A world devoid of rules. Of parents, teachers, police officers. Everything but kids. Kids and zombies.

Thanks to a mysterious virus, anyone over the age of 18 is turned into a monster. Kids have to band together to survive in a world where nothing is safe, and everything is going to kill you. Disease, starvation, the zombies, or other roving bands of kids, looking to protect what’s theirs or take what’s yours. The Enemy begins a year from the unthinkable. Set in North London, the main characters are running out of supplies. Desperate, they meet a boy from a camp in Central London, where he claims everything is better, food, warmth, and the entirety of Buckingham Palace to live in. The characters Aaron, Maxie, Blue and others are forced to leave everything else behind and find a new place to live. Forced to trek across London with a variety of younger kids in toe, and an army of zombies in front, heroes will rise, leaders will fall, and the kids of Waitrose and Morrisons will be forced to work together to save each other, and themselves.

Thanks to Higsons engrossing writing, the characters are funny and likable, and every reader will soon pick out a favorite. Although the situation that they find themselves in is less than likely, the characters make fitting, teenage choices that often are obvious to the reader and the characters alike. The book does a good job setting itself up, and the plot and premise are easy to follow. Thanks to the uncertain nature of events like an apocalypse, Higson is able to detail and use story elements that might seem out of place in more realistic texts. His focus on the characters and their interactions makes it interesting to read even if you are not a fan of more fantastical novels. Higson has made it clear throughout his writing that he wants expects the audience to have a certain level of maturity and doesn’t shy away from descriptions that might be less than acceptable to a younger audience.

The Enemy

The Enemy is more than just the zombies out there, but the main characters struggle on focusing when their leader is suffering from a bite. Even when seeming to succeed at their quest, Buckingham is appearing less and less appealing by the day. And leaving again could cause more problems than it solves.

Higsons first Enemy novel is a good book in a fantastic series and I cannot recommend this book any higher. If going on a trip for winter break or even staying home, this is a book to put on the reading list.

I give this book a 4/5 for the promising start into a great series.