Another fantastic book from Darren Shan. I will say if you have problems reading about violence, physical abuse or racists then this isn't the book for you, try a different Shan book :)
Shan gave a great insight into how racism can be passed down through the generations and how difficult it can be as a child to challenge the view of a parent, especially if that parent is a violent individual.
The zombies really only came into play at the end of this novel which gave plenty of time for setting up the main characters.
Can't wait to dive into the next book.