"The must-read prequel to the "strange and unexpected" (Audrey Niffenegger) and "highly original" (Seattle Times) zombie love story Warm Bodies--the New York Times bestseller and inspiration for the hit film--from the critically acclaimed author whose clever debut turned the classic horror story on its head. The end of the world didn't happen overnight. After years of war, societal breakdown, freak storms, and rising tides, humanity already hovered...

With both joy and fear, seventeen-year-old Ariel begins to explore her sexuality, while living with her controlling, abusive father who has told Ariel that her mother deserted her years ago.