Tome Time discussion

Read to the end of chapter 45 by 15/07/20.

Leave your insights and comments below.

As someone who has spent a lot of time looking for things like bedazzled shoelaces and unicorn jeans, I’m a little jealous that in the middle of a global pandemic, this girl is able to find amazing sparkly shoes and a cool jacket that also fit her.

Where is this apocalypse shop?

Also every time they go to a place like Potters Bar, I’m like yep...that’s the town over from my old neighbourhood...zombie apocalypse happening there...things haven’t changed much then.

Being from slightly further north, I don't really recognise the places that they visit. I've never been to Stevenage and assumed I wasn't missing much.

Every now and again, there's been a particular scene that has left me thinking "have I read this before?" - I'm fairly certain I haven't but I don't know whether it's because I'm remembering the occasional scene from a film or because the book is stealing from other post-apocalyptic books/films I've seen. Particularly the bit where Parks tries to act as though they are a military unit and he's the commander and basically gets told where to go...

I was wondering how old Melanie is meant to be. On the one hand, she's reading Greek myths but on the other, when Gallagher's looking for something to read to her when they find themselves staying overnight in the, what? prison? asylum? care home? the books he picks out for her to read are the kind of thing I'd read to Hannah... But then if Gallagher grew up in a post-apocalyptic waste-land maybe he can't really read himself?

I wonder if I'm more sympathetic to Caldwell than Carey intends me to be?

Also, the bungling government getting everything wrong during a pandemic outbreak. Spooky?!

Yeah! I love that during a pandemic where our government have been infected and are now making dubious decisions IRL, that the book is all, yeah the heads of state all got the virus and couldn’t make sensible decisions anymore. Are our government going to turn into six foot pyromaniac mushrooms next? Is this book a prophecy? Omg!

There are members of the government whose effectiveness might be improved were they to turn into 6 foot mushrooms. Although to be fair, they haven't done anything so daft as trying to wipe out covid19 by carpet bombing the area north of London...

Yet.