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A review by mimosaeyes
Not Forgetting the Whale by John Ironmonger
4.0
I was wary of the line "Warning: This book may restore your faith in human nature" on the front cover, but I'm a sucker for pretty art and a snappy blurb, and I was quickly drawn into the story. That is to say, I repeatedly showed excerpts about the calamitous potential of a flu epidemic to unwitting family members in my vicinity while hysterically whispering, "This was published in 2015!" And yes, in the end, the warning was quite warranted.
I personally thought the romance elements were extraneous - sure, the whole thing with Polly adds drama, but the ending with Aminata is literally sailing off into the sunset for a happy ever after. A bit too Hollywood. Eh, whatever.
The other thing that impresses me about this book is the research that went into the apocalypse scenario. This thing has a veritable bibliography of famous thinkers, and it weaves in philosophy and economics into a considered reflection on civilisation, chock-full of symbolism yet staying relatively grounded. Would recommend, especially in these COVID times. Good for both the head and heart.
I personally thought the romance elements were extraneous - sure, the whole thing with Polly adds drama, but the ending with Aminata is literally sailing off into the sunset for a happy ever after. A bit too Hollywood. Eh, whatever.
The other thing that impresses me about this book is the research that went into the apocalypse scenario. This thing has a veritable bibliography of famous thinkers, and it weaves in philosophy and economics into a considered reflection on civilisation, chock-full of symbolism yet staying relatively grounded. Would recommend, especially in these COVID times. Good for both the head and heart.