Varietats: All The Little Children by Jo Furniss

'His voice was close. I imagined his kissy lips pursed in confusion. Maybe he could smell me, like baby birds do? His footsteps faltered and he called, "Marlene?" The realization that he thought I would answer to my adult name more readily than "Mummy" sent me into a swoon of guilt. I knew I should jump out and gather him up. Play the role of fun mummy-surprise! But the phone vibrated in my hand. Billy's footsteps moved away; he trotted toward our campsite, still calling. His aunt's voice sang out in reply, as I knew it would if I waited long enough, and Billy whooped as he was swept into one of her hugs. Their entwined laughter tumbled through the trees to taunt me.'

This is a survival story, based on the Britain Isles, the worst nightmare that could happen to a country, a massive terrorist attack with a killing virus that kill almost all the citizens...

As we start reading the story, we are totally blind of what is happening, like the characters of the story... Marlene Greene and her sister-in-law with their respective children are spending a few days on a excursion when they will start feeling that something is not right; when the phone line is not working and all the cities seem empty... They don't know how to react when they discover that a killing virus has been spread through all the territory, they only try to be safe and keep their children together.

While we are reading the story, some things turn quite weird, they know there's a dangerous virus but they don't take measures, they leave the kids playing alone while they go to search for food or medicines... But let me say something, in extreme cases people don't react as they should do, I can understand that they try to act more or less normal not to frighten more the kids, they risk their lives again and again to keep the family together and safe, I don't think I would ever be so brave as they were!

I would have liked to know a little bit more about what had really happened, but I suppose the mystery is one of the strong points of the story, so I can understand that Jo Furniss leaves some questions on the air to make the reader guess...

This had been an atmospheric, emotive and compelling read that will stay with me for a long time. It made me feel my emotions bubble through all the story and wanted to hug my little one to keep him safe!

All The Little Children by Jo Furniss - Blog Tour