Tag Archives: The Girl With All The Gifts

AudioBook, Book, Review, Sci-Fi, Zombies

The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

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The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. CareyI became aware of The Girl With All the Gifts from finding and viewing the movie — which was AMAZING!

I recently completed the audiobook by M.R. Carey, narrated by Finty Williams.  Among other accomplishments M.R. “Mike” Carey  is the current writer on Marvel’s X-Men.  Finty Williams is an English actress and the daughter of Dame Judi Dench.

The basic premise of the story …
In the future humanity has all-but been wiped out by a fungus.  This new and powerful spore turns the host — human beings — into mindless eating machines, referred to as “hungries”.  When they are prompted to capture and consume some protein they can move at high speeds, without fatigue, and be deadly.  When it comes to food … birds, cats, dogs, humans … anything will do.

Melanie is a 10 year old girl living a controlled life on a military base.  She very smart, loves learning, and likes her teacher.  When the base falls under attack, everything breaks down — Melanie, her teacher, a scientist, and a few military men are thrust into the wild.

And this is where I don’t say anything more to avoid giving spoilers.

All that said …

I thought the film was good.  The book, so far as I could tell, had more going on in it — as books often do.  I would say that the film did a great job of honoring the content and spirit of the story — making changes as needed to achieve the film.  As I neared completion of the audiobook I reordered the film from my local library; it will be interesting to re-watch the film.  Also, I have become aware that Carey wrote a second book in the series — a prequel titled “The Boy on the Bridge“.

If you take nothing else away from this commentary — take this …

The book and the film are one of those rare pieces that change everything for its genre — the bar has been raised!

Girl With All The Gifts crosses multiple genres — zombie, military fiction, drama, and even sci-fi.  It gives story elements you do not expect.  Carey has made a futuristic declining-apocalyptical setting that could support many more stories — and with any luck …. it will!

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Movie, Review, Zombies

The Girl With All The Gifts (2016)

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The Girl With All The Gifts immediately
makes the viewer begin to ask questions…

The Girl With All The Gifts
If you found this movie poster disturbing, it’s supposed to be

A 10 year-old girl wakes in the cell of a seemingly military controlled facility, possibly underground.  She rises from her bunk, dresses in a set of faded red sweats, then voluntarily sits in a wheelchair.  Moments after two soldiers enter her cell at gunpoint to strap her arms, legs, and head to the chair, followed by rolling her in to a classroom with similarly secure children.

As class begins you find that all of these kids are very intelligent … and seemingly happy … but soon you find out why these children are so closely controlled. In a post-apocalyptic dystopian future, society has broken down after a fungal disease has infected and all but destroyed humankind.  This mysterious fungus turns its victims into flesh-eating “hungries” – fast moving, mindless, and ravenous zombies.  They are capable of running over long distances, and quickly transferring the infection through their bites.

Let's roll!
I don’t know about you but being strapped to a chair  could have helped me to get through some of my college classes…
RadioTimes.com said that The Girl With All The Gifts is “The best zombie movie since 28 Days Later”
… and BagpiperDon is inclined to agree!

The bar for zombie films
Has Been RAISED.

You know when you hear an album that’s so good you play it twice in a row?  Have you ever had that with a movie?
That was this film for me — I watched it back to back!

Sennia Nanua and Glenn Close
Sennia Nanua and Glenn Close

The Girl With All The Gifts is the most unique and original Z-film I have seen since 28 Days Later and World War Z.  BRILLIANTLY acted by Glenn Close (yes, six time Academy Award-nominated actress Glenn Close is in a zombie film), along with Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, and staring new-comer Sennia Nanua as Melanie, the little girl.  What is it about Brits and Z-movies – The Girl With All The Gifts is SPECTACULAR!  And if Sennia keeps acting like this … she’s going to go FAR — what a treat to see such a future talent!

act 2
The gang hangin’ out up on the roof

By the way, this was directed by Colm McCarthy, one and the same as Peaky Blinders — unbelievably for £4 million, which is about $5 million.  Filming lasted seven weeks in The West Midlands, taking place in Birmingham city centre, Cannock Chase, Dudley and Stoke-on-Trent.   Aerial views of a deserted London were filmed with drones in the abandoned Ukrainian town of Pripyat, which has been uninhabited since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

book cover
Book cover

The Girl With All The Gifts is rated dark Green Ooze and is one of BagpiperDon’s Favourite Zombie Movies.

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OH YEAH!

I even plowed through the book!

The original science-fiction novel, The Girl With All The Gifts, is by M.R. Carey.  Published in June 2014 by Orbit Books, it based on his 2013 Edgar Award nominated short story “Iphigenia In Aulis“.

And now, every e-thing you want about Pripyat…