A remote Scottish island has been devastated by a plague-like virus which has killed everyone except for a group of children. We know not why. It seems the children have been on their own for at least a couple of years but they have lost count. They are a fractured group with two brothers living apart from the other three and a lot later they discover a lone mute girl. The whole thing is narrated by eight-year old Rona who still talks to, and indeed professes to listen to, her mother. It is graphically horrific, almost unbearably sad and hypnotically written. What those poor kids go through is quite dreadful. It is strange that such destruction has not affected the animals and big dogs run wild, kittens being a tasty meal. Raw, dramatic and emotional, it is not for the squeamish.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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'A story about the strength and fragility of human nature. Rob Ewing's writing is powerful, compassionate and brilliant. I absolutely loved it' JOANNA CANNON, the author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP 'Bleak, beautiful, gripping' IAN RANKIN, on Twitter The island is quiet now. On a remote Scottish island, five children are the only ones left. Since the Last Adult died, sensible Elizabeth has been the group leader, testing for a radio signal, playing teacher and keeping an eye on Alex, the littlest, whose insulin can only last so long. There is 'shopping' to do in the houses they haven't yet searched and wrong smells to avoid. For eight-year-old Rona each day brings fresh hope that someone will come back for them, tempered by the reality of their dwindling supplies. With no adults to rebel against, squabbles threaten the fragile family they have formed. And when brothers Calum Ian and Duncan attempt to thwart Elizabeth's leadership, it prompts a chain of events that will endanger Alex's life and test them all in unimaginable ways. Reminiscent of The Lord of the Flies and The Cement Garden, The Last of Us is a powerful and heartbreaking novel of aftershock, courage and survival.
The Last of Us features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Books with reviews by our Reader Review Panel, Thriller and Suspense, Debut Books of the Month, eBooks of the Month, General Fiction, Recommendations, Romance / Relationship Stories
The Last of Us is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Last of Us was written by Rob Ewing and published by The Borough Press an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Last of Us has 308 pages
£9.89
