Molly Bigelow has joined a group called the Omegas whose job it is to protect and police the zombie population that only exists in Manhattan due to the concentration there of schist that gives them their strength. Molly discovers that not only was her mother an Omega, but the girl that she works with at the morgue is one as well. Molly is a natural and finishes her training quickly, but in doing so, she also does not gain the knowledge she needs to become more careful and immediately breaks some of the groups' most sacred rules, but Molly is determined to find out why she and her mother were targeted.

Dead City is a faced paced, action packed story that doesn't let up until the big twist at the very end of the book. There is some character development, however there could have been more, but that is the only complaint I have about this book. It was filled with fun and adventure enough to encourage even the most reluctant middle grade readers. Overall, Dead City is an enjoyable beginning to this unique trilogy. ( )

Outside Molly is recruited to join the Omegas, a secret group that polices and protects zombies.

Severed fingers, death chambers, and scary noises. As far as field trips went, this rated well below the Museum of Natural History. (But it was still better than our class visit to the wastewater treatment plant.)



Up until she meets Natalie, Grayson and Alex, Molly has no friends to speak of. She is a brainy, socially awkward 7th grader attending the Metropolitan Institute of Science & Technology (MIST). Molly helps out in the morgue where her mother worked before she died. Little does Molly know how much her world is about to change. Natalie and the others are Omegas, basically zombie police. Molly finds out the world is more complicated than she thought. New York City is full of zombies. But these aren't your typical zombie. There are three levels: Level 1's look and act just like us and they want to basically live normal lives; Level 2's look and act like us too but they have no soul and therefore no sense of right and wrong; Level 3's are more like the zombies you see in movies, they stay underground most of the time and can't really pass for human. After discovering all of this, Molly finds out that her mother was an Omega too and she prepared her for this work all her life. Molly doesn't always make the right choices, but she does try to do the right thing and the rest of the team stands behind her. The danger of Dead City (underground where the zombies live) is exciting and scary.The surprising twist ending has me dying to read the sequel.

I really enjoyed this book. It manages to look at zombies in a new light. There are a lot of zombie books out there and I have read my fair share. And don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the Walking Dead. But James Ponti has written a book that brings the zombies into a new light and makes them safe entertainment for middle graders.

This book is great for fans of middle grade books. Many of the 4th & 5th graders at my school seem to really enjoy it. It's a great book with lots of action and suspense. It manages to be scary without being too blood and guts graphic (good for middle graders). I flew through this book in a few days and can't wait to read the next one.

Recommended to:
4th - 8th graders who are looking for a twist on the zombie genre. ( )

Dead City by James Ponti

Most kids have enough to deal with between school, homework, extracurricular activities, and friends, but Molly Bigelow has something else on her list: hunting zombies. By day, Molly attends MIST — the Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology — but outside the classroom she’s busy dealing with the undead. Because not only do zombies exist, they’re everywhere, and it’s her job to help police them and keep the peace. Sure, she’d like to be a regular kid, but given that her mother was the most revered (or feared, depending on your perspective) zombie hunter in the history of New York City, “regular” just isn’t possible. Molly’s got some legendary footsteps to follow—and some undeadly consequences if she fails. ( )

Dead City by James Ponti is the start of a new tween zombie series set in New York. Molly Bigelow leads a double life. By day she's a student at MIST (Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology) and at night (and pretty much any time she's not in school), she's dealing with zombies as an Omega.

Now this isn't a zombie apocalypse story. No, whatever did that happened before Molly was born. This is a zombie coexisting with the living story, like the coda of Shaun of the Dead, but for a tween audience. Molly's mother was an Omega too, a member of a team charged with keeping the zombies in line and destroying those who have gone mad.

In this first book, Molly learns that she has what it takes to be an Omega and begins her training. She learns how to disguise herself as a zombie and uncovers some shocking secrets both about the zombie society and her own mother's involvement with the Omegas.

The sequel is Blue Moon which I also loved and will review soon. ( )