Just finished reading White Horse by Alex Adams which is a very dark and gritty look at a post apocalyptic world.  I thought this was a very good read, it is without doubt a disturbing book to read as the world depicted certainly isn’t pleasant to live in but it is without doubt gripping.  The story is told by Zoe and is split into two alternative sections – Then and Now.  When reading about ‘then’ we see the life Zoe led and read about the events that took place before the majority of the world’s people were killed by a disease later named White Horse after one of the riders of the Apocalypse.  In ‘now’ we watch Zoe as she goes on a quest to find the father of her unborn child and observe her fight to survive in a strange and brutal new world.

Basically 90% of the population has died.  Of the remaining 10% – 5% are immune to the disease and the other 5% survived but changed during the process.  The world we know is gone.  Technology and modern comforts have disappeared but more than the disappearance of lifestyles is the general degenerative behaviour of the remaining survivors.  I suppose what this book looks at is how long people will remain civilised and hold onto their own humanity in a world that has become so dangerous to live in.

I thought that the use of two timeframes was really good.  It allowed us to watch Zoe’s progress as she travels the globe with a specific, unknown to us, destination in mind whilst also looking back at her former life where the arrival of a mysterious jar in her apartment spells the start of the troubles.  Zoe is scared by the jar.  How did it suddenly manifest itself in her home?  She thinks she’s going crazy and seeks therapy.  Enter Nick Rose – Zoe’s therapist and love interest.  The two share an unmistakable chemistry restricted by the patient/therapist relationship they have.  However, before things have a chance to progress pets start disappearing and people start dying.

The other winning element, for me personally, about the use of the ‘then’ and ‘now’ was that each had something of a mystery that kept you turning the pages trying to find out what exactly was going on.  So instead of feeling frustrated with the switch in story as can sometimes happen because one story has become more gripping than the other, in this, you want to read both stories.  In the ‘then’ – we have the mysterious jar and the whole story of how the disease became about.  In the ‘now’ we have the inclusion of a new character called ‘Swiss’.  How sinister is this person?  Very.  I didn’t have the first notion what was going on with this guy but he is nasty and he seems to have an unnatural interest in Zoe.

Zoe is a strong character.  She has already suffered a lot but still clings to hope in order to help her keep going and as she travels she seems to gather about her other people who she feels the need to protect.  I liked that about her.  The fact that she can drag up energy from out of nowhere to fight against evil in order to protect not just herself but others.   Also, what makes zoe likeable is that although some of her actions are unpalatable she doesn’t take any of them without a lot of thought.

This is a fairly bleak look at a possible outcome if man’s meddling with science and nature goes to far although I think it’s clearly meant to be an exaggerated look.  For example, the notion of Zoe travelling from America to find this tiny island in search of the father of her child just carrying a compass and a map.  Seems unbelievable, but I think that this is intended.

The novel also contains lots of references to mythology that are scattered throughout the novel and I suppose depict the almost herculean efforts of Zoe in the story.  I liked all the mythical references, the first and most obvious being the similarity between Pandora and her box and the jar and the fact that Zoe doesn’t want to open it from fear of what she will release upon the world and then even throwing in references such as the likeness of one of the survivors to Medusa.

I thought this was a really good read.  It’s not all wrapped up in cotton wool so be warned this isn’t a YA read but the author has a lovely writing style and I think she does an excellent job of unfolding this story in a way that quite effortlessly keeps your attention.  This is a great debut novel and although I understand it is the first in a trilogy the story concludes in a very satisfying way without the use of the cliffhanger and the interminable 12 month wait to see what takes place next.

In terms of crticisms – very few, I think the writing can sometimes become a little flowery and this can maybe be a bit distracting but as I said I like the author’s writing style.  Plus I think the comparisons to The Road are inevitable but with White Horse you get a little more of the events that occurred prior to the apocalypse plus you can also throw in a little x-men(ish) action along the way.

It’s a scary outlook – keep taking the tablets!  Or maybe don’t!!