The Enemy by Charlie Higson

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

2009, Disney-Hyperion

Series: Book 1 of The Enemy

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Rating

Synopsis: They'll chase you. They'll rip you open. They'll feed on you...When the sickness came, every parent, policeman, politician - every adult - fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry. Only children under fourteen remain, and they're fighting to survive. Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city - down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground - the grown-ups lie in wait. But can they make it there - alive?

The Good: This is a really interesting take on zombies. Kids are immune, only the adults turn into monsters. All the adults, every single person over 16 years old. The situation itself is terrifying. The kids stick together, search for safety. There were more than a few deaths and some were pretty painful to experience. I found both the plot and the writing itself highly engaging and well done. The action is nonstop and level of violence is brutal. I especially loved the series being set in England and the situation at Buckingham Palace was insanely interesting.

The Bad: The book has some romance that feels totally out of place. Of course, teens and stressful situations will always breed romantic entanglements, but here it was forced and inconvenient. Almost as though it was wedged in there as an afterthought.