It's Different Alone

Aaron Lam

The Enemy

By Charlie Higson

Have you ever thought about being completely alone at only the age of 6? Children under the age of 10 usually are dependent on those around them in order to grow and survive. But what would happen if there was no one to lean on? The Enemy revolves around a small group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world set in modern-day London. This group is not an average post apocalyptic group, as it mostly consists of children under the age of 10. The protagonists or the leaders of the group are much older, ranging between 14-15. A deadly virus had broken out around the world, causing people over the age of 16 to become feral zombies.  This book creates a scenario on how children who are unsuited in a drastic change of environment react and adapt. The group of children so far had departed from their home in an abandoned Waitrose market to find a safer place.

The book uses graphic details, such as zombified chimpanzees had bashed the head of a 6 year old in. I find that this book has a different appeal to it compared to other young adult novels.  The Waitrose leader, Arran, show qualities of a leader and provides motivation for the group to survive. “These boys were survivors. The will to live was stronger than any other feelings.” (31). The use of children as the protagonists in an post-apocalyptic world is not a subject that is expanded upon. “There’s just us kids. And we can do what we like” (20). This is a fresh perspective in the genre where most stories typically revolve around adults who are armed with firearms. The children of Waitrose, however, only have makeshift gear such as slingshots or clubs. It effectively creates the feeling of futility in some parts, where Arran asked “‘how long can we go on like this? Eating dogs?’” (50). Despite having a strong sense of surviving, the characters are just children and still have doubts about the world. The book mixes interesting characters with a unique setting to create a story. The gear doesn’t always prove effective which increases the chance that something tragic can happen.

I would recommend this book to people who would only enjoy post apocalyptic stories. The Enemy is more of a fun read than a book that brings anything beneficial to your life. This book is not a great book to develop meaning for, but it is a perfect example of something that is fun and thrilling. This book has a very niche quality where it emphasizes that there are children that are struggling alone in a post apocalyptic world. People who enjoy stories that are more fictional and tragic would love it. This book builds up suspense which would lead to something horrible happening.