The Silence

What a great idea for a novel. A new little twist on the already satiated apocalypse genre. An underground cavern is unearthed opening the way for thousands of fast breeding “vesps” which hunt by sound and kill everything living they hear on their journey across Europe to our very own British borders. Nothing can stop them, the slightest noise brings them in their droves, and they multiply rapidly, laying eggs in the bodies of their victims which also burst open at the slightest noise.

This is an extremely well written book. A great mix of horror and fantasy in an apocalypse setting, the protagonist family, leaving the noise and hubbub of London behind for the remote highlands of Scotland are well written, well developed and can be any normal family. They could even be you. There were a couple of plot points that didn’t sit too well. Mainly the fact that the heroine of the story is a young deaf girl with the ability to sign. This is great for maintaining silence between the family and therefore safe from the “vesps” but it would also follow that she would have no clue as to how noisy she would be travelling across country to avoid being eaten. Also the family have a dog which plays no part in the battle for survival. It is obvious from the start the dog is going to die, however the method this happens is very poignant and goes to show the struggles, dilemmas and decisions families have to make in order to survive.

The book starts at a fast pace, the TV and radio intros are a nice touch into showing what is happening all over the country. It does peter off slightly in the middle, but with the introduction of the Reverend, the book brings about an ending which is one of the best I’ve read. Do they survive? What kind of world is left behind? More questions left unanswered, paving a way for a potential sequel or better still a conclusion you can imagine yourself.