October is the month of horror movies, but unfortunately, after a while, they can all get to be too similar. When I heard that "The Girl with All the Gifts" was going to be a movie, I was ecstatic! This book, by M.R. Carey, was an extremely refreshing read in the horror/thriller genre. The movie just released on Sept. 23, so if you're the type to read it before you see it, this might give you a little insight on what exactly to expect.

"The Girl with All the Gifts" is one of those books that is best to know as little as possible about the plot line before you read it. That way, all the mysteries can be solved with your own theories and it's just entirely more fun to read. However, if you don't mind knowing a little more about the book, or just want to know what it's about other than the vague description on the back of the book, read on!

Melanie is a bright and intuitive ten-year-old girl who has known nothing but her cell room, a classroom, a shower room, and the hallways in between. Her days begin with soldiers pointing guns at her, strapping her to a wheelchair, and pushing her into a classroom. This is where Melanie learns about the outside world around her, and some of it, as she finds out, no longer exists. The teachers are switched daily, but Miss Justineau is Melanie's favorite. At the end of the day, she is wheeled back to her cell, left to herself.

Life seems to go on normally for Melanie, until one day when she is taken away to a lab, likely to be tested on. There is an attack at the base, and she manages to survive along with Miss Justineau, the doctor who wanted to test on her, and two soldiers. Despite their differences and the dangers that they present to one another, they trek on to find a safer area.

It is evident fairly early on that this is a zombie novel. This is something that I am fond of, but I can see how marketing it as a zombie novel might put it off to other people. This book is about zombies, but in a quite atypical fashion.

There's blood, guts, and gore, but there is also a fascinating science aspect to the zombies. There is a solid "why" to the parasite, and, to me, that is what a lot of zombie novels lack. I was amazed at how beautiful the prose was. The descriptions of Melanie's feelings and her first experience of the outside world were as beautiful as the zombies were terrifying (think 28 Days Later zombies--they are fast and ruthless).

The characters were flawed and all carried their own baggage. Everyone had a past that somehow affected they way they lived. The younger soldier, Gallagher, was one of my favorite characters, aside from Melanie. He was born right around the time the world started falling to pieces, so all he knows is the rubble, the ruin, and the hardship that came with it. He is fascinated by how things were in the past, and the things that mattered, like paper money. This is just one of the few things that make the story an entirely unique spin on the zombie genre.

The ending was hopeful and heartbreaking at the same time. It was something that I didn't see coming from a mile away and really stuck with me. It was also part of the reason why I gave it such a high rating--a zombie book with actual closure for an ending is exceedingly rare and something to be commended. I don't remember the last time I read something with as good of an ending as "The Girl with All the Gifts."

If you're looking for something action-packed and haunting, yet contains intelligence and innocence, I would highly recommend picking this one up. The movie may or may not stick to the book, but if the general plot and characters intrigue you, it's certainly worth a shot!