The Pesthouse

Having read quite a few post-apocalyptic stories I can say that there is nothing new here. A land ravaged by something devastating (we never really find out what), communities who mistrust strangers, disease, bandits, religious zeal and a promised land (but no cannibals). Sound familiar to anyone. The plot is like The Road and the scenery is borrowed from The Postman but the prose is all the author's own. That, for me, is what makes it stand out. Jim Crace knows how to turn a phrase. This is only the second book I have read by the author, the first was The Harvest where I found his way of writing more of a hindrance than a help - I decided after that, that I wouldn't rush to read any of his other books. I'm glad I did eventually pick this one up. I would recommend it to those who like a trip through post-apocalyptic America but for whom The Road was too bleak.