Charles Higson

First the sickness rotted the adults' minds. Then their bodies. Now they stalk the streets, hunting human flesh. The Holloway crew are survivors. They've fought their way across London and made it to the Natural History Museum alive - just. But the fight will never end while the Enemy lives, unless there's another way. The kids at the museum are looking for a cure. All they need are medical supplies. To get them means a journey down unknown roads. Roads where not only crazed, hungry sickos hide in the shadows. Suddenly it's not so clear who - or what - they're fighting.

The Fallen

Jamieson

guys this series has majorly fucked me up AND I REALLY WANT MORE OF Y'ALL TO READ IT ITS SO GOOD AND CLEVER

So here we have a complete list of why you should! 

But before I get into that some quick facts. 
1: the series is about a future world where all the adults are either dead or zombies who want to eat children! 
2: it's set in London
3: the series covers different groups around London and each books intertwines with the others so neatly 
4: It's got some great diversity
5: IT WILL LITERALLY FUCK YOU UP SO GOOD AND YOU WILL CRINGE BECAUSE THERE IS SOME SERIOUSLY HORRIBLE AND DISGUSTING THINGS GOING ON

ok. Here is my list of why you should read The Enemy series

• Charlie Higson is very clever. What I mean is, the way this series is intertwined together is honestly just really clever writing. Let me explain, book 1 follows a group called the Holloway Crew. Book 2 jumps back in time a little and follows a group called the Tower of London kids - when book 2 is midway through, the beginning of the events of book 1 begin. Book 3 follows another crew, who are doing something at the same time as the final events of book 2 are happening. Book 4 follows the crews from 2 and 3 when their stories clash together. Book 5 follows the Holloway crew again - the end of their story in book 1 begins when the events at the end of book 4 start. 
Confused? YOU SHOULD BE. But the way these books are written is their greatest strength. It gives this world incredible depth and complexity and makes it feel very real. Even tho events are happening in a logical order, they're also happening at the same time and it definietely gives you that feeling of the butterfly effect - like things are happening because of these characters consequences to the other characters you've met in different books. 
Also, it's just really fun when you see the actions of character and know what they're doing is going to effect others. For example, book 1 is basically about a boy called Jester coming to see the Holloway Crew. In book 3, one of the characters sends Jester to go "find other kids", thus setting off the events that will lead to the beginning of book 1. 
It's kind of hard to explain, but you need to know these books are not simple zombie stories they are really really clever 

• Diverse! There are so many characters who are diverse and strong good characters. Many of the leaders of the groups of kids, who are in great power positions, are poc! or have disabilities ! or are lgbt+ ! It's great !! There is black characters, hispanic characters, brown characters, fat characters, mentally ill characters, characters with learning disabilities, characters with physical disabilities, characters who are gay, characters with no gender, and much much more. It's GREAT

• IT'S BRUTAL. Seriously, you never know who's going down next. And that keeps you on your toes, but also some of the things that happen to these characters are genuinely horrifying and I've been shocked by some of the scenes of horror. I'm not shocked by horror in books much!!! But honestly you never know who's gonna get rekt next it's like rickroll just when u think someone is safe they dead. 

• Very clever society building. So, one of the premises of this story is that the kids have banded into different crews. You got the Buckingham Palace Kids, the Holloway Kids, the Museum of Natural History Kids, the Parliament House Crew, the Squatters, the Ascot kids, the Tower of London Crew, the Cathedral Kids and SO MANY MORE. Each different group has it's own unique culture -- they call the zombies different things (ranging from sicko, to grown-up, to oppoe) they have their own goals and ambitions (some just want to be fair to the kids, some want to hunt zombies, some want to create democracies, some want to study science and cure the disease) and this all makes each different unique and interesting to follow. The groups are all separate, but they are also all forced to mingle, interact and see things from each others perspective. The groups are also all aware of each other and that creates some fun conversations about characters from other crews and books which are just really fun to read. 

• Good balance of themes. Action doesn't overshadow trauma and horror, and there are good deep conversations about things like the human condition which make it feel more deep. There is also relationships that aren't annoying or overbearing, there is cute friendships and familial relationships. There is a good balance of the current plot, like what each crew it up to - and the overarching plot pertaining to the disease and why people got sick and are now zombies. 

• Basically. It's good,,,,, it's all good. I couldn't rec them harder they are so fucking clever and well thought out why won't more people read them !!!!!!!!!

READ THIS SERIES OKAY. READ IT AND CRY WITH ME I'M SO FUCKED UP

ghost girl in satin

I love this book so much. I was so happy to see the Holloway Crew again. ♥ And we get new info about the disease, that's GREAT. Also, I love Skinner. And Einstein, even if he's a jerk.

The Fallen

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