The Herd, Emily Edwards
“There’s risk inherent in every decision we make, in everything we do”
I can’t stop thinking about The Herd. The book follows two women and their families; the lives they lead, the choices they make, and the decisions they agonise over, particularly when it comes to raising their children.
The topic of vaccines and the choice to have them or not is a very timely one, and this novel centres on the vaccines given to children, and the lengths parents will go to ensure they’re protecting their children to the best of their abilities.
One of the most powerful things about this novel is that, regardless of how you feel about vaccines, the intricacies of the characters and their opinions are written in such a way that it is easy to sympathise and understand both viewpoints, despite them being on opposing sides of the conversation.
This book is a must-read for fans of Jodi Picoult, the literary queen of the gut-punching family saga, and anybody who enjoys heart-wrenching books that are fast-paced, topical, and highly contentious.
