Reviews

This is an incredibly interesting portrayal of the events of and following an apocalyptic event, from the perspective of an ordinary family man. From the start of the book, the author builds a relatability to the characters. But the scary part about reading the book is that, although the actions taken by characters, I have never done and most likely will never do, the reasoning and thought process behind the actions I can definitely understand and relate to. This book portrays the brutal nature of humanity and really makes me question what I would do and if I would act better. I hope I would, but the fact I have to question myself is terrifying.

I think the portrayal of and treatment of women in the book is useful in understanding the attitudes of the time.

It shocked me that after Ann and her daughter experienced an incredibly traumatic event, the rest of the group were more shocked that Ann took revenge in a brutal fashion. Throughout the rest of the book they looked at her almost as a mental case as if her action wasn't completely justified, and that as a woman she shouldn't have been capable of doing it.

Another truly worrying thing about reading this book, is that although it portrays some of the most awful aspects of humanity, I feel dissensified. Which I guess is a reflection of modern life and media.

Content Warnings

lena842's review against another edition

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adventurous sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

sade's review against another edition

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1.0

At first this book was amusing, then it quickly descended into absolute filth.
If you have a list of classics aging badly, this book should take the crown. What was the point?

John Christopher: Humans are morally reprehensible creatures. Not giving Mother Nature her due

Reader: Well Yes but...

JC: TERRIBLE TERRIBLE I SAY!! Hmm should write a book about this.

Reader: John your characters seem to have no nuance. Everyone is just terrible for the sake of being terrible

JC: HUMANS ARE DESPICABLE CREATURES. SEE MY BOOK EXPLAINS IT.

Reader: But why are they...

JC: HUMANS ARE TERRIBLE...KILL KILL KILL. RAPE THE WOMEN.

Reader: I don't think...

JC: Ok ok i'll add some thought provoking quotes to make everything more palatable. *clears throat*
Pity was always a luxury. It's all right if the tragedy's a comfortable distance away. If you can watch it from the seat in a cinema. It's different when you find it on your doorstep- on every doorstep.

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mylesjmc's review against another edition

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3.0

I would recommend the book to anyone who is a fan of the works of John Wyndham, though I don't think this is quite as good. The story follows a band of friends travelling from London to find a safe haven in the north after the death of crops causes a breakdown in civilisation. There are tough choices and gruelling experiences ahead for the characters. It's a good book and certainly feels grounded in reality. The things that happen to them and the way they respond never feels forced or convenient. They face hard decisions and make ruthless choices. I've been trying to pin down why it's not quite as good as Wyndham novel. I think that perhaps it's the richness of the world. Some of the description of place didn't really paint a strong picture in my mind. The characters are distinct but not very distinctive. I always felt like I was watching what was happening to the characters from above, like a godlike observer, rather than being drawn into the narrative as though I was there amongst them. That's the only reason I've not given the story more stars in my rating. I would still recommend reading it though.

doctorsophie's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

tristhenerd's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this book for class, so while it wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, I loved it the more we analyzed it and its characters. Especially when I had to compare it to the movie "Threads" about another apocalypse, it was very interesting to compare different versions of a British apocalypse.

ruby4sure's review against another edition

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1.0

Literally the worst book I have ever read. How a story as interesting as a virus destroying all the grains in the world can be so badly executed is beyond me. The characters are all horrendous, slipping from being every day middle class families into some neandrathal gender roles within minutes of the outbreak being announced. The men are all one dimensional savages and the women reduced to maids and prostitutes - even when the 'good father's daughter and wife are kidnapped and assaulted all he can think about it how they should get over it. Not only is it implicitly and explicitly sexist, it is terribly written with dialogue between characters not far off note form, used only to drive the plot and never ever testing or developing the characters. How this has become a modern classic I do not know, other than to demonstrate how much of a miracle it has lasted so long.

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