BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Herd by Emily Edwards, Bantam Press £14.99

This immersive debut novel tackles the timely topic of child vaccinations. However, it does so with empathy and compassion, breathing life in to both sides of the argument, resulting in a thoughtprovoking read.

The story centres around two mothers. Super-organised exsolicitor Elizabeth and creative, bohemian Bry could not be more different. After all, “Elizabeth kept all her receipts; Bry stored fivers in her bra”. Yet this “unexpected pairing” are long-time best friends, neighbours, and godmothers to each other’s children.

The two families live in a leafy, suburban street in an affluent area, where time is preoccupied with discussions of “school trips and nit treatments”. It is the summer of 2019 and large gardens become a communal space where drinks flow and children play. That is, until one birthday party catapults a chain of catastrophic events, leading to a lawsuit which shakes the entire community. Despite the sun, space and greenery, claustrophobia fizzes beneath the surface. Nobody is immune from judgment.

Edwards effectively controls the tension and pace until we reach an explosive courtroom ending with an emotional twist.

This novel was conceived before Covid-19, however it comes at a time where debates surrounding public health and vaccines are prevalent. We consider the personal emotional reasoning behind each vaccination decision, from generational guilt to societal pressure, health concerns and post-natal depression. Also, do our individual health decisions influence the wider community? Do we have any responsibility for the safety of those around us? The prose is beautifully vivid and detailed. A young girl is a “puff of pastel”. Someone’s hands flutter as they wake, like “birds frightened into life”.

Edwards also writes poignantly about the emotional complexities of fraught human relationships, from motherhood to marriage. The main storyline is broken up by snippets from characters interested in the case. A woman whose leg has withered away due to polio. A keyboard-warrior whose online alter-ego wishes harm upon anti-vaxxers. Groups of protestors, “snarling, hungry and human”. But in the end, there are no real

villains or heroes. What Edward presents are simply human beings doing their best to navigate a world where everyone wants to know exactly where you

stand, even when you are not sure yourself. Despite the different stances, this book aims to remind us just

“how much we all share”.