Unbound: Origins by Byna Whitlock

Date finished: 10 June 2015

Series: Unbound

Rating: 4/5

Short, fast-paced and edgy, Unbound: Origins is an anthology of short stories that create an atmosphere of confusion, tension and excitement in anticipation of Whitlock’s upcoming novel, Unbound. Although the stories provide only fragments of an apocalyptic world in which a zombie virus is rapidly spreading, it’s pretty evident that Whitlock has a knack for weaving together a dark and suspenseful story.

Zombies and the apocalypse are two of my favourite things (to read about, obviously), but that’s only one of the reasons I’m so excited for the release of Whitlock’s novel. Although zombies are probably the least-explored aspect of all things supernatural and spooky in literature (and even then, they're still pretty prominent), it’s very difficult to come up with a story that’s both original and interesting. From what I’ve read, I think Whitlock has succeeded in doing just that. On top of this, her writing is strangely addictive in its clipped yet enticing style, which really enhances her stories.

I'm currently struggling against a desperate need to read the novel right now. Even though Unbound: Origins is just a snippet of the world Whitlock's created, I'm already obsessed. If her short stories are anything to go by, the novel is bound to be dark and phenomenal - the kind of book you bunk school or work to read, and then force your friends to do the same. 

Highly recommended.

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