Review: Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos
What does a transformed life actually look like? In Night of the Living Dead Christian: One Man’s Ferociously Funny Quest to Discover What It Means to Be Truly Transformed, author Matt Mikalatos uses movie monsters to humorously yet thought-provokingly examine this question. The story follows Matt (yes, a character in his own story, which was written in the first person) as he meets werewolves, vampires, zombies, and mad scientists in his own neighborhood. “Interludes” in the story provide insight into the thoughts of Luther Martin, a werewolf that Matt befriends and vows to help. As the story unfolds, we come to realize that each of the “monsters” represent a behavior that is common among those who claim to know Christ. This allegorical story seeks to show us how to become truly transformed from monsters into the real humans God intended us to be.
This book had me laughing out loud. Mikalatos paints a hilarious picture and then does a fantastic job using that to deliver a stirring message. There are some truly touching moments in the book, despite the hilarity, and the underlying message is an important one. The writing style is fun, the characters absurd and yet believable (if that doesn’t make sense, all I can say is that you need to read it to understand).
If you want to become the person God intended, I encourage you to read this book and then examine yourself. Are you a werewolf? A zombie? A vampire? Read this, determine for yourself, and then ask Christ to help you to leave your inner monster behind.
