The Enemy Review

Combining the gory with the action-packed, The Enemy by Charlie Higson was great fun to read. The basic premise was that of a world without adults (similar to Gone by Michael Grant, another book that came out recently) but instead of over fifteen's just disappearing they become infected by some disease like virus that makes them turn into zombies.

With this in mind the book is not afraid to go where others won’t. Right from the off you’re faced with the realisation that absolutely no character is safe from harm or death. Literally anything can happen to anyone at any time and this pulls you into a constant state of wariness at what might be just over the page. The characters themselves were brilliant. There is a diverse range of people with multiple backgrounds and lives and this alone creates almost political tension within the groups of kids that the book introduces. It’s really interesting to see how every character finds their own space to fit and role to play within the mini communities.

The situation was obviously well thought out and every possibility is covered and every issue countered. The thing that hit me most about the book was the settings. Based in London it’s amazing and really clever the way different landmarks and buildings are put to use. The Tower of London and Arsenal stadium for example make the whole situation feel more accessible.

I was kind of disappointed because I thought it would be scarier than it was but, from experience, I don’t scare easily so I think that was just me!

Overall a brilliant book that I really enjoyed and I can’t wait for a sequel.