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Wye
In an England full of zombies something much worse rises from the death and decay. And it's hunting a teenage girl.
Through the remembered lessons of her favourite writers, sixteen-year-old Wye has been trying to make sense of a cruel new world. But it’s not working. Wherever she turns there are monsters and memories, both of them poised to devour her if she can’t find a way to live with herself. What follows is Wye’s last chance at salvation, what follows is her journal.
Through the remembered lessons of her favourite writers, sixteen-year-old Wye has been trying to make sense of a cruel new world. But it’s not working. Wherever she turns there are monsters and memories, both of them poised to devour her if she can’t find a way to live with herself. What follows is Wye’s last chance at salvation, what follows is her journal.
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2015
50 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Jack Croxall
10 books311 followersTrained as a scientist, Jack Croxall concluded a life in the lab wasn't for him. After discovering a passion for words and stories he's now a writer!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 23, 2023
I won’t be giving any spoilers here for this story (although I never do) because part of the joy of this story is the unraveling of the plot. The world is dead in an apocalypse/zombie/infection narrative. The novel is told in the first-person point of view by Wye, a young woman (16 years old) who has survived a nightmarish occurrence and is keeping a journal to cope with the vicissitudes of her current milieu. She and a band of young people are attempting to get to an isolated cabin near a lake with great access to all manner of seafood where they believe they will have a better chance at survival. Along the way, a “monster” begins to pursue them and Wye fears that they will be caught before they can arrive at the relative safety of the cabin. This is a very strong story, typical of the genre in some ways which is the zombie narrative, but is rife with surprises and unique twists in others. Not your common zombie novel, but very good.
June 5, 2015
I had the unfortunate luck to be given a huge work assignment which would mean I had to travel back and forth from Portsmouth to London for a few days. That however, meant that I had plenty of time to read while on the train. My book of choice was Wye. I read the short story X in one sitting and was excited to get my hands on a copy of Wye which builds upon the idea created in X.
The title character is Wye, a frightened Teenage girl who has to survive in a world after “Something” happens to most of its inhabitants. She is a normal person who has their life completely turned on its head. How would anyone cope with that? We get to see it through her eyes, or should I say her diary entries. For that is the format this book takes and it is a device that works very well.
The writing is wonderful, the descriptions breath-taking and detailed and the characters and plot draw you in; which I would expect from the author.
Overall this is a joy to read and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Jack Croxall has written a real page turner. Get reading people.
The title character is Wye, a frightened Teenage girl who has to survive in a world after “Something” happens to most of its inhabitants. She is a normal person who has their life completely turned on its head. How would anyone cope with that? We get to see it through her eyes, or should I say her diary entries. For that is the format this book takes and it is a device that works very well.
The writing is wonderful, the descriptions breath-taking and detailed and the characters and plot draw you in; which I would expect from the author.
Overall this is a joy to read and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Jack Croxall has written a real page turner. Get reading people.
July 6, 2022
This is not the book you think it is. Let me rephrase that because I have no idea what you think. This book was not the book I thought it was. I am an avid reader and it takes A Lot to surprise me at this point, but this book came as a complete shock. I highly recommend this book.
Jack Croxall, I tip my hat to you and plan to read more of your work immediately.
Jack Croxall, I tip my hat to you and plan to read more of your work immediately.
June 22, 2015
Having been a big fan of Jack Croxall’s short story X, I couldn’t wait for Wye. This is a full-length novel set in the same world as X, and what a fantastic world it is! Dystopian Britain after the population has been turned into zombies by a virus, this is the journal of a girl called Wye, travelling across the almost-abandoned country with a small group of friends, struggling to survive in a land where humans are no more and nature has taken over. I absolutely loved reading from Wye’s point-of-view and found it fascinating to think of what life might be like as one of the last people left in the world.
I’m not usually a big fan of dystopian stories, nor of zombie stories, but this is so much better than your usual zombie-outbreak book!
It’s inventive, and it brings something new to the genre. There’s a brilliant twist towards the end, one that has been hiding in plain sight all along, but the writing is so clever that you don’t realise it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone, along with Jack Croxall’s other works! The ending was perfect, and I would love to see a sequel to this, surely there’s another instalment just begging to be written?!
I’m not usually a big fan of dystopian stories, nor of zombie stories, but this is so much better than your usual zombie-outbreak book!
It’s inventive, and it brings something new to the genre. There’s a brilliant twist towards the end, one that has been hiding in plain sight all along, but the writing is so clever that you don’t realise it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone, along with Jack Croxall’s other works! The ending was perfect, and I would love to see a sequel to this, surely there’s another instalment just begging to be written?!
November 6, 2017
"Wye" is the journal narrative of Theodosia, who prefers to call herself "Wye" after the valley in which she grew up. It makes her feel closer to her family, whom she regretfully ignored in the months leading up to the Spread. She was a teenager then, she knew everything. And then she was alone, and she didn't.
Wye journeys across The Wasteland, the name she's given the outdoor spaces of Dead England, months after the Spread, a terrible Ebola-like sickness that came out of South America to British shores. As Wye and her friends struggle to find food and the presumably safe cabin of her uncle's, Wye speculates on her life, the course of nature, and her favorite authors. Her journal is an amazing read. Very well done.
Wye journeys across The Wasteland, the name she's given the outdoor spaces of Dead England, months after the Spread, a terrible Ebola-like sickness that came out of South America to British shores. As Wye and her friends struggle to find food and the presumably safe cabin of her uncle's, Wye speculates on her life, the course of nature, and her favorite authors. Her journal is an amazing read. Very well done.
July 8, 2022
This was a very different zombie story marked by a distinct absence of zombies. That notwithstanding, it was a really good story about loss, trauma, and the way the human mind copes with some pretty horrific situations.
I liked Wye's voice here. She is very relatable. I'm glad that she managed to find some joy and a certain amount of peace despite her situation.
I liked Wye's voice here. She is very relatable. I'm glad that she managed to find some joy and a certain amount of peace despite her situation.
June 6, 2022
There are certain things you just shouldn't do. During a quiet moment at work, you shouldn't open up a book on the Kindle app on your iPhone and begin reading it and if you do, you most certainly shouldn't get hopelessly addicted to said book, to the extent that you simply cannot put it down. If you're going to do all that, might I suggest that there is no better book than Jack Croxall's standalone dystopian thriller Wye.
Wye is a young girl, sixteen-years-old to be precise and she is making her way across the Wasteland of what is now Dead England. Pursued by zombies, Wye and her band of fellow survivors are making their way to the east, to a cabin that may or may not exist on the coast of England. Realising that they are perhaps the last people left alive on earth, Wye keeps a diary to document their journey as well as The Sickness and The Spread of the disease.
If you think this sounds remotely familiar to anything you've read before, think again. Author Jack Croxall leads you down an overgrown path in the English countryside and then twists the story again and again... and again. Everything you thought you knew about zombie thrillers is here with allusions to Warm Bodies, The Walking Dead and everything inbetween but nothing, nothing is as it seems.
I loved Jack Croxall's style of writing with a fervour I usually reserve for Lauren Oliver. And like Lauren Oliver, Jack has written a novel where nothing else matters in life except the moments where you are reading this story. Work? It'll take second place, as will any study or family commitments you might have. Valentine's Day? Fine, but only if there is a long afternoon reading session scheduled in there among all the chocolates, flowers and fancy dinners.
There were entire paragraphs which I wanted to highlight, save or tweet but alas, I was too busy reading to stop for any length of time. Suffice to say, I loved Jack's lyrical style of writing and the voice that he gave to Wye.
As a narrator, Wye is wonderfully flawed. You soon become aware that you can't trust a word she says and that is okay. More than okay, in fact, Wye is the perfect narrator to give a human touch to a most unusual catastrophe.
It might only be February but I'm already claiming Wye to be my book of the year for 2016. It is so good that I considered downgrading all my previous star-ratings in order to adequately reflect the act of giving this book five stars.
I give Wye by Jack Croxall a superb five out of five stars and would highly recommend it to any reader who is in the mood for a book that really moves them.
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Wye is a young girl, sixteen-years-old to be precise and she is making her way across the Wasteland of what is now Dead England. Pursued by zombies, Wye and her band of fellow survivors are making their way to the east, to a cabin that may or may not exist on the coast of England. Realising that they are perhaps the last people left alive on earth, Wye keeps a diary to document their journey as well as The Sickness and The Spread of the disease.
If you think this sounds remotely familiar to anything you've read before, think again. Author Jack Croxall leads you down an overgrown path in the English countryside and then twists the story again and again... and again. Everything you thought you knew about zombie thrillers is here with allusions to Warm Bodies, The Walking Dead and everything inbetween but nothing, nothing is as it seems.
I loved Jack Croxall's style of writing with a fervour I usually reserve for Lauren Oliver. And like Lauren Oliver, Jack has written a novel where nothing else matters in life except the moments where you are reading this story. Work? It'll take second place, as will any study or family commitments you might have. Valentine's Day? Fine, but only if there is a long afternoon reading session scheduled in there among all the chocolates, flowers and fancy dinners.
There were entire paragraphs which I wanted to highlight, save or tweet but alas, I was too busy reading to stop for any length of time. Suffice to say, I loved Jack's lyrical style of writing and the voice that he gave to Wye.
As a narrator, Wye is wonderfully flawed. You soon become aware that you can't trust a word she says and that is okay. More than okay, in fact, Wye is the perfect narrator to give a human touch to a most unusual catastrophe.
It might only be February but I'm already claiming Wye to be my book of the year for 2016. It is so good that I considered downgrading all my previous star-ratings in order to adequately reflect the act of giving this book five stars.
I give Wye by Jack Croxall a superb five out of five stars and would highly recommend it to any reader who is in the mood for a book that really moves them.
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January 16, 2017
I preferred 'X' the short story that this is based on, but overall this was an enjoyable read.
April 9, 2018
I was able to read “Wye” for free through freebooksy.com. “Wye” is a quick, interesting read. I enjoyed the book as a whole and liked the little surprises along the way. I personally would have preferred a less open ended ending but otherwise I have no complaints.
April 16, 2018
Strange story with some unexpected tangents and some even weirder reveals that take readers along with main character Wye as she details her life after the world changes for her and everyone she cares about.
Not exactly what one expects when all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place but still an okay read for the most part.
Not exactly what one expects when all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place but still an okay read for the most part.
July 11, 2015
Zombie novels aren't usually my cup of tea, but having been a fan of Jack Croxall for some years now, I wasn't going to let that ruin my reading experience with his much anticipated latest offering 'Wye'.
Inspired by his short story X, Wye is a novel which follows a young teenager as she embarks across post-apocalyptic England after an unknown illness claims the lives of millions. Wye is very much a survival novel, but with a difference. Not only is it told in the first person, but also in a journal/diary format, which gives it a very personal and shocking tone. Like reading someone's diary, Wye recounts the innermost thoughts of a girl who is struggling to come to terms with her existence. What are the things roaming the cities? Why must she stick to the Wasteland in search of her uncle's cabin?
I loved Wye's pace; some may find it a little slow in places, but I loved the claustrophobic atmosphere the author so effectively creates. The lack of dialogue also adds to the tension as we discover, one journal entry at a time, the truth behind everything that has lead to The Spread, and how it affects Wye.
And there are some shocking truths to be discovered along the way - Wye is not the person we think she is. And this adds to her characterisation. She is a complex young woman, a person who must find her place in the world. I certainly would have gone mad if I was in her shoes, but she must be brave and strong. It is no wonder she notices the fine details of the world - and the lack of human interaction makes for a most emotional connection later in the novel with a goldfish. I particularly loved that bit.
Wye is very much a bookish-type's novel. It even gives a few nods to Keats, Shakespeare, Pullman, and Sant. This was a nice touch. But it is its originality within the dystopian and zombie genre that elevates it. Journal formats are hard to pull off, but I think Wye is certainly Croxall's most interesting work to date. His understanding of the world shines through in a world that has died with disease.
Inspired by his short story X, Wye is a novel which follows a young teenager as she embarks across post-apocalyptic England after an unknown illness claims the lives of millions. Wye is very much a survival novel, but with a difference. Not only is it told in the first person, but also in a journal/diary format, which gives it a very personal and shocking tone. Like reading someone's diary, Wye recounts the innermost thoughts of a girl who is struggling to come to terms with her existence. What are the things roaming the cities? Why must she stick to the Wasteland in search of her uncle's cabin?
I loved Wye's pace; some may find it a little slow in places, but I loved the claustrophobic atmosphere the author so effectively creates. The lack of dialogue also adds to the tension as we discover, one journal entry at a time, the truth behind everything that has lead to The Spread, and how it affects Wye.
And there are some shocking truths to be discovered along the way - Wye is not the person we think she is. And this adds to her characterisation. She is a complex young woman, a person who must find her place in the world. I certainly would have gone mad if I was in her shoes, but she must be brave and strong. It is no wonder she notices the fine details of the world - and the lack of human interaction makes for a most emotional connection later in the novel with a goldfish. I particularly loved that bit.
Wye is very much a bookish-type's novel. It even gives a few nods to Keats, Shakespeare, Pullman, and Sant. This was a nice touch. But it is its originality within the dystopian and zombie genre that elevates it. Journal formats are hard to pull off, but I think Wye is certainly Croxall's most interesting work to date. His understanding of the world shines through in a world that has died with disease.
March 3, 2018
I picked this up on the strength of short story X and because I was in the mood for a zombie story. This is an intriguing read as it follows Wye on her journey across England in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. It's told in the form of a journal which has its benefits and drawbacks. As a journal it's almost like a stream of consciousness giving a real sense of who Wye is and what's happened to her.. It's made very obvious from the start however that all is not as it seems and Wye is not the most reliable of narrators. Everything has a little bit of spin on it to present her in a favourable light, it is her journal though so that's her right..
It's not a particularly action packed story, although there are moments, and I have to admit I found it a little too slow. This isn't helped by the fact that there are no dates or times in this journal. There is a reason for this but as it jumps back and forward in time I found it a tad confusing. It's not always clear which sections are now and which are in the past, or maybe that was just me.
It is an intriguing story and I would have loved a few more pages but I understand why it ended as it did.
It's not a particularly action packed story, although there are moments, and I have to admit I found it a little too slow. This isn't helped by the fact that there are no dates or times in this journal. There is a reason for this but as it jumps back and forward in time I found it a tad confusing. It's not always clear which sections are now and which are in the past, or maybe that was just me.
It is an intriguing story and I would have loved a few more pages but I understand why it ended as it did.
October 13, 2017
This was a nice surprise. I enjoyed the characters, Wye particularly. There are no new favorites but I didn't dislike any of them. The journal format helped connect with the characters and their journey. I wish there were clear chapters/journal entries. There are breaks but no symbols, etc. It occasionally felt a bit long and difficult to focus because there were no pauses. I also enjoyed the timeline shifts but sometimes you didn't realize you had shifted timelines until you were halfway through the paragraph. There were two surprises/plot twists that I did not see coming: one I was confused by but ended up liking and the other I really enjoyed off the bat. The ending really sneaks up on you, and I like how it ended but I could have done with a bit more conflict. It almost felt too happy.
Overall, I liked this. It's not necessarily something I was hugely excited by but it surprised multiple times and I definitely enjoyed myself.
Overall, I liked this. It's not necessarily something I was hugely excited by but it surprised multiple times and I definitely enjoyed myself.
August 21, 2015
I loved this post-apocalyptic YA novel by the awesome Jack Croxall. An awesome psychological analysis of surviving in a desolate wasteland. Yet again, Croxall delivers a masterpiece. Check out my full video review here:
https://youtu.be/T89xvsy5Wak
https://youtu.be/T89xvsy5Wak
June 4, 2018
Good idea for a book, I think the first half of the book was better than the second half though. I'm not sure why I have that feeling, I think that for me there was a lot of jumping in time and I guess my brain couldn't cope :D
Still an interesting read!
Still an interesting read!
August 13, 2015
' I envy the birds I see overhead, zipping joyfully from left to right and so far above the death and decay that pollute the lower levels.'
Addictive writing, fast pace and relateable main character. What more can you ask for?
Addictive writing, fast pace and relateable main character. What more can you ask for?
February 5, 2018
Good storyline, wish it would have been longer.
July 22, 2017
What a surprising book! The book I finished and the book I started were two completely stories. Many props to the author for the twists in the story line that changed the entire story.
Do not read the spoilers if you want to enjoy the book...but if you've read it and wonder if my thoughts match yours, click away!
Do not read the spoilers if you want to enjoy the book...but if you've read it and wonder if my thoughts match yours, click away!
December 16, 2017
This is hard to review without spoiling anything. The writing was good, but there is very little plot, and the whole thing relies a lot on a few tricks which I didn't find that exciting. I think the author has the skills to write something a lot better if he can come up with a stronger plot.
April 27, 2022
I just didn't like this book. The writing felt very off as it can when someone writes in first-person. The problem here was the main character who is a young girl who babbles on about normal things any girl that age would think about. Then, there would be random bits of wisdom that felt so out of place for how she was written. If she had been written as a more precocious 16-year-old, it wouldn't have felt out of place.
Also, there were some major twists in this novel, but there wasn't any subtle foreshadowing. There was either no foreshadowing or there would be a sentence that basically revealed the twist before the twist. Subtler hints would have helped it flow better.
Also, there were some major twists in this novel, but there wasn't any subtle foreshadowing. There was either no foreshadowing or there would be a sentence that basically revealed the twist before the twist. Subtler hints would have helped it flow better.
May 3, 2021
If you looked up 'unreliable narrator', there would be a picture of this book.
When I saw this was a post-apocalyptic zombie book, I frowned. It was a newly added book on my Kindle, and I long, long, long since have been uninterested in anything zombie related. Why did I pick it up? I had no idea. I have no memory of getting this book at all.
Turns out that past-me made a good decision. This book was AMAZING. That being said, it will be hard to talk about the plot without spoiling it, but let's see what I can do.
Non-spoiler version: A virus wiped out nearly every person on Earth (ugh why do I have so many books on my Kindle about that?). A young girl nicknamed Wye was one of the few who survived. She and three other teens had to survive against zombies and roving gangs of the few adults who would kill/rape/rob anyone they saw. She and her friends were walking across England to get to a cottage her friend's uncle owned on the beach. A place they would be safe, could fish for food, could live out the rest of their life. Oh and a monster is hunting her.
Some, all, most, or none of the above paragraph is true.
When I saw this was a post-apocalyptic zombie book, I frowned. It was a newly added book on my Kindle, and I long, long, long since have been uninterested in anything zombie related. Why did I pick it up? I had no idea. I have no memory of getting this book at all.
Turns out that past-me made a good decision. This book was AMAZING. That being said, it will be hard to talk about the plot without spoiling it, but let's see what I can do.
Non-spoiler version: A virus wiped out nearly every person on Earth (ugh why do I have so many books on my Kindle about that?). A young girl nicknamed Wye was one of the few who survived. She and three other teens had to survive against zombies and roving gangs of the few adults who would kill/rape/rob anyone they saw. She and her friends were walking across England to get to a cottage her friend's uncle owned on the beach. A place they would be safe, could fish for food, could live out the rest of their life. Oh and a monster is hunting her.
Some, all, most, or none of the above paragraph is true.
October 9, 2021
The zombie apocalypse is upon us and in England we see a 16 year old deliver their story in the format of a journal/diary. I don't often read zombie novels but as this one is delivered in such a unique style and having loved previous work by the author I decided I would give this a read. This is a story that leaves you feeling uncomfortable thanks to the fact you are reading it in the first person delivery style that Croxall managed to use so well to create the short story X and here he really does run with it and takes the reader on a ride that takes no prisoners. This is a book I highly recommend as it feels so different than anything I have ever read before (other than X).
December 2, 2015
Wye was a very addictive read. I found myself thinking about the plight of Wye and her companions even when I wasn't reading it. Croxall's vision of a dystopian England-- Dead England as he calls it-- was bleak and chilling, especially as I sat reading it in the warmth, comfort, and safety of my own home.
Wye was a complex character; brave and scared, vulnerable and determined, lonely and profound. She poured her humanity into the pages of her journal and it made for a captivating read.
This is not your typical zombie eat brains apocalyptic thriller, and I'm thankful for that.
Wye was a complex character; brave and scared, vulnerable and determined, lonely and profound. She poured her humanity into the pages of her journal and it made for a captivating read.
This is not your typical zombie eat brains apocalyptic thriller, and I'm thankful for that.
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March 15, 2018At first glance, Wye looks like an expanded version of Jack Croxall’s X. Both are about a teenage girl recounting her life in a diary during the zombie apocalypse, with Wye adding a few more characters. But I’d classify this as more of a re-imagining of the concept than an expansion of the same world. There were some subtle twists in this and I recommend giving it a read if you enjoyed X, or if you’re a fan of unique zombie stories.
March 24, 2016
Great read
I loved this book. I'm not normally interested in books from the perspectives off teens, but this one really did captivate me.
I loved this book. I'm not normally interested in books from the perspectives off teens, but this one really did captivate me.
August 14, 2020
At first I wasn't sure what to make of this strange, slow, journal-style take on the zombie apocalypse. It's written as if from the perspective of a pretentious teenage girl as she travels across England blighted by "The Sickness", trying to get to a cabin by the sea where she thinks she'll be safe. She has a group of rag-tag companions full of useful advice and skills, but are they really what they seem? So far, so usual.
Only what's unusual, other than the plodding pace, is the lack of direct action. No zombies lurch out of the overrun cornfields, no gangs leap out from behind trashed cars. Wordy girl "Wye" tells us about the state of the nation (maybe even the world), but it's in her recollections rather than the present. She also uses her time to reminisce about life before, and about the events leading up to her starting her journal.
And then things start to fray.
I did not see that twist coming.
No, not that one (there's a lot of tells scattered about for the obvious one), but the other one. The big one. Admittedly I was a tiny bit disappointed by the lack of foreshadowing of it, because the best reveals often give you an inkling beforehand (as with that first one). There was something a bit Gone Girl (Post-Apocalyptic Ver) about it. Imagine an unreliable narrator, then remember they're an educated, well-read teenage narrator... Well, I'm not going to say any more than that.
Firstly, I really enjoyed X, the original short story this was based on. It's amazing. Please read it.
Personally I found this longer one a bit slow and lacking in tension. I'd expected something more action-oriented or tense given the blurb. I also got a tiny bit annoyed with the writing style where sentences were run together with commas instead of breaking. I know it's meant to be teenager-style writing, but I found that it disrupted my flow when reading, especially when you consider how many eloquent turns of phrase Wye uses as if to tell us just how clever and mature she is.
But it is clever. Despite the sentence structure that bothered me, the writing itself is pretty engaging. There's a bit of gross but nothing explicitly gory, and nothing that makes it unsuitable for a mature enough YA reader.
If you like the sound of a slow apocalypse tale that's more psychological than blockbuster, you'll probably enjoy this eerie survival story more than me.
Only what's unusual, other than the plodding pace, is the lack of direct action. No zombies lurch out of the overrun cornfields, no gangs leap out from behind trashed cars. Wordy girl "Wye" tells us about the state of the nation (maybe even the world), but it's in her recollections rather than the present. She also uses her time to reminisce about life before, and about the events leading up to her starting her journal.
And then things start to fray.
I did not see that twist coming.
No, not that one (there's a lot of tells scattered about for the obvious one), but the other one. The big one. Admittedly I was a tiny bit disappointed by the lack of foreshadowing of it, because the best reveals often give you an inkling beforehand (as with that first one). There was something a bit Gone Girl (Post-Apocalyptic Ver) about it. Imagine an unreliable narrator, then remember they're an educated, well-read teenage narrator... Well, I'm not going to say any more than that.
Firstly, I really enjoyed X, the original short story this was based on. It's amazing. Please read it.
Personally I found this longer one a bit slow and lacking in tension. I'd expected something more action-oriented or tense given the blurb. I also got a tiny bit annoyed with the writing style where sentences were run together with commas instead of breaking. I know it's meant to be teenager-style writing, but I found that it disrupted my flow when reading, especially when you consider how many eloquent turns of phrase Wye uses as if to tell us just how clever and mature she is.
But it is clever. Despite the sentence structure that bothered me, the writing itself is pretty engaging. There's a bit of gross but nothing explicitly gory, and nothing that makes it unsuitable for a mature enough YA reader.
If you like the sound of a slow apocalypse tale that's more psychological than blockbuster, you'll probably enjoy this eerie survival story more than me.
January 9, 2026
I can’t say I truly knew what to expect from this book. I picked it as my ‘X’ in a read the alphabet challenge (while the title isn’t X anymore it stated it had the original novella X within it). I was honestly just hoping to have an enjoyable read to kick off the year. What I got was so much more. This is easily a great example of an unreliable narrator attempting to self soothe the traumatic experience of everyone in the world dying. Over the course of the beginning of the novel you notice little things that make you question her story, but it’s dystopian so you could assume it’s just the world as it now exists. I think this is a wonderful example of the fears that come when you are fully alone and the world has failed as you know it. A incredibly interesting read with a narrator you come to love and root for. Highly recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2019
I typically don't read dystopian stories, or anything with zombies, so I'm not sure what made me decide to try Wye, but I'm not sorry I did. It's virtually impossible to review this book without massive spoilers, but suffice to say, Jack Croxall surprised me several times during the course of this quick read. There were two major things I did not see coming, and that contributed very much to my overall liking of the book. I also really enjoyed the writing style - formatting it as journal entries allowed Croxall to really dig deep into Wye's head and what she was thinking and feeling, and that set this apart from other similarly themed books. For a reader who is not a fan of "this type" of book, this was a pretty great read.
August 1, 2022
Wye starts keeping a journal after a worldwide pandemic leaves her alone. She decides to use the name of the place where she came from, rather than her real name since she thinks it doesn't matter.
She travels by foot with her friends to a safe place, the ocean-side cabin that belonged to her aunt and uncle. They keep to the countryside to avoid zombies and raiders.
There are a few hints sprinkled at the beginning, but there's more going on that Wye isn't talking about. Eventually, there are some interesting revelations. The final reveal is both sad, yet hopeful.
She travels by foot with her friends to a safe place, the ocean-side cabin that belonged to her aunt and uncle. They keep to the countryside to avoid zombies and raiders.
There are a few hints sprinkled at the beginning, but there's more going on that Wye isn't talking about. Eventually, there are some interesting revelations. The final reveal is both sad, yet hopeful.
September 12, 2022
Very good!
What a lovely short story! We are lead to believe a zombie apocalypse arrives in this small English village…one brave girl manages to escape the slaughter. There lies the beginning of her flight to whatever safety she can find. She writes of the people she meets along the way, their day to day struggles to find shelter, food, safety. The truth comes out slowly, heartbreaking in its honesty. One must cheer for her in the end, pray that she has the fortitude to survive.
A very moving ( to me) story. I highly recommend reading it.
What a lovely short story! We are lead to believe a zombie apocalypse arrives in this small English village…one brave girl manages to escape the slaughter. There lies the beginning of her flight to whatever safety she can find. She writes of the people she meets along the way, their day to day struggles to find shelter, food, safety. The truth comes out slowly, heartbreaking in its honesty. One must cheer for her in the end, pray that she has the fortitude to survive.
A very moving ( to me) story. I highly recommend reading it.
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