Zombies vs. Unicorns by so many people I don't want to even try listing

 

        At first, a seemingly normal book in the teen fiction section. The next minute, a rollercoaster of excellently written short stories, that will leave you nauseous from the downright insanity contained in them. With a changed mind and an ecstatic heart, I present to you Zombies vs. Unicorns by Team Unicorn, consisting of Holly Black, Kathleen Duey, Meg Cabot, Garth Nix, Margo Lanagan, Naomi Novik, and Diana Peterfreund, and Team Zombie, consisting of Justine Larbalestier, Libba Bray, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, Scott Westerfeld, and Carrie Ryan. Enjoy!

Summary

        This is an anthology containing many short stories on both zombies and unicorns, written to convince you to choose which mythical organism is better. As the ideas "better" or "worse" are purely subjective, every reader will think differently about the two organisms by the end of the book. The leader of Team Unicorn, Holly Black, argues that unicorns are healers, arbiters of justice, and, occasionally, majestic man-killers. Zombies drool and shed and probably carry diseases. On the other hand, the leader of Team Zombie, Justine Larbalestier, says that zombies are our own walking deaths. Funny, grim, and terrifying, they cannot be escaped. Unicorns are sparkly and pastel and fart rainbows. As you progress through the unique short stories this book has to offer, remember that each story is separate from the other, filled with different characters and settings. Yet notice, that despite the uniqueness of every story, there lies the same underlying theme of insanity present in every one of them. Follow these characters, read about their experiences with these mythical organisms, and enjoy the authors' banter as you progress through this book. So, zombie or unicorn, which do you think is better?

Review

        This book is HILARIOUS. The stories are so insane that you just want to laugh at every page. Even the entire premise of why this anthology was written is unexpected and humorous. Starting off the book with a strong and funny introduction, all I wanted to do was read more. Soon, I finished it completely and thought, I want to read it again. Each story has its own eccentric characters with their own unique and hilarious backstories.  Even the authors have such backstories, as mentioned in the introduction. Every plot was sly and suspenseful, and in my opinion, created to perfectly emphasize the pure insanity behind each story. If you are looking for a wild and crazy read that will take you across time and space, or just looking for a way to test your sanity, I suggest you read this book.

        As mentioned before, this book is HILARIOUS. As it deserves, I give this book a 5-star rating.

        Disclaimer: This book contains language and references that may be inappropriate for teens. It can also be quite gruesome and graphic at some points. Honestly, in my opinion, this book should be adult-rated. However, if you can look past all these things, this book will still be highly enjoyable, and you'll finish it before you know it.

- Max Bolton