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The Pharmacist
The bunker is designed to keep them all safe.
In the end, very few people made it to the bunker. Now they wait there for the outside world to heal. Wolfe is one of the lucky ones. She's safe and employed as the bunker's pharmacist, doling out medicine under the watchful eye of their increasingly erratic and paranoid leader.
But when the leader starts to ask things of Wolfe, favours she can hardly say no to, it seems her luck is running out. Forming an unlikely alliance with the young Doctor Stirling, her troubled assistant Levitt, and Canavan - a tattooed giant of a man who's purpose in the bunker is a mystery - Wolfe must navigate the powder keg of life underground where one misstep will light the fuse. The walls that keep her safe also have her trapped.
How much more is Wolfe willing to give to stay alive?
In the end, very few people made it to the bunker. Now they wait there for the outside world to heal. Wolfe is one of the lucky ones. She's safe and employed as the bunker's pharmacist, doling out medicine under the watchful eye of their increasingly erratic and paranoid leader.
But when the leader starts to ask things of Wolfe, favours she can hardly say no to, it seems her luck is running out. Forming an unlikely alliance with the young Doctor Stirling, her troubled assistant Levitt, and Canavan - a tattooed giant of a man who's purpose in the bunker is a mystery - Wolfe must navigate the powder keg of life underground where one misstep will light the fuse. The walls that keep her safe also have her trapped.
How much more is Wolfe willing to give to stay alive?
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2022
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2159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
November 29, 2021
3.5 rounded up.
This is a post apocalyptic tale told from the perspective of Sarah Wolfe, one of the pharmacists in the bunker. She does what she can to help while waiting for the world to heal whilst the inmates do the best to survive below. She is closest to Dr Stirling, her assistant Levitt and artist Canavan and she needs those allies as it becomes a place of watchful confinement, obvious claustrophobia and increasing paranoia especially from leader ND and the dangers intensify. How far is it possible for Wolfe to avoid it and how far is she prepared to go?
This is a well written dark tale and you feel as if you are in the bunker with Wolfe and the others it’s so well described. At times Wolfe feels very separate from the narrative which is probably a deliberate means in order to survive. The novel asks many pertinent questions about human nature as we see it at its lowest common denominator as well as the highest. On occasions it seems a bit superficial but again this is possibly deliberate in order to suggest detachment. It’s a good examination of the corruption of power not just from the leader but others too. You feel at times as if you are treading a balancing line between cruelty and megalomania versus the joy of some escapist activities and symbols of hope. It’s most definitely not an easy read nor is it meant to be. In places some things make me feel uncomfortable, it’s full of foreboding, there is tension by the bucket load with an accompanying feeling of hopelessness.
Overall, I can see that it’s good, it’s different but do I enjoy it? I’m not sure you can enjoy a novel as bleak as this but you can appreciate what it’s suggesting and saying.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This is a post apocalyptic tale told from the perspective of Sarah Wolfe, one of the pharmacists in the bunker. She does what she can to help while waiting for the world to heal whilst the inmates do the best to survive below. She is closest to Dr Stirling, her assistant Levitt and artist Canavan and she needs those allies as it becomes a place of watchful confinement, obvious claustrophobia and increasing paranoia especially from leader ND and the dangers intensify. How far is it possible for Wolfe to avoid it and how far is she prepared to go?
This is a well written dark tale and you feel as if you are in the bunker with Wolfe and the others it’s so well described. At times Wolfe feels very separate from the narrative which is probably a deliberate means in order to survive. The novel asks many pertinent questions about human nature as we see it at its lowest common denominator as well as the highest. On occasions it seems a bit superficial but again this is possibly deliberate in order to suggest detachment. It’s a good examination of the corruption of power not just from the leader but others too. You feel at times as if you are treading a balancing line between cruelty and megalomania versus the joy of some escapist activities and symbols of hope. It’s most definitely not an easy read nor is it meant to be. In places some things make me feel uncomfortable, it’s full of foreboding, there is tension by the bucket load with an accompanying feeling of hopelessness.
Overall, I can see that it’s good, it’s different but do I enjoy it? I’m not sure you can enjoy a novel as bleak as this but you can appreciate what it’s suggesting and saying.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
April 5, 2022
Dystopian novels can really vary in terms of quality, but I am pleased to say that I found this both engaging and realistic. Sarah Wolfe is a thirty-four-year-old pharmacist, who lives and works in a bunker. Those living in the bunker are the influential or have useful skills, such as Wolfe herself. Although where the novel is set is unnamed, that helps create a sense of dissociation, claustrophobia, boredom, and disillusionment.
Atalla paints a realistic portrait of a way of life that is all too believable. Where food appears in packs, unpalatable and unsatisfying. Where everything is rationed, women are subjected to unwanted assaults, people sleep on bunks in racks and Wolfe spends much of her time handing out anti-depressants. However, when she finds herself called to speak to the Leader, she realises that not everyone is having the same experience. This novel asks interesting questions, what would you do to escape the monotony of your existence? Would a movie, or less bland food, be enough to make you consider doing something that goes against your judgement?
A really interesting read – this would be a great choice for book groups, as there is so much to discuss. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
Atalla paints a realistic portrait of a way of life that is all too believable. Where food appears in packs, unpalatable and unsatisfying. Where everything is rationed, women are subjected to unwanted assaults, people sleep on bunks in racks and Wolfe spends much of her time handing out anti-depressants. However, when she finds herself called to speak to the Leader, she realises that not everyone is having the same experience. This novel asks interesting questions, what would you do to escape the monotony of your existence? Would a movie, or less bland food, be enough to make you consider doing something that goes against your judgement?
A really interesting read – this would be a great choice for book groups, as there is so much to discuss. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
August 20, 2023
4.5 stars
A perfect storm of nihilism, existential angst, and ennui. The Pharmacist brilliantly captures the true horror of daily existence in a fallout shelter or bunker.
It's bad enough that the residents of the bunker have no privacy, no way to express their individualism, and live a life of constant scarcity. What makes it worse is the festering paranoia and wastefully decadent lifestyle of the Leader. It's essentially Snowpiercer meets Silo. In other words, darkly depressing, and, as so many other reviewers have pointed out, claustrophobic.
That said, it is a great book. Atalla's writing is terrific. Sharp, on point, capturing emotion and setting effortlessly. It isn't an easy story to read, but told with a rare and impressive competence resulting in a read that is ultimately both thought-provoking and rewarding.
A perfect storm of nihilism, existential angst, and ennui. The Pharmacist brilliantly captures the true horror of daily existence in a fallout shelter or bunker.
It's bad enough that the residents of the bunker have no privacy, no way to express their individualism, and live a life of constant scarcity. What makes it worse is the festering paranoia and wastefully decadent lifestyle of the Leader. It's essentially Snowpiercer meets Silo. In other words, darkly depressing, and, as so many other reviewers have pointed out, claustrophobic.
That said, it is a great book. Atalla's writing is terrific. Sharp, on point, capturing emotion and setting effortlessly. It isn't an easy story to read, but told with a rare and impressive competence resulting in a read that is ultimately both thought-provoking and rewarding.
April 15, 2022
The Pharmacist is a grim dystopian novel about the inhabitants of a bunker, especially picked to repopulate the earth after a nuclear holocaust. I generally enjoy this genre but found this one heavy going, with a protagonist who was difficult to care about, a problematic writing style and a disappointing ending that left too many questions unanswered.
Sarah Wolfe is one of two pharmacists charged with dispensing medicines to the universally depressed survivors living a rigidly controlled life underground while they wait for the world to recover from an unexplained apocalypse. She’s unsure why she was chosen to survive, and feels unresolved guilt about leaving her family behind. When the bunker’s leader summons her to his quarters and offers the temptations of real food in exchange for information about her patients, she is powerless to refuse, but his escalating demands force her to question just how much she’ll compromise to survive.
This had an interesting premise, similar in some ways to the brilliant Wool trilogy, let down by the unpleasantness of reading text devoid of quotation marks and paragraph breaks - it’s unclear how much of this is ARC formatting and how much was a deliberate style choice, but if the latter, it doesn’t work and will put off many readers who don’t appreciate having to read sentences multiple times to work out what’s dialogue, versus Wolfe’s inner monologue - or even who is speaking.
The claustrophobia of life in the bunker was well done, as Wolfe describes the drudgery of supervising residents taking their daily doses of antidepressants and sedatives, trying to help where she can, but resentful of those she perceives are wasting her time. The author must have pharmacy experience herself as the medical details were spot-on. “ Everyone seemed to be on diazepam. The supply would not last our duration and I contemplated what would happen when everyone was defrosted back to reality.”
We are not told anything about the (presumed) war that caused the situation, the state of the rest of the world (since everything is told from Wolfe’s burned out POV) or the justification for ND’s behaviour other than paranoia over his predictably dwindling grip on power. It’s a depressing read, particularly at a time when the world holds its breath waiting to see what a nuclear-capable madman will do next. I’m not a fan of inconclusive endings, and felt disappointed by the lack of payoff here. 2.5 rounded down .
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Pharmacist is published on May 12th.
Sarah Wolfe is one of two pharmacists charged with dispensing medicines to the universally depressed survivors living a rigidly controlled life underground while they wait for the world to recover from an unexplained apocalypse. She’s unsure why she was chosen to survive, and feels unresolved guilt about leaving her family behind. When the bunker’s leader summons her to his quarters and offers the temptations of real food in exchange for information about her patients, she is powerless to refuse, but his escalating demands force her to question just how much she’ll compromise to survive.
This had an interesting premise, similar in some ways to the brilliant Wool trilogy, let down by the unpleasantness of reading text devoid of quotation marks and paragraph breaks - it’s unclear how much of this is ARC formatting and how much was a deliberate style choice, but if the latter, it doesn’t work and will put off many readers who don’t appreciate having to read sentences multiple times to work out what’s dialogue, versus Wolfe’s inner monologue - or even who is speaking.
The claustrophobia of life in the bunker was well done, as Wolfe describes the drudgery of supervising residents taking their daily doses of antidepressants and sedatives, trying to help where she can, but resentful of those she perceives are wasting her time. The author must have pharmacy experience herself as the medical details were spot-on. “ Everyone seemed to be on diazepam. The supply would not last our duration and I contemplated what would happen when everyone was defrosted back to reality.”
We are not told anything about the (presumed) war that caused the situation, the state of the rest of the world (since everything is told from Wolfe’s burned out POV) or the justification for ND’s behaviour other than paranoia over his predictably dwindling grip on power. It’s a depressing read, particularly at a time when the world holds its breath waiting to see what a nuclear-capable madman will do next. I’m not a fan of inconclusive endings, and felt disappointed by the lack of payoff here. 2.5 rounded down .
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Pharmacist is published on May 12th.
Read
January 7, 2024Set after an apocalyptic event, the events of The Pharmacist take place entirely within the stifling, claustrophobic, metallic world of an underground bunker. Our titular pharmacist is Wolfe, a woman who spends her days dispensing medication to those who need it. But the bunker’s leader, ND, has taken an interest in Wolfe and is using her to spy and report on people, as well as provide him with medication without question.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/best-thriller...
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/best-thriller...
October 14, 2023
Set in a post apocalyptic future where survivors live in bunkers waiting for the outside world to be safe again.
Sarah Wolfe a young woman is the Pharmacist who dispenses medication and deals with minor ailments until she becomes unwillingly involved in the leaders paranoid schemes to eliminate rivals and maintain control. She lives a life of comparative luxury in an isolated part of the bunker.
The walls that keep her safe also have her trapped. How much more is she willing to give to stay alive?
This was such a thrilling read that had me gripped from the start.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah Wolfe a young woman is the Pharmacist who dispenses medication and deals with minor ailments until she becomes unwillingly involved in the leaders paranoid schemes to eliminate rivals and maintain control. She lives a life of comparative luxury in an isolated part of the bunker.
The walls that keep her safe also have her trapped. How much more is she willing to give to stay alive?
This was such a thrilling read that had me gripped from the start.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2022
A very claustrophobic book.
Sarah Wolfe is one of the pharmacists in the bunker. We learn that there was a war and people are sheltering because of radioactive fallout. Wolfe got her place in the bunker because she is needed.
People live in very close quarters and have limited resources, except for the leaders who live in comparative splendour.
We get just enough information about what happened, but most of the plot unravels slowly, just like the inhabitants' sanity.
This reminded me of "Snowpiercer".
No punctuation indicating speech made this a very hard read.
Sarah Wolfe is one of the pharmacists in the bunker. We learn that there was a war and people are sheltering because of radioactive fallout. Wolfe got her place in the bunker because she is needed.
People live in very close quarters and have limited resources, except for the leaders who live in comparative splendour.
We get just enough information about what happened, but most of the plot unravels slowly, just like the inhabitants' sanity.
This reminded me of "Snowpiercer".
No punctuation indicating speech made this a very hard read.
February 27, 2022
Set in a dystopian future this story is about survivors living in bunkers after an nuclear war.
Wolfe is a young woman working as a pharmacist who dispenses medicine to the population.
Living in the bunker is hard as the population is crammed together and there is no reprieve to their mundane existence. People are expected to do what they are told and their leader is not a person to to be ignored.
I really enjoyed this book, it had me gripped from the beginning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Sloughton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wolfe is a young woman working as a pharmacist who dispenses medicine to the population.
Living in the bunker is hard as the population is crammed together and there is no reprieve to their mundane existence. People are expected to do what they are told and their leader is not a person to to be ignored.
I really enjoyed this book, it had me gripped from the beginning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Sloughton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2022
(2.5* rounded up because of the cover)
The Pharmacist follows Wolfe, one of the pharmacists in a bunker as her dull life administering meds for her fellow residents is disrupted by a request from their mysterious Leader.
The premise sounds very cool and Atalla manages to create a claustrophobic ambiance that you can only dread. A war has broken out and a selected group of lucky individuals are sent to this bunker (or fallout shelter?). Their survival comes at the expense of their privacy, their first names, and just the abundance they enjoyed outside. Instead, they all share bunk beds, call each other by their last names, and get rations of food pouches (smoothies and baby food).
I had a few issues with the book. I feel I started reading it with the wrong expectations as it is marked as a dystopian thriller, but it really is a character study. The other characters (not Wolfe) are interesting but we don’t get to see enough for me to actually like them or understand what they do and, because Wolfe narrates it passively and doesn’t really dwell on her emotions, I just struggled to understand her relationships.
The real problems I had with this were 1) the writing. It’s problematic and maybe a deal-breaker for some (maybe for me too) as there is no punctuation differentiating dialogue from the narration. It got confusing at times and I can’t really tell why this was the author’s choice. And 2) just what is going on? Why are they in a bunker? Why is everyone paranoid? What do other people do? Where do they get the electricity from? Would building was very lacking and I couldn’t get into the story fully because of it.
I don’t think this is a bad book, I just think I had many questions and the wrong expectations.
The Pharmacist follows Wolfe, one of the pharmacists in a bunker as her dull life administering meds for her fellow residents is disrupted by a request from their mysterious Leader.
The premise sounds very cool and Atalla manages to create a claustrophobic ambiance that you can only dread. A war has broken out and a selected group of lucky individuals are sent to this bunker (or fallout shelter?). Their survival comes at the expense of their privacy, their first names, and just the abundance they enjoyed outside. Instead, they all share bunk beds, call each other by their last names, and get rations of food pouches (smoothies and baby food).
I had a few issues with the book. I feel I started reading it with the wrong expectations as it is marked as a dystopian thriller, but it really is a character study. The other characters (not Wolfe) are interesting but we don’t get to see enough for me to actually like them or understand what they do and, because Wolfe narrates it passively and doesn’t really dwell on her emotions, I just struggled to understand her relationships.
The real problems I had with this were 1) the writing. It’s problematic and maybe a deal-breaker for some (maybe for me too) as there is no punctuation differentiating dialogue from the narration. It got confusing at times and I can’t really tell why this was the author’s choice. And 2) just what is going on? Why are they in a bunker? Why is everyone paranoid? What do other people do? Where do they get the electricity from? Would building was very lacking and I couldn’t get into the story fully because of it.
I don’t think this is a bad book, I just think I had many questions and the wrong expectations.
December 1, 2021
In The Pharmacist, we are witnessing the day to day life of Sarah Wolfe, one of the pharmacists inside ‘the bunker’. In this bunker, an unknown number of people are seeking shelter while the outside world is healing from the aftermath of a nuclear war. A mysterious leader is in charge of the bunker, in which the inhabitants seem packed, with little to do but work, eat and sleep. Paranoia and mental problems are increasing. Wolfe in general has a boring, repetitive life until she is noticed by the leader, whose behaviour becomes more and more erratic, and who starts demanding things from her in exchange for small favours. The question is how far Wolfe is willing to go to satisfy the leader’s requests.
The basic idea of the book is very comparable to what Hugh Howey did with Wool, combined with some of the Snowpiercer series. The claustrophobic and mysterious environment is very similar and several other elements seem to be borrowed from either one of these series as well. Through the eyes of Wolfe, the reader witnesses everyday life inside the bunker, which on itself is rather dull. But the narrative voice of Wolfe is attractive and there are many questions to be answered, which is intriguing. Rachelle Atalla has put a lot of detail into the story, which allows to get a good picture of the environment inside the bunker, and of the issues people deal with. The details, and the monotonous life people lead, make this a slow story with hardly any action, but that doesn’t bother at all. It actually contributes to the general atmosphere. The biggest, and at first only, annoyance is the absence of speech marks in Attala’s writing.
The Pharmacist is attractively written and the moral disintegration of the inhabitants due to their unwilling isolation and their not knowing how the outside is doing, is well developed. Wolfe is an interesting person to follow. Nevertheless, the book is not completely satisfying. There are a lot of questions raised (about what happened before, about the bunker, about the leader, about why so many unqualified people were selected to join) and you expect some answers. But as the book progresses, the story starts spinning in circles and doesn’t evolve. There are almost no answers given and the abrupt ending is naive and rushed. It feels like a sequel is needed, but the ending suggests this is not the plan. I liked the general idea of the book, the premises, the pace, the atmosphere that was conveyed, but was disappointed in the final quarter in which I expected answers and an original outcome, which didn’t happen.
(Thanks to publisher and author for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.)
The basic idea of the book is very comparable to what Hugh Howey did with Wool, combined with some of the Snowpiercer series. The claustrophobic and mysterious environment is very similar and several other elements seem to be borrowed from either one of these series as well. Through the eyes of Wolfe, the reader witnesses everyday life inside the bunker, which on itself is rather dull. But the narrative voice of Wolfe is attractive and there are many questions to be answered, which is intriguing. Rachelle Atalla has put a lot of detail into the story, which allows to get a good picture of the environment inside the bunker, and of the issues people deal with. The details, and the monotonous life people lead, make this a slow story with hardly any action, but that doesn’t bother at all. It actually contributes to the general atmosphere. The biggest, and at first only, annoyance is the absence of speech marks in Attala’s writing.
The Pharmacist is attractively written and the moral disintegration of the inhabitants due to their unwilling isolation and their not knowing how the outside is doing, is well developed. Wolfe is an interesting person to follow. Nevertheless, the book is not completely satisfying. There are a lot of questions raised (about what happened before, about the bunker, about the leader, about why so many unqualified people were selected to join) and you expect some answers. But as the book progresses, the story starts spinning in circles and doesn’t evolve. There are almost no answers given and the abrupt ending is naive and rushed. It feels like a sequel is needed, but the ending suggests this is not the plan. I liked the general idea of the book, the premises, the pace, the atmosphere that was conveyed, but was disappointed in the final quarter in which I expected answers and an original outcome, which didn’t happen.
(Thanks to publisher and author for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.)
January 10, 2023
If you're in the mood for a post-apocalyptic dystopia read The Employees instead.
May 1, 2023
3.5 rounded up to 4
May 8, 2022
I received an eARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
DNF at 25%
I can see exactly why others would love this book - the slow build of unease that things are wrong, but not what, is well done and the heavily removed style mimics the wearying effect of living in a tightly controlled world for a claustrophobic effect. However, it wasn't enough to engage me with this book.
While the slow build was done well, there wasn't enough of a hook at the start to draw me in and keep my attention through that build. The events felt too mundane (for the world), not promising enough to snare my attention and make me wonder where it was going to go. There weren't any questions I desperately wanted an answer to.
Honestly, I don't think I had any questions at all about the plot at any point, questions about what would happen later. And questions are the biggest driver of narrative tension, the thing keeping you going because you just have to know how it's resolved.
This is because Wolfe didn't have any obvious goals - she wasn't striving for anything, didn't desperately want anything. While it matches the lethargy of the world inside the bunker, it made it hard to root for her as there was nothing to root for, nothing to hope she got in the end. Plus it bottomed out the momentum because I didn't have anything to measure success by. I didn't know if events were getting her further or closer to goals.
The formatting was also a little weird, and I don't think it was just an eARC thing. It wasn't strange line breaks all over the place - that was all fine - but instead there were no speech marks. It made it so hard to follow what was being said and what was being thought (particularly as it was written in first person.) That added a layer of confusion and having to read sections several times to work out what was happening - and who, if anyone, was speaking.
DNF at 25%
I can see exactly why others would love this book - the slow build of unease that things are wrong, but not what, is well done and the heavily removed style mimics the wearying effect of living in a tightly controlled world for a claustrophobic effect. However, it wasn't enough to engage me with this book.
While the slow build was done well, there wasn't enough of a hook at the start to draw me in and keep my attention through that build. The events felt too mundane (for the world), not promising enough to snare my attention and make me wonder where it was going to go. There weren't any questions I desperately wanted an answer to.
Honestly, I don't think I had any questions at all about the plot at any point, questions about what would happen later. And questions are the biggest driver of narrative tension, the thing keeping you going because you just have to know how it's resolved.
This is because Wolfe didn't have any obvious goals - she wasn't striving for anything, didn't desperately want anything. While it matches the lethargy of the world inside the bunker, it made it hard to root for her as there was nothing to root for, nothing to hope she got in the end. Plus it bottomed out the momentum because I didn't have anything to measure success by. I didn't know if events were getting her further or closer to goals.
The formatting was also a little weird, and I don't think it was just an eARC thing. It wasn't strange line breaks all over the place - that was all fine - but instead there were no speech marks. It made it so hard to follow what was being said and what was being thought (particularly as it was written in first person.) That added a layer of confusion and having to read sections several times to work out what was happening - and who, if anyone, was speaking.
March 31, 2023
The Pharmacist seems like it should be a slam dunk: people stuck in a bunker after an undisclosed apocalyptic event struggle to maintain equilibrium under the thumb of an increasingly mercurial leader and his uncaring regime. After an unpleasant encounter, one of the bunker’s pharmacists seeks protection and comes perilously close to the inner circle.
However, The Pharmacist holds the reader at arm’s length, is written entirely impersonally despite its first person form, and cannot countenance the existence of human emotions. Rachelle Atalla spends 300 pages desperate for you not to care, so at what point should you start? The Pharmacist becomes a Frankenstein’s monster of parts from other, better work – a component taken here from one end of the world here, a woman’s personal tragedy from another – flattened into a book in which no one has their dialogue enclosed in quotation marks or the benefit of a first name.
This is a novel not without its highlights – the fantasy travel group for one, and a fleeting few moments that we spend properly in the company of the vulnerable assistant Levitt – but its pleasures are few and far between. Atalla has developed an underground that doesn’t seem worth interrogating, and so there’s no need to look beyond the bunker. You can understand the psychology of Wolfe, the titular protagonist, but that doesn’t mean you’re ever really invested in her situation: even when the story escalates, The Pharmacist stays plodding on the same level.
It's possible that The Pharmacist will work for someone who wants this brand of claustrophobic squirm, but there are so many other places that you can get the feeling of dystopia and oppression mixed with quasi-feminist messaging that there’s no reason not to close the door on this one.
However, The Pharmacist holds the reader at arm’s length, is written entirely impersonally despite its first person form, and cannot countenance the existence of human emotions. Rachelle Atalla spends 300 pages desperate for you not to care, so at what point should you start? The Pharmacist becomes a Frankenstein’s monster of parts from other, better work – a component taken here from one end of the world here, a woman’s personal tragedy from another – flattened into a book in which no one has their dialogue enclosed in quotation marks or the benefit of a first name.
This is a novel not without its highlights – the fantasy travel group for one, and a fleeting few moments that we spend properly in the company of the vulnerable assistant Levitt – but its pleasures are few and far between. Atalla has developed an underground that doesn’t seem worth interrogating, and so there’s no need to look beyond the bunker. You can understand the psychology of Wolfe, the titular protagonist, but that doesn’t mean you’re ever really invested in her situation: even when the story escalates, The Pharmacist stays plodding on the same level.
It's possible that The Pharmacist will work for someone who wants this brand of claustrophobic squirm, but there are so many other places that you can get the feeling of dystopia and oppression mixed with quasi-feminist messaging that there’s no reason not to close the door on this one.
June 19, 2022
Fantastic and atmospheric. Wolfe is a really interesting narrator. Could have spent a lot more time in the bunker myself.
November 11, 2023
2.5 stars;
Why is a woman’s worth defined by her ability to have a baby?????
Why is a woman’s worth defined by her ability to have a baby?????
September 14, 2024
What an eerie ready! Post apocalyptic story that was a good mash up between: The Giver, Hunger Games Book 3, and the final season of Lost. Also encompasses everything I know I wouldn’t love about community pharmacy. If you need an ending, this is not your book, hence my negative points.
August 3, 2024
Claustrophobic and unsettling. And with a complex main character who forces you to keep reassessing your feelings of her. This debut novel by Rachelle Atalla wasn’t quite as strong as her second, Thirsty Animals. But there’s a real power in how skilfully she holds back the horror.
December 8, 2021
3.75 rounded up. Full review to come!
January 9, 2025
3.5 rounded up to 4. really strong start, with an interesting protagonist and premise but i felt like the ending was pretty weak, it both dragged on and whizzed by, without any real satisfaction
August 2, 2022
It's easy to root for a heroic protagonist. It's harder to sympathize with one who becomes horrific in order to survive in a horrific situation. Rachelle Atalla pulls off the difficult trick of keeping us on the main character's side as she trades away pieces of her conscience and soul bit by bit. It's not difficult to believe that in the same situation, most of us would make similar choices.
October 29, 2023
boring.
November 14, 2021
I do love post-apocalyptic fiction and this is a very good addition to the genre.
Sarah Wolfe is the titular pharmacist, confined with an unknown number of people in a crowded bunker beneath an unknown city, to wait out the effects of... something hinted at as deadly radiation although we are never explicitly told what or why (there are a few tantalising hints plus mention of a 3 year duration). Wolfe spends her days dolling out medicines and dealing with minor ailments until she becomes unwillingly involved in The Leader's increasingly paranoid machinations to eliminate rivals and subdue any hint of dissent, while living a life of comparative luxury in an isolated part of the bunker.
The setting, as you'd expect, is eerily claustrophobic and somewhat reminiscent of Hugh Howey's "Wool" series, although the decline of this community is shown to happen remarkably quickly. The whole bunker project feels strangely rushed together yet well-planned - large amounts of pureed ration pouches are available but no solid food, no mention of growing fresh vegetables nor keeping chickens, etc. Also, perhaps in an amusing nod to real life the bunker is full of people who would appear to be of little use in a survival situation - bankers, politicians, political donors, and their families.
As for style, the book is written entirely from Wolfe's point of view, and totally without speech marks (similar to Ling Ma's "Severance"). It's a modern and perhaps brave choice, but takes a bit of getting used to. I am personally not keen because it makes the characters seem dispassionate and detached, and a lot of the 'bigger picture' is missing.
However, the book is intriguing and well written and I'm hoping there is a follow-up as I'd really like to know what happens next and what's happening outside.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early e-copy for unbiased review.
Sarah Wolfe is the titular pharmacist, confined with an unknown number of people in a crowded bunker beneath an unknown city, to wait out the effects of... something hinted at as deadly radiation although we are never explicitly told what or why (there are a few tantalising hints plus mention of a 3 year duration). Wolfe spends her days dolling out medicines and dealing with minor ailments until she becomes unwillingly involved in The Leader's increasingly paranoid machinations to eliminate rivals and subdue any hint of dissent, while living a life of comparative luxury in an isolated part of the bunker.
The setting, as you'd expect, is eerily claustrophobic and somewhat reminiscent of Hugh Howey's "Wool" series, although the decline of this community is shown to happen remarkably quickly. The whole bunker project feels strangely rushed together yet well-planned - large amounts of pureed ration pouches are available but no solid food, no mention of growing fresh vegetables nor keeping chickens, etc. Also, perhaps in an amusing nod to real life the bunker is full of people who would appear to be of little use in a survival situation - bankers, politicians, political donors, and their families.
As for style, the book is written entirely from Wolfe's point of view, and totally without speech marks (similar to Ling Ma's "Severance"). It's a modern and perhaps brave choice, but takes a bit of getting used to. I am personally not keen because it makes the characters seem dispassionate and detached, and a lot of the 'bigger picture' is missing.
However, the book is intriguing and well written and I'm hoping there is a follow-up as I'd really like to know what happens next and what's happening outside.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early e-copy for unbiased review.
June 14, 2022
Whilst I liked the premise of this book, I found it hard to enjoy. Told entirely from the perspective of the main character, Wolfe, it is a story of a population who are sequestered in a bunker whilst an unnamed crisis affects the world above.
Firstly I didn't like the lack of quotation marks used for speech. At times I was unsure if Wolfe was thinking or speaking. As the story was entirely hers, she was often thinking and observing the goings on around her.
She was a troubled and difficult person who I couldn't really connect with. Her dealings with others in the bunker, as their Pharmacist, were limited and most often, mundane. Once she connected with a couple of other people in the bunker I found Wolfe to be more human and thus, more likeable.
I was left questioning the whys and how's of the people came to be in the bunker. I would have liked to know more about the Leader and his motivation.
There were some aspects of Orwell's 1984 throughout this novel. The soldiers patrolling and controlling all aspects of life in the bunker. I could almost taste the sachets of pureed foods that were rationed out each day. The recurring theme of each day, the monotony of life in the bunker and the rules and regulations was well written.
Firstly I didn't like the lack of quotation marks used for speech. At times I was unsure if Wolfe was thinking or speaking. As the story was entirely hers, she was often thinking and observing the goings on around her.
She was a troubled and difficult person who I couldn't really connect with. Her dealings with others in the bunker, as their Pharmacist, were limited and most often, mundane. Once she connected with a couple of other people in the bunker I found Wolfe to be more human and thus, more likeable.
I was left questioning the whys and how's of the people came to be in the bunker. I would have liked to know more about the Leader and his motivation.
There were some aspects of Orwell's 1984 throughout this novel. The soldiers patrolling and controlling all aspects of life in the bunker. I could almost taste the sachets of pureed foods that were rationed out each day. The recurring theme of each day, the monotony of life in the bunker and the rules and regulations was well written.
March 22, 2024
This was a fascinating read, and I found it compelling but it’s certainly not a book for anyone who might be feeling existential despair. Rachelle Atalla’s depiction of life in a post-nuclear bunker is well imagined. The story is told from the point of view of the female protagonist, Wolfe. Most inhabitants of the bunker are known only by surnames (although there are exceptions: Nurse Appleby is always ‘Nurse Appleby’ while the doctor is simply ‘Stirling’) and Wolfe is the eponymous pharmacist. Rifle-wielding soldiers patrol the place; survivors sleep in bunk beds; food is provided once a day in the form of artificially flavoured food pouches; ill health abounds and the pharmacy stays busy.
While most bunker survivors exist on food pouches, the leader, ND, lives in his ‘lair’ in luxury with an abundant range of foods. He becomes increasingly paranoid as the story progresses and Wolfe is called upon to provide drugs to feed his growing addiction. There are also darker requests from ND that challenge Wolfe’s sense of morality. The novel poses many interesting questions about human behaviour and how moral goalposts can shift when it is a question of our own survival.
One point I must mention concerns style. This is Atalla’s first novel and she has taken the decision to abandon speech marks to punctuate dialogue. This is a quirk adopted by many of the literary great and good, and it’s a writer’s personal choice, but as a reader, I like the clarity of speech marks, which avoid any hiccups of confusion as you enjoy the story. That small gripe aside, this is a great first novel, fast-paced and brimming with intriguing ideas.
While most bunker survivors exist on food pouches, the leader, ND, lives in his ‘lair’ in luxury with an abundant range of foods. He becomes increasingly paranoid as the story progresses and Wolfe is called upon to provide drugs to feed his growing addiction. There are also darker requests from ND that challenge Wolfe’s sense of morality. The novel poses many interesting questions about human behaviour and how moral goalposts can shift when it is a question of our own survival.
One point I must mention concerns style. This is Atalla’s first novel and she has taken the decision to abandon speech marks to punctuate dialogue. This is a quirk adopted by many of the literary great and good, and it’s a writer’s personal choice, but as a reader, I like the clarity of speech marks, which avoid any hiccups of confusion as you enjoy the story. That small gripe aside, this is a great first novel, fast-paced and brimming with intriguing ideas.
December 15, 2025
Started and finished date - 08.12.25 to 12.12.25.
My rating – Four Stars.
I really enjoyed is book and weirdly this book reminds me a very little bit fallout also I think people who like books at set post apocalyptic will love is book. I think fans of fallout by Todd Strasser or bunker dogs by Gage Greenwood may like is book. The cover of book was simple but stunning and the colour palette at was used on the cover of book was great. The writing was well done, and the writing was both easy and smooth to follow also the ending of book was great. The plot of the book was interesting, and I found the plot of the book to be well written also I really enjoyed the world building.
The setting of the book was interesting, and the atmosphere was great also I think this book has a well written claustrophobic vibe to is book. I think both the mystery and the suspense was well done but I could a little bit better. I think both the friendships and relationships between the characters was pretty good and I think it was my favourite part of the book. I think author did great job at exploring the corruption of power and human nature. I found the paced in the book was well structured and steady paced. I really like the characters, and this book made me really care about them.
My rating – Four Stars.
I really enjoyed is book and weirdly this book reminds me a very little bit fallout also I think people who like books at set post apocalyptic will love is book. I think fans of fallout by Todd Strasser or bunker dogs by Gage Greenwood may like is book. The cover of book was simple but stunning and the colour palette at was used on the cover of book was great. The writing was well done, and the writing was both easy and smooth to follow also the ending of book was great. The plot of the book was interesting, and I found the plot of the book to be well written also I really enjoyed the world building.
The setting of the book was interesting, and the atmosphere was great also I think this book has a well written claustrophobic vibe to is book. I think both the mystery and the suspense was well done but I could a little bit better. I think both the friendships and relationships between the characters was pretty good and I think it was my favourite part of the book. I think author did great job at exploring the corruption of power and human nature. I found the paced in the book was well structured and steady paced. I really like the characters, and this book made me really care about them.
November 21, 2021
What would you do to survive? That's the question at the heart of this intriguing dystopia.
There has (possibly) been a nuclear war and the lucky few are in a bunker. They may have once been famous or rich or influential but in the bunker they are surnames in boilersuits, living off pouches and sleeping in bunks. Sexual violence and suicide are rife and paranoia growing. Wolfe is a pharmacist, spending her days dolling out anti depressants, marking out the days on a calendar. But when she asks for one small favour she gets pulled into the dark centre of power and soon finds that her own survival depends on her compliance - and she has to ask herself, how far is she willing to go to keep herself and those she loves alive?
This is a compelling, bleak book, claustrophobic and beautifully realised. Highly recommended.
There has (possibly) been a nuclear war and the lucky few are in a bunker. They may have once been famous or rich or influential but in the bunker they are surnames in boilersuits, living off pouches and sleeping in bunks. Sexual violence and suicide are rife and paranoia growing. Wolfe is a pharmacist, spending her days dolling out anti depressants, marking out the days on a calendar. But when she asks for one small favour she gets pulled into the dark centre of power and soon finds that her own survival depends on her compliance - and she has to ask herself, how far is she willing to go to keep herself and those she loves alive?
This is a compelling, bleak book, claustrophobic and beautifully realised. Highly recommended.
August 7, 2022
I read this novel over two days and am completely obsessed by it. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and wishing I was back reading it! The Pharmacist is the perfect dystopian, post-apocalyptic novel, teasing just enough information but leaving enough gaps to let your imagination do the rest. It was everything I enjoy about dystopia, bleak, full of morally ambiguous characters, unlikely relationships, ordinary situations with so much more at stake. This novel reminded me of how good dystopian fiction can be. Think, 'I Who Have Never Known Men' but even better.
August 13, 2022
This book was much more intense than I expected. it had a strange gravity to it and it actually involves some pretty serious topics. It’s strangely dreadful and even partly realistic. It’s also open ended. It’s a weird book. But still good…? I was pretty engaged while reading and was just trying to understand the bunker and leadership situation.
Also, it was my first time reading a book with no quotation marks. I thought it would bother me more but it was fine. And honestly suited the vibe of the book.
Also, it was my first time reading a book with no quotation marks. I thought it would bother me more but it was fine. And honestly suited the vibe of the book.
December 27, 2023
It’s a pretty decent dystopian novel, only it just felt a bit stuck, I found myself getting a bit tired with the main character and not really understanding why she was doing stuff. Like there wasn’t really any reason why she couldn’t go “across the boarder” and for some people it seemed normal. I feel like it was trying so hard to be something that I am sorry but it didn’t quite succeed for me. I was gripped in a way, but I am still just as confused at what I have read as I was at the beginning. It’s a good book just it didn’t quite hit it off with me.
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