The book revolves around the unexplained reanimation of thousands of recently deceased people in Stockholm.

The plot focuses on the reactions of society and the many conflicts that arise between Swedish authorities and the relatives of the undead; the horror is less in the uncanny animation of corpses but in the realities of grief, loss and our own inevitable mortality.

A Swedish film adaptation was reportedly in development since 2005, based on a screenplay by Lindqvist and to be directed by Kristian Petri.

[1][2] In 2022, a Norwegian-Swedish adaptation, directed by Thea Hvistendahl in her feature directorial debut, was announced.

[3][4] In September 2022, it was announced that the film stars Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie and that Neon had acquired the North American and UK distribution rights.