Book Title: Last Ones Left Alive
Series:
Author: Sarah Davis-Goff
Release Date: 08/27/19
Star Rating: Thoughtful post-apocalyptic novel
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
The terms “well written” and “post-apocalypse” don’t always go together. Neither do “thoughtful” and “zombies”, but here we are. This does remind me a little of The Road, but is not so distressingly bleak. I think it reminds me most of a recent title A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher.
Orpen was raised by her birth mother and her mother’s partner, Maeve, on a secluded island off the coast of Ireland. They have trained her to face a hostile world, zombie-like creatures, and the threat of a disintegrating human society. They can’t keep her safe forever, and this book begins with her on the road trying to find her place in the hellscape this world has become.
It is a well written book. Orpen’s language reflects her isolation, but also her intense love for her family. The story itself is a rumination on dealing with grief and loss, as well as how we cope with the dangers of the world ouside our small circle of intimate friends and family. Do we choose to isolate ourselves, or do we take a chance and leave the safety of our homes in a search for meaning and belonging? Orpen, is a courageous and capable young woman whose desire to see more of the outside world at once endangers and illuminates her life.
Song for this book: Hounds of Love – Kate Bush
Sounds like an interesting take on a zombie novel! Great review 🙂