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theeclecticreview's review against another edition
5.0
What a chilling book. It's like it has been ripped from the headlines. I couldn't put it down even though I was terrified of the outcome.
Mary Kate Sommers or Lily, as she wants herself known in the care facility, has unfortunately experienced much betrayal and heartache. Her sacrifices have left her alone in a world in crisis. My heart breaks for Lily as she struggles to fight for what she holds dear as she fights for her life.
Who knew Kate Connelly's life as a nurse would come to this? The unfortunate circumstances of the world has changed her profession immensely. The scarcity of drugs and end of life laws are a huge controversy that she deals with daily at work and little does she know it soon will affect her personal life as well. Kate is a kind soul with a loving husband and a rebellious, but adoring daughter. When she finally finds her birth mother, it is understandable she is hesitant, but what she finds out is shocking and tragic.
Lily and Kate are such wonderful characters who have been through so much and the love they can both give each other is there, but is it too late?
This exceptional book tackles a frightening health care crisis and how it affects the most vulnerable of our society. Ms. Smith also includes critical factual data which she notes both in her book and on her website which I believe everyone should be aware of when it comes to antibiotic drug resistance. Recommend highly!
Thank you to Ms. Smith for giving me the opportunity read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Mary Kate Sommers or Lily, as she wants herself known in the care facility, has unfortunately experienced much betrayal and heartache. Her sacrifices have left her alone in a world in crisis. My heart breaks for Lily as she struggles to fight for what she holds dear as she fights for her life.
Who knew Kate Connelly's life as a nurse would come to this? The unfortunate circumstances of the world has changed her profession immensely. The scarcity of drugs and end of life laws are a huge controversy that she deals with daily at work and little does she know it soon will affect her personal life as well. Kate is a kind soul with a loving husband and a rebellious, but adoring daughter. When she finally finds her birth mother, it is understandable she is hesitant, but what she finds out is shocking and tragic.
Lily and Kate are such wonderful characters who have been through so much and the love they can both give each other is there, but is it too late?
This exceptional book tackles a frightening health care crisis and how it affects the most vulnerable of our society. Ms. Smith also includes critical factual data which she notes both in her book and on her website which I believe everyone should be aware of when it comes to antibiotic drug resistance. Recommend highly!
Thank you to Ms. Smith for giving me the opportunity read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
kaygee_reads's review against another edition
challenging
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
calturner's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, what thrilling and thought provoking read The Waiting Rooms is! Reading this book at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic definitely puts a different and more poignant spin on the things that happen in this brilliant piece of speculative fiction.
In a world where antibiotics have stopped working, leading to a worldwide crisis where many lives have been lost, life for everyone has changed. Even the slightest infection can now kill and, with new drugs in very limited supply, the over seventies are no longer offered treatment. The story is told from the alternate points of view of Kate, Lily and Mary, with the details of what happened in the past and what is happening now slowly being revealed bit by bit as we move through the book.
I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling the story, so all I will say is that this book drew me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final page had been turned. A shocking but scarily relevant read, this is a stunning debut that I would not hesitate to recommend.
Outstanding!
Look out for my full and expanded review as part of the blog tour soon.
In a world where antibiotics have stopped working, leading to a worldwide crisis where many lives have been lost, life for everyone has changed. Even the slightest infection can now kill and, with new drugs in very limited supply, the over seventies are no longer offered treatment. The story is told from the alternate points of view of Kate, Lily and Mary, with the details of what happened in the past and what is happening now slowly being revealed bit by bit as we move through the book.
I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling the story, so all I will say is that this book drew me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final page had been turned. A shocking but scarily relevant read, this is a stunning debut that I would not hesitate to recommend.
Outstanding!
Look out for my full and expanded review as part of the blog tour soon.
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
All it takes is one dirty surface. One scratch or sneeze. We aren’t visitors anymore, we are targets. Targets for contagion.
And on that happy note, welcome to my review of The Waiting Rooms by Eve Smith! Huge thanks to Orenda Books for the proof copy and to Anne Cater for the tour invite.
I was kindly gifted The Waiting Rooms months ago and I was dead chuffed! A dystopian thriller is so up my street it’s practically in my back garden and The Waiting Rooms was one of my most anticipated 2020 reads. And then COVID-19 happened. While the virus was still in Asia I had a craving for dystopian books but I didn’t get the chance to pick this one up, and then when I did have time, my country went in lockdown and I couldn’t bear the thought of reading anything that reminded me even remotely of what was happening in real life. I really had to give myself some time (and a few pep talks) to get me to pick it up.
Nevertheless, I was caught up in the story very quickly, and I managed to forget everything around me and focus on the lives and issues of the characters instead of my own. Although I have to admit there were some bits that were uncomfortably close to my situation mid-May when I was reading this…
We never used to be afraid of coughs. We barely noticed them. That was part of the problem.
I suspect Eve Smith must be something of a clairvoyant, or she has a firm grasp on the human psyche at the very least. She nails the actions and reactions of people in a health situation they’re not accustomed to and certain passages hit home in a way they might not have in the pre-coronavirus world.
He looks at me like a confused child, mouth agape. People just don’t get it, no matter how many times they’re told. It’s as if they think we’re making it up.
The Waiting Rooms has three storylines: before the Crisis, during and after, and three POVs: Mary, Lily and Kate.
The before chapters are basically set in the world as we know it. They take us to a South Africa divided by apartheid where Mary discovers tuberculosis is a huge problem.
The Crisis and post-Crisis chapters are where it gets speculative, the point where Eve Smith has taken the actual medical knowledge a step or two further in time: many viruses are drug-resistant, and she shows us what might happen if we don’t change our ways. The post-Crisis chapters are set in a near-future Britain where Kate is a nurse and Lily is in a care home and on the brink of turning 70, which is a big deal because all septuagenarians are cut off from drugs, and the smallest injury could be lethal.
There is a link between these women, of course there is, you don’t need to be told that, but I’ll let you to discover just how they are linked. I admit I predicted it very early on but that didn’t rain on my parade at all. This is not a novel that sets out to shock the reader with its twists and turns (although there are those too, and there was one I’d completely missed and left me gasping at its reveal), this is a novel trying to shake its audience awake with one simple truth: if we keep this up, COVID-19 may be the least of our worries. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics may very well land us in a situation that is far worse.
The Waiting Rooms is an important book, but do note that it’s also highly entertaining. It comprises a lot of information, Eve has clearly done her research, but it’s not an infomercial or a medical journal or whatever. I cared so much about these women and I read those last chapters with my heart in my throat. Harrowing but beautiful, poignant but thrilling, I loved this book so much and I enjoyed it way more than I ever thought I could in the current situation.
The combination of adventure and drama and dystopian thriller and well, let’s call it medical horror, makes for a heady mix and an absolutely compelling read. I loved Eve’s writing, I’d never guess The Waiting Rooms was a debut if I hadn’t known it in advance, and I can’t wait to read more. Highly recommended!
And on that happy note, welcome to my review of The Waiting Rooms by Eve Smith! Huge thanks to Orenda Books for the proof copy and to Anne Cater for the tour invite.
I was kindly gifted The Waiting Rooms months ago and I was dead chuffed! A dystopian thriller is so up my street it’s practically in my back garden and The Waiting Rooms was one of my most anticipated 2020 reads. And then COVID-19 happened. While the virus was still in Asia I had a craving for dystopian books but I didn’t get the chance to pick this one up, and then when I did have time, my country went in lockdown and I couldn’t bear the thought of reading anything that reminded me even remotely of what was happening in real life. I really had to give myself some time (and a few pep talks) to get me to pick it up.
Nevertheless, I was caught up in the story very quickly, and I managed to forget everything around me and focus on the lives and issues of the characters instead of my own. Although I have to admit there were some bits that were uncomfortably close to my situation mid-May when I was reading this…
We never used to be afraid of coughs. We barely noticed them. That was part of the problem.
I suspect Eve Smith must be something of a clairvoyant, or she has a firm grasp on the human psyche at the very least. She nails the actions and reactions of people in a health situation they’re not accustomed to and certain passages hit home in a way they might not have in the pre-coronavirus world.
He looks at me like a confused child, mouth agape. People just don’t get it, no matter how many times they’re told. It’s as if they think we’re making it up.
The Waiting Rooms has three storylines: before the Crisis, during and after, and three POVs: Mary, Lily and Kate.
The before chapters are basically set in the world as we know it. They take us to a South Africa divided by apartheid where Mary discovers tuberculosis is a huge problem.
The Crisis and post-Crisis chapters are where it gets speculative, the point where Eve Smith has taken the actual medical knowledge a step or two further in time: many viruses are drug-resistant, and she shows us what might happen if we don’t change our ways. The post-Crisis chapters are set in a near-future Britain where Kate is a nurse and Lily is in a care home and on the brink of turning 70, which is a big deal because all septuagenarians are cut off from drugs, and the smallest injury could be lethal.
There is a link between these women, of course there is, you don’t need to be told that, but I’ll let you to discover just how they are linked. I admit I predicted it very early on but that didn’t rain on my parade at all. This is not a novel that sets out to shock the reader with its twists and turns (although there are those too, and there was one I’d completely missed and left me gasping at its reveal), this is a novel trying to shake its audience awake with one simple truth: if we keep this up, COVID-19 may be the least of our worries. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics may very well land us in a situation that is far worse.
The Waiting Rooms is an important book, but do note that it’s also highly entertaining. It comprises a lot of information, Eve has clearly done her research, but it’s not an infomercial or a medical journal or whatever. I cared so much about these women and I read those last chapters with my heart in my throat. Harrowing but beautiful, poignant but thrilling, I loved this book so much and I enjoyed it way more than I ever thought I could in the current situation.
The combination of adventure and drama and dystopian thriller and well, let’s call it medical horror, makes for a heady mix and an absolutely compelling read. I loved Eve’s writing, I’d never guess The Waiting Rooms was a debut if I hadn’t known it in advance, and I can’t wait to read more. Highly recommended!
nnicduffy's review against another edition
4.0
This book is going to stay with me for a very long time, not only because of the rawness of the pandemic we’ve been living through, but the real possibility of an antibiotic resistant epidemic.
I’m not going to lie it was an anxiety provoking read as you become acutely aware of all things you take for granted.
Personally I love nothing more then a #medicalthriller combined with a #dystopian book, it has all the right ingredients.
I’m not going to lie it was an anxiety provoking read as you become acutely aware of all things you take for granted.
Personally I love nothing more then a #medicalthriller combined with a #dystopian book, it has all the right ingredients.
laurenlethbridge's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hstorkel's review against another edition
5.0
Not sure if reading this book during the pandemic was a good idea or a bad idea. Everything seemed so much more plausible including designing a system that ensured inequity. A cautionary tale with great characters and a strong plot.
cdeane61's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting premise, and absolutely believable. Interesting characters and and a great plot. What more can you ask for?
I've seen her being compared to Michael Crichton and that not far off the mark.
Will definitely look into her other works
I've seen her being compared to Michael Crichton and that not far off the mark.
Will definitely look into her other works
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
Dystopias are often best when they focus on the realistic and near at hand, and the antibiotic crisis certainly fits those criteria. Anyone thinking people could never act like they do in the novel might be pointed in the direction of a NPR news report a few days ago where a woman with an intellectual disability in Oregon was denied the ventilator she needed with the doctor, citing her "low quality of life", wanting her to sign a legal form to allow the hospital to deny her care. How frail humanity is. The dystopian angle is the very positive aspect of the novel and worth reading just for that. If there is a weakness for me it was in the story. It was pretty obvious very early on what was going to happen, and it was just a matter of waiting for that story to pan out. Slow but worth the time!
katebb76's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a chilling story in a world where antibiotic resistance is rife and even a small bacterial infection can be fatal. In an attempt to minimise further bacterial mutation and subsequent antibiotic-resistance, the largest population of antibiotic users, the over-70s, are denied new antibiotics and encouraged to sign assisted-death declarations.
The dual timeline follows a scientist striving to develop new, plant-based medications before and during a epidemiological crisis, plus a assisted-death nurse and care-home resident 20 years post-crisis. How are their lives interlinked with each other and others close to them?
This novel is fabulously researched and written, and is a real thinker. With antibiotic resistance already a reality, how will we approach treatment of bacterial infections in the (near) future? Eve Smith has definitely created a speculative future that is too close to reality for comfort.
The dual timeline follows a scientist striving to develop new, plant-based medications before and during a epidemiological crisis, plus a assisted-death nurse and care-home resident 20 years post-crisis. How are their lives interlinked with each other and others close to them?
This novel is fabulously researched and written, and is a real thinker. With antibiotic resistance already a reality, how will we approach treatment of bacterial infections in the (near) future? Eve Smith has definitely created a speculative future that is too close to reality for comfort.