Review | Wranglestone by Darren Charlton

Peter has lived his entire life in the small community of Wranglestone. Living on an island surrounded by water, he and his father are survivors in a post-apocalyptic world filled with the Dead. But as winter approaches, a stranger appears on his island. The repercussion from this encounter leads to Peter venturing into the mainland with Copper, the boy he crushes on. And what they discover during their journey will change everything.

But then winter was the one season every Lake Lander feared. Not because Montana was about to get colder than a bald eagle’s gaze, but because the Dead could make it across the lake’s frozen waters.

Wranglestone is a beautifully written zombie horror story featuring a gay protagonist. It is lovely to read a Young Adult story where gay characters are accepted without fuss. There are no homophobic scenes, instead, they have to contend with the threats of zombies and a world where survival is of the utmost importance. The description of the national park where Peter live is vivid and stark. I really liked the prose, at times it felt like I was watching a movie.

Peter is the kind of teenage male protagonist we don’t always see. He’s a homebody who loves to sew, hates fighting, and is close to his father. His naivety made me frustrated at times but it makes sense for someone who’s been sheltered all his life. Yet he’s full of empathy and kindness. Everything he knew about the world before, he had to learn from his father and other people in the community. His budding romance with Cooper moves fast but I thought their scenes are so sweet that I didn’t mind. Peter experiences real character growth and learns from his mistakes.

I’ve consumed a lot of zombie stories through pop culture so there isn’t much in the plot that surprised me. I had issues with the way the story dips and rises instead of building consistently towards the climax. I also found myself picking on certain things that are unclear. One of the confusing choices was that the zombies had too many names – the Dead, Restless Ones, Pale Wanderers, Zees. But I liked how the theme of Us vs Them plays a large part in the story and how fear causes characters to make terrible decisions. There are betrayals, secrets revealed, and an overarching mystery.

Overall, Wranglestone is an emotional, haunting reimagining of the zombie apocalypse and the perfect read during this time of self-isolation. I’m looking forward to the sequel!

I received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley for review purposes.

About the author: Darren Charlton