less on zombie adventure and more on the mundane dynamics in a couple — and how that changes with illness and tragedy.

[John Perine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I love you more than I’m scared of you.”

The saddest and most beautiful zombie story there will ever be.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I've been on the hunt for a literary zombie book for a while, because I think one should exist, the way literary vampire, werewolf, and witch (to say nothing of ghost) novels exist. I think the issue is that the zombie apocalypse obsession in the early-mid 2010s gave the idea of zombies a certain... stink, which is a shame because there's so much potential, I think. There's their roots in Black culture, of course, coming from Haitian and Central African folklore, and them being reanimated corpses without soul gives the opportunity for commentary on grief that differs from other dead or undead monsters like vampires and ghosts. I think the closest I've come so far to the type of zombie novel I'd like to see more of is Pet Semetary.

So naturally, I was very excited to hear of the existence of Elegy of the Undead, after it was given a glowing review from a Youtuber I enjoy. A literary zombie novel that's less of a zombie novel and more of a slow exploration of love and grief and the relationship of these two men? Sign me the fuck up.

It is not a good sign when I finish a 127 page novella and my first thought is "woof".

I said in my review of Medusa of the Roses that sometimes, the writing is so pretty I will forgive any and all sins, and that is true. The opposite, however, is also true- the writing can be so bad that I can and will overlook things I liked or at least typically enjoy in books because of that. For me, this was not good writing, not in the slightest, and it sank this novella. A 127 page novella should be a piece of cake, but when I'm drowing in bland, YA-y writing (no surprises here that Shaun David Hutchinson gave this a 5), it took me four whole days to read it and not because I was trying to savor it.

It also didn't help that I kept getting Lyle and Jude's perspectives mixed and I'm still not entirely convinced either of these men aren't the same person. I think the author kept trying to give Lyle especially a very distinct personality, a sort of snarky, oversexed cool boy thing, but it didn't really land because it wasn't reflected at all in his narrative voice, which remained pretty bland and flat.

Like, I actually got a little pissed off during that scene where Lyle cheats on Jude with that guy from his writing class, because the entire time he's making fun of this guy's bad writing and I just wanted to be like "honestly look at yourself first, before you make up a character for us to hate because he writes like a wannabe Hemingway".

I also thought their relationship was so bland. Look, I love a good mundane book, and I'm a romantic so I can pretty easily get swept away by a love story and grief, but there just wasn't anything there for me to latch onto. The writing wasn't pretty enough to make the mundane kind of love portrayed here beautiful, and the character's declarations of eternal love and marriage felt startlingly hollow because of it. The attempts at pretty quotations felt generic and hallmark-movie-y, and at times laughable- Lyle being like "This is going to get graphic and if this is too much information for you, this isn't the book for you, this is a real depiction of our love story" and then following that with the most vanilla sex scene I have ever read made me audibly snort.

If I ever have to read a warning like that again I better be fucking traumatized by the paragraphs that follow.

Let's talk about zombies now (finally!)

This is the first and will be the only zombie apocalypse book I have ever read, and I do appreciate it for confirming that I do, in fact, have no interest in that specific plot. I guess I could see a future where I read a Night-of-the-Living-Dead type book, but I just don't want to read or watch anything that associates zombies and viruses. My taste in medical body horror is very specific, and viruses and virology have always been a bit too "Michael Crighton-y" for me to have any interest in them.

I think the greater problem is that the parts dealing with the zombie outbreak were just straightforward action and not really anything I'd find intriguing about such an outbreak, which is, you know, the idea that you'd have kill your loved ones or someone's loved ones and how you'd be able to compartmentalize the idea that the person who looks a lot like your spouse or child is doing horrible things and you'd have to kill them to protect yourself and others.

I think this book wanted to do that, but was hindered by the poor writing and bland characters and overemphasis on action.

Honestly, the only reason why this is a two and not a one is because I think it's just not memorable enough to be a one? Ones have to be something truly special in their own horrible way, and this was just not it. I think the best comparison is actually Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda because I also found that book just entirely unspecial in every way despite it desperately wanting to be special. If anyone has any suggestions for a zombie book that might be more up my alley, let me know!

[Chanel Chapters]

I was rooting for the zombies over the unfaithful husband.

2⭐️

[Phu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn sách này làm mình nhớ tới câu hỏi trước đây mình từng bàn luận với một người bạn, sẽ ra sao nếu người thân yêu bên cạnh mình trở thành một xác sống? Đó là câu hỏi mà cặp đôi đồng tính Jude và Lyle gặp phải. Khi đại dịch kỳ lạ xuất hiện khiến cho những người mắc phải trở nên mất trí và điên cuồng không ngừng tàn sát đồng loại, thì không may khi Lyle đã bị cắn và nhiễm bệnh.

I’m sorry if these details make you uncomfortable. But this story isn’t for those who’d shy away when it comes to the more intimate details of a relationship. This is for those who want to see how a physical connection, as well as an emotional connection, grew and matured out of a youthful passion; for those who want to see an unbashful love from its earliest stages.

Elegy for the Undead gợi nhớ cho mình tác phẩm cùng chủ đề là Our Wives Under the Sea, cả hai tác phẩm đều sử dụng một điểm tựa cho sự kinh dị mà không cần phải máu me và hù dọa, đó là sự mất mát. Điều mình đánh giá cao Elegy for the Undead vì nó tạo nên được sự kết nối thật sự với cặp đôi Jude và Lyle. Tác giả Matthew Vesely biết cách sử dụng trải nghiệm thực tế mà thổi hồn vào tác phẩm - mình cảm nhận được những cảm xúc và chi tiết thật sự rất LGBT :))) Sự ham muốn và đam mê mãnh liệt của Lyle về tình dục là một ví dụ điển hình mà mình thích.

Mình đánh giá cao cách tác giả xây dựng được mối quan hệ của hai nhân vật, văn phong của tác phẩm thực sự đẹp và nên thơ, nhưng thi thoảng lại vụng về và đôi phần dài dòng, nhưng cái sự vụng về của tác phẩm lại hợp lý giữa những hỗn mang của ký ức và bối cảnh của cuốn sách đến không tưởng

Không khai thác nguồn cơn của dịch bệnh, mà nó được sử dụng để khai thác mối quan hệ giữa hai nhân vật chính, khai thác cách một mối quan hệ vận hành. Lyle từ lâu đã là một "xác sống" anh chẳng cảm thấy bất cứ điều gì và luôn vô định trong mọi sinh hoạt, sự mộng mơ của một nhà văn và cả người bạn đời Jude là liều thuốc tạm thời để Lyle bám víu mà "sống". Trái ngược với Lyle mộng mơ thì Jude thuộc về thực tại, nếu tình yêu của Lyle phải cháy rực và tàn lụi thì tình yêu của Jude lại êm đềm và nhẫn nại; tình yêu và thử thách của hai nhân vật là cách để ta phải chấp nhận tình yẻu là như thế, tình yêu đòi hỏi sự cân bằng và trao đổi. Dịch bệnh trở thành một hình ảnh hoàn hảo cho tâm hồn của một nhà văn như Lyle, và nó cũng trở thành một cái cớ để cặp đôi nhìn lại những ký ức - thứ trở thành một khúc bi ca cho câu chuyện đẫm tình này.