This Fragile Earth by Susannah Wise

☆☆☆☆
.PDF, 277 pages
Expected Publication: June 24th 2021 by Orion Publishing Group/Gollancz

About the Book:
What would you do to protect your family if the world stopped working? Not long from now, in a recognisable yet changed London, Signy and Matthew lead a dull, difficult life. They've only really stayed together for the sake of their six year old son, Jed. But they're surviving, just about. Until the day the technology that runs their world stops working. Unable to use their phones, pay for anything, even open the smart door to their flat, Matthew assumes that this is just a momentary glitch in the computers that now run the world. But then the electricity and gas are cut off. Even the water stops running. And the pollination drones - vital to the world, ever since the bees all died - are behaving oddly. People are going missing. Soldiers are on the streets. London is no longer safe. A shocking incident sends Signy and Jed on the run, desperate to flee London and escape to the small village where Signy grew up. Determined to protect her son, Signy will do almost anything to survive as the world falls apart around them. But she has no idea what is waiting for them outside the city.

My Review:

I am not a big reader of science fiction but this tickled my fancy because it is near future. I saw this on the twitterverse and with what the world is going through right now I thought I would give it a go. I am really glad I did. Although it is a form of science fiction it's really about family and the lengths a mother will go to to save her son.

This story is fraught with tension and suspense. Will they or won't they? What is causing these problems? Is it safe? Should we stay or should we go? And I just loved the characters. Signy was a strong, capable woman who did her best for her son. Jed was precious and precocious...he reminded me a lot of my youngest at that age. The format of the book was such a good idea...instead of Chapter One we have Day One etc. I also loved the theme and message the book represents. Our Earth is fragile and we humans should take much better care of her. This was such an enjoyable read that I read it in a day, I just couldn't get to the end fast enough.

Disclosure:
Thank you NetGalley, Susannah Wise and Orion Publishing Group/Gollancz for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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