Picador Not Alone.

by Sarah K Jackson

432 pages, Paperback

Published March 28, 2024

Reviews

[Susannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not terrible but not great either. It is set in a post apocalyptic UK where there has been a giant storm full of micro plastics which has killed loads of people and we are following Katie who is living with her four and half year old and trying to survive when she finds a note that suggests her fiancée is not dead so she and the child Harry go to find him.

This is a fairly standard post apocalyptic novel, no surprises not much that is original. The writing is ok generally but the dialogue is very bad and Harry is not well written he goes from sounding 4 to sounding much older and saying things a child that young would not say. There is not much plot which would be fine if this is like The Road (the most obvious comparison) and written by a brilliant literary author, however as this author is not up to this we just get lots of self indulgent navel gazing and self righteous indignation (the main character was a vegetarian and did all the right things before the storm). It is also a bit preachy and although the main character has managed to survive for five years she also needs to be rescued by her maybe dead fiancé from beyond the grave and random people, there are quite a lot of deus ex machina going on too. It lacks atmosphere and does not get across what just existing in the new world would be like.

[Terri Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a toxic storm brings the end of all that is normal in life, creating a world that is unrecognisable to the survivors and to Katie who is trying to create a world of safety for herself and her little boy, Harry. But when her place of safety is threatened by outsiders, she must gather whatever courage she can find to keep herself and Harry safe as they go in search of the man that she was in love with, the man who she would've married if the world had not gone to the dogs.

Traveling across the country, she fights for herself and for Harry too. Facing all kinds of danger and threats around her, not only from other survivors but from the rain and from the dust that is out to kill them too if they are left unprotected.

With a goal in mind, Katie will do anything she can to reach Jack and the fresh air of Scotland.

[Bookish Coffee UK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant story! Flawlessly written! Characters are just so almost real life you feel your there with them, like standing there watching as they go on their adventures..

Harry is such a brave boy! He was my favourite! Being born into that situation is mad to think of my own surviving a life like that, even without a screen time is the end of the world to him.. anyway Katie did so well raising him and doing all she did! A true superwoman!

Such a gripping storyline that had me hooked from the start, struggled to put down, got annoyed with having to put it down for real life duties and blubbed my soul out at that heartbreaking ending..

Must read for all!!

[Karolína · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of “mum and son” in the aftermath of climate crisis, however, I didn’t end up enjoying it much. My main problem was the description of many situations that just didn’t make any sense - I didn’t get the whole “protective gear” thing that Katie was putting on and off… also very often description of situations with other people (they were in the distance, all of a sudden pressing face against window, than in distance again) also very hard do follow who was where, doing what. Would give 2,5 if I could.

[Veronica Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow draw that gathers pace and describes a world we never want to live in. Motherhood, family, terrors and survival all set in a world full of toxic microplastics. Maybe closer than we think.
A great read.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book. So descriptive, I am in awe of her writing. I could not put this down.

[Toni Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be right back just sobbing my heart out ❤️✨

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tense