This is a book that was chosen as Bookstagram made me do it. In fact, one of my good bookstabuddies had raved about it so much that I knew I had to pick it up.
This book really reminded me of ‘I Am Legend’: one person’s fight to survive in a world that has been destroyed, alone and scared. These are not the same book, and by no means is Bethany Clift trying to make it the same, but it was nice to read something that had some similar themes, but with a much higher chance of becoming reality – and that almost makes it a more terrifying read.
However, what is great about this book is that it is told from the point of a view of a woman and not a man in this dystopian world. Seeing how a woman finds the strength to survive alone in the destroyed world is brilliant. And, to be honest, I think she has more strength than I could manage. But I also loved how, throughout the book, there was the reflection on the life that came before and how, maybe, this horror is the making of her.
Yet, I think what really makes this book is the ending – this is a book that is left for you to draw your own conclusions (in fact, I noticed the other day that there are posts out there in the world offering explanations to the ending) which means this book is with you even after you have read the final word. You are left thinking about the ending and wondering if what you have read was really the truth of the protagonist or if it was their interpretation of events – maybe some of it the truth they have chosen to believe.
Or, maybe I am overthinking this ending…
This is a fantastically written novel, leaving you with so much to think about and possibly a little bit of fear about the world that we live in. I really recommend that you pick this book up, as I think it is story that everyone should be reading and discussing.