LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Oh my word, this hits hard, and with so much power it almost took my breath away. Set in the future it focuses on an antibiotic crisis, no one over the age of 70 is allowed treatment and they are sent to hospitals called ‘The Waiting Rooms’. Although written before the current Covid 19 crisis, there is so much here you can connect to as a reader it feels as though this book was meant for these specific times. The first chapter is provocative, it shocked me and yet introduces the main character and book perfectly. As Kate searches for her birth mother, different time frames and countries sent my thoughts and feelings spinning. This is one of those books that doesn’t sit comfortably in one genre as it crosses from dystopian right through to family drama. It is perhaps best described as a speculative thriller, and boy did it make me reflect. I have been left thirsting for more information, for more knowledge and Eve Smith’s final words when she talks about the inspiration behind the novel are chilling indeed. The Waiting Rooms is a gutsy, thoughtful, fascinating read, and we have chosen it to feature as a LoveReading Debut of the Month.
Liz Robinson
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About
The Waiting Rooms Synopsis
Swinging from South Africa to England: one woman's hunt for her birth mother in an all-too-believable near future in which an antibiotic crisis has decimated the population. A prescient, thrilling debut.
Decades of spiraling drug resistance have unleashed a global antibiotic crisis. Ordinary infections are untreatable, and a scratch from a pet can kill. A sacrifice is required to keep the majority safe: no one over seventy is allowed new antibiotics. The elderly are sent to hospitals nicknamed 'The Waiting Rooms' ... hospitals where no one ever gets well.
Twenty years after the crisis takes hold, Kate begins a search for her birth mother, armed only with her name and her age. As Kate unearths disturbing facts about her mother's past, she puts her family in danger and risks losing everything. Because Kate is not the only secret that her mother is hiding. Someone else is looking for her, too.
Sweeping from an all-too-real modern Britain to a pre-crisis South Africa, The Waiting Rooms is epic in scope, richly populated with unforgettable characters, and a tense, haunting vision of a future that is only a few mutations away.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781913193263 |
| Publication date: |
8th July 2020 |
| Author: |
Eve Smith |
| Publisher: |
Orenda Books |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
384 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Science Fiction
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Eve Smith Press Reviews
'If the themes are dark and topical, the writing is exquisite. Breath held, I got to the finale with my heart in my mouth. Eve Smith weaves a complex and clever tale, merging countries and timelines; the result is a superb and satisfying novel' Louise Beech
'Smith creates visceral worlds that spring to life on the page and each chapter reveals new and exciting plot developments... Her work portrays an essence of Margaret Atwood and George Orwell' Reviewer No 9
'Stunning dystopian debut. A prescient and alarming tale that seems just a whisper from reality' Suzy Apsley
'This is THE book of our time. Literally unputdownable & unforgettable. Such a book, you owe it to yourself to order it immediately. WOW!' Phillipa's Quick Book Review Podcast
'With the current coronavirus going on, this book is so timely ... It's a wealth of information and a wealth of warnings. My god this book makes you think. It really makes you think. Great interwoven story of the creators of the drugs and how they can be used for evil reasons. And warning, the first chapter will have you weeping' Goodreads
Author
About Eve Smith
Eve Smith writes speculative fiction, mainly about the things that scare her. She attributes her love of all things dark and dystopian to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and black-and-white Edgar Allen Poe double bills. In this world of questionable facts, stats and news, she believes storytelling is more important than ever to engage people in real life issues.
Set twenty years after an antibiotic crisis, her debut novel The Waiting Rooms was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award. Her flash fiction has been shortlisted for the Bath Flash Fiction Award and highly commended for The Brighton Prize.
Eve’s previous job as COO of an environmental charity took her to research projects across Asia, Africa and the Americas, and she has an ongoing passion for wild creatures, wild science and far-flung places.
For more information, visit Eve's website.
You can also find her on Twitter (@evecsmith), Facebook (EveSmithAuthor) and Instagram (evesmithauthor).
More About Eve Smith
