The thought of 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' never really appealed to me, however the idea of Abraham Lincoln as an axe-wielding vampire slayer was an intriguing concept.
Packed full of historical facts, this is a very entertaining version of an alternative history of a figure I knew little about, other than his dramatic assassination.
There is a dark comic element to this book, emphasised by the series of 'photographs' which have been mildly doctored for effect. However, this is also a great way to learn about a very important time in history. Grahame-Smith intertwines 2 stories one fact and one fiction - the fight against slavery and the freedom of all individuals, regardless of their colour, simultaneously taking place with the growing battle of the rise of the vampire and their goal of taking over and enslaving the entire human race.
Both these stories share the themes of injustice, freedom, and equal rights. The notion of slavery here encompasses all regardless of race, and the idea of war - all wars spanning from the American Civil War right through to WWII and beyond - stems from this notion of inequality and an unhealthy thirst for elitism.
There is a strong gothic theme underpinning the novel, and a chance meeting between Abraham Lincoln and Edgar Allen Poe simply adds to the dark undercurrents that are taking place.
This really was a surprisingly easy read and one I would recommend to anyone looking for something different.
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