Not Alone

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Being part of a group of writers was one of the best parts of the course to me – I’d never had that before. As well as that feeling of permission to be a writer described above, it also made the trying to write a novel seem like an ambition that was valid and celebrated. It was nice, too, to share the difficulties, challenges and self-doubt of writing, all of which can seem insurmountable at times. Wanting to soften his understanding, Katie assures him, “You get to live every day, you only die once.”

Refreshing . . .filled with penetrating interiority. . . In the end, hope is the driving force that pushes Katie towards her goals. We’re going to need that kind of hopeful grit if we’re to survive our own environmental catastrophe.”

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This dark novel is about what a mother will do to save the life of her child. And, underlying the story, is a warning of how ignoring warning signs leads to ecological disaster and the collapse of civilization.

Don’t do that again, please,” I whisper. Shuddering on the cold bathroom floor, bare skin goose-pimpled and pink; I hate that it reminds me of how hard I scrubbed that day that first year too. Nothing but spit and soap and rough abrasive cloths and desperation, hurting myself almost as much as they ever did. I just wish that there were more descriptions when it came to the breakdown in society. You're left to fill in the blanks with the bits of information that was given. His toes are at the very edge of the landing; the next step would have been the furthest he’s been from the four walls of our flat. It tugs at something primal in me, and I shove my mask round his face and push him up the remaining stairs to the fourth floor, squeezing his little shoulders tight.

I try hard to convince myself that perhaps that’s all I saw in the dark last night. Just a dog or a deer. Climate change has been the focal point of environmental concerns with the threat of rising seas, flooding, droughts, and food shortages attributed to it. Apocalyptic outcomes are on the horizon, and so many speculative narratives in recent years have projected end-of-world scenarios tied to the calamity. It’s journey of survival, and also an eventual physical journey that will make your heart pound and your pulse race. And although it feels as if there’s nothing left to live for and your heart may shatter a bit along the way - there’s still so much hope for a better kinder future for these characters. As well as desperate call for change in the world we live in, and how these threats are definitely not fictional.⁣ I love wild places and was inspired by all the adventures I’ve had in my job and also for fun – kayaking up rivers and across lakes, seeing a mountainside spread out from the highest peak, squelching through bog and peat. I wanted the characters to go on an adventure. Whilst Not Alone is grounded science fiction, I have loved fantasy and science fiction, adventures in imaginative worlds with a hint of magic, and grew up loving the likes of Garth Nix, Philip Pullman, Ian Irvine, Robin Hobb… Harry’s love of dragons and make believe, things that sparkle, and having a curiosity about the world feels precious and hopeful in a world Katie sees as dangerous and not how things should be at all. I appreciate that at first it felt like a love story of a mother's sacrifice for her sons survival and the bond they share,, but I also felt like it was also as much as a story about Katie making this journey to save herself as well. Difficult decisions are made throughout the book, and protection at all cost is the main goal for survival with these two and the cast of characters met along the way.

There are also moments where the narrative strays away from the literary toward the preachy. Far too late in the narrative we’re told, “They started to find plastic dust in rivers, soils and even the air—and also in the vast oceans, millions of pieces per square metre, all washed there like it was a great big watery garbage dump.” Sure, humanity did this to themselves, and maybe we should all change our ways before it’s too late. But in context it feels like a lecture rather than part of the story.

Featured Reviews

Men are a constant threat. Harry, who has some limited world experience, thinks just about any living thing larger than an insect is a “nasty.” The nasties are especially threatening at night and in the dark. He is channeling all of Katie’s fears. Katie mistrusts everyone they meet, including a couple, Sue and Andy, who are kind and generous. Katie worries they are trying to steal Harry from her. She is clearly suffering from post-traumatic stress, both from the storm and from the assault, and their isolation has only made things worse. There were several instances of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault. And in the context of this novel, in a world where institutions have broken down, it makes sense. We do see examples of good and decent men though, but at times, the cruelty that the MC experienced overshadowed this fact. But the worst part is that the whole thing is based around Katie's selfish, idiotic, ridiculous decision to The emotionally wrenching story of a mother’s fight to save her young son as they struggle across a toxic and hostile world. The tension never lets up. Utterly believable, always compelling, and deeply moving. I loved it.”