by Elizabeth (link)
Genre crossover, horror
Pairings Avery/Daryl, Jessica/Glenn, Kate/OFC, Taylor/Maggie, Zac/Beth, Zac/Kate
Length 24 chapters
Status Completed (part of the Panic In The Streets series)
Although I began reading Contagion while I still hadn’t seen The Walking Dead, I enjoyed the story enough that it prompted me to begin watching the show. By that point, I had almost come to see Hanson as an integral part of that world, so it was interesting to begin seeing just how Elizabeth had woven them into the world of TWD.
Just as in the first story in this series, Contagion sees the Hanson family’s interpersonal drama sometimes taking center stage. With the group stationary for so long at the farm, it’s easy for various romantic entanglements to take precedence over sheer survival. Most of these relationships develop so well in Elizabeth’s writing that it surprised me, upon finally watching the show, to see how much she had changed. Others, especially the ones involving large age differences, take longer for me to become comfortable with.
Over the course of Contagion, as walkers begin to invade the farm, Elizabeth’s ability to weave Hanson into the world of The Walking Dead only improves. They each find their own role in it, but these roles aren’t predictable. I attempted to guess how things would end, but Elizabeth threw in a few surprises, at least one of which isn’t fully revealed in the main story, but in a oneshot set afterward. By this point, Hanson really feel like they belong in this world, and I’m frantically watching the show just to try to prepare myself for what Elizabeth is going to surprise me with next.
Review by Bethany (website)