Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie

Every child in the world is dead. Every single one. Herod's Event has decimated the entire population of prepubescent children. It starts in one small town and spreads like wild fire through out the entire world.

Parent's are left grieving. They are no quick answers to the sudden loss of their children. There are mass burials and just as parent's are coming to terms with the death of their child, children begin to rise from the dead.

The children smell like decay and are rotting from the inside out. They are former versions of themselves. They can't speak, they don't play, the sit and stare. Parents find a solution but not a cure-all.

The remedy gives them minutes or hours of time with a more animated version of their child. With each passing day, children become violent versions of themselves and parents must choose whether or not to continue or cease treatment.

The story starts of with a bang and draws you in. The portrayal of grief is real. The creep factor is at an all time high. The premise is disturbing, yet simple ---- however I felt no connection.

 I wanted the dead to stay dead. I couldn't fathom why one would want to live with and continue to nurture a parasite with the face and body of their child. I couldn't get around the idea of sacrificing all for short, fear fueled moments with a stinky, bad tempered, angry, malicious thing. The end is predictable and this read was left unimpressed.

Grade: C-