How far would you go for love?
Leigh Radford‘s One Yellow Eye is a novel that explores the bounds (if there are any at all) of sacrifice, love, and devotion through the most unique of lenses, the zombie apocalypse. London is ravaged by a strange virus, one that essentially turns folks into zombies. While the spread has been contained to just London, the extensive ripples of grief, loss, and trauma are felt across the city, particularly by Kesta, a scientist who has lost her husband, Tim. Except, he isn’t dead, no. He is unalive, Kesta keeping him “stable” while she works tirelessly to find a cure through a covert government research program. Keeping Tim from death’s full grasp and devoting herself to scientific prowess proves to be a daunting balancing act, Kesta’s emotional conflict spiraling from guilt and obsession. Her devotion persisting, the question of how far is too far, both in science and love, looms larger and larger until heartbreaking choices must be made.
It is not hyperbole to say that One Yellow Eye is an emotionally gut-wrenching novel, one that magnifies so many human emotions through the heightened peril of life, death, and the in-between made possible through zombies. While these creatures have always made for interesting horror fiction, Radford’s take on the humanity of such a thing, the micro levels in which pain and conflict exist, feels deeply personal. A certain grit and tenacity is implemented through Kesta’s character that is matched with overwhelming grief and guilt to deliver one emotionally tumultuous cocktail of introspection. What does love look like in the face of the impossible? And what does it mean to let go, to really move on? Can you?
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this novel is the convergence of head and heart, logic and emotion. In many ways and despite the difference of subject, it feels as though One Yellow Eye is a story in conversation with Frankenstein with themes of mad, unethical science running rampant amidst a sea of violent emotion ravaging each character for various reasons. Radford writes an incredibly gripping narrative surrounding the research of the virus, the race to understand its origins, and how these findings will be utilized. Pages absolutely flew by at a startling pace when the scientific investigation begins to ramp up, fueling the fire established by Kesta’s emotional subterfuge. Yes, the heart of the story is about love, acceptance, and letting go, but Leigh Radford deserves her flowers for tense, propulsive writing regarding the mystery of science, the ethical implications of research, and beyond.
A gripping novel on multiple levels, One Yellow Eye is a debut that packs a punch, loaded with deeper meaning and an appeal to humanity’s desperation to connect. Leigh Radford crafts a story that balances logical horrors with deeply unsettling matters of the heart to depict the unforgiving nature of grief. The underlying examination of ethical dilemmas beyond the personal level cannot be overstated in it’s importance, a timely factor that elevates this story beyond measure. Complex, grief-filled, and poignant, One Yellow Eye is a love story, a tragedy, and a horror story all rolled into one succinct volume worthy of rapt attention.
One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford releases on July 15, 2025 from Gallery Books. The audiobook, narrated by Sofia Engstrand, is available for pre-order at Libro.fm!
