Plague Land

To be honest, I picked this off of my shelf because I figured that it was a fitting time to dive into a virus-based, apocalyptic narrative. Amid all this drama with Covid-19, this book was calling to me. I didn’t know what to expect from this book because I don’t typically find myself leaning toward plague narratives, but I figured that I would give this a try--and I’m glad that I did.

From reading just the first few pages, I knew that this book was going to be good. I was immediately drawn into the narrative, and I had this desire to keep turning the page. I think that I was in the state of mind to read about some sort of horrific plague because it made the actual plague drama going on seem less intimidating. Alex Scarrow was able to write a thrilling tale that lives in the world of fiction, but this story plants that seed of doubt in your mind that forces you to think about what would happen if this were to be true. As I was reading, I was aware that I was reading fiction, but it was so easy for me--especially with what is happening around the world right now--to picture myself immersed in the deadly pandemic that Scarrow created.

“Plague Land” follows Leon, his sister Grace, and their mom as they begin their life back in England after leaving America, and Leon’s father, behind. As Leon struggles to readjust to the new changes in his life, he begins seeing small clips of some sort of virus spreading across Africa, but whenever he tries to focus on the news story it changes to something else. Leon dives into different online forums and begins scouring the web for information on the mysterious virus.

In a matter of days, the virus spread across the globe and proved to be the deadliest virus to have ever been seen. Just a single touch by a molecule of the virus--or by anyone who is infected--will result in immediate contamination and in a matter of a few short hours you will be dead. The virus slowly melts your body until everything except your bones and clothes are nothing more than a puddle of ooze. Just when things couldn’t seem to get any weirder, the oozing puddles left behind began to replicate different DNA patterns from their melted hosts and create their own, infected replicas of various animals, insects, and even people.

Leon and his family attempt to leave the congestion of the city and make their way towards the country to stay with their grandparents, but when the virus begins infecting people on their train they have to come up with a new plan. After wandering alone, searching for signs of sustenance and safety, the family eventually find an abandoned underground bunker from WW2 that has been fully stocked with enough canned goods and non-perishables to last them quite a while. During their stay in the bunker they meet a man named Mohammed and they formed a small band of survivalists.

These four try to comfort one another while shaking off the fears that they may be the only people left alive. Unfortunately, after a shocking encounter with some infected, crab-like replicas, Leon and Grace find themselves alone. On the brink of death, Leon and Grace meet a band of survivors who have been living inside a massive nature-themed health spa (due to the fact that the facility is housed inside a closed dome/greenhouse like structure, it has remained untouched by the virus). When the survivors cast aside laws, rules, and reason during this crisis, everyone within the facility is pushed to their limits.

This book was an amazing read! This book was full of thrills, danger, loss, and survival. I think that this book shows what really happens to a person when they are thrust into unimaginable circumstances. With plenty of action, I couldn’t keep myself from turning the page. There were moments when the parallels between the world Scarrow created and our own world were uncanny, especially in the midst of Covid-19.

I would highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who likes an action packed, apocalyptic drama full of continual craziness. This book was fun to read, but it still made me think about how fragile our world truly is.

5 out of 5 stars.