Description

‘Absolutely amazing… a cross between The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Walking Dead’ Eoin Colfer
‘You’ll be terrified, fascinated and above all, uplifted by Orpen – a heroine to rival Philip Pullman’s Lyra or The Passage’s Amy’ Stylist

Raised by her mother and Maeve on Slanbeg, an island off the west coast of Ireland, Orpen has a childhood of love and stories by the fireside. But the stories grow darker, and the training begins. Ireland has been devoured by a ravening menace known as the skrake, and though Slanbeg is safe for now, the women must always be ready to run, or to fight.

When Maeve is bitten, Orpen is faced with a dilemma: kill Maeve before her transformation is complete, or try to get help. So Orpen sets off, with Maeve in a wheelbarrow and her dog at her side, in the hope of finding other survivors, and a cure. It is a journey that will test Orpen to her limits, on which she will learn who she really is, who she really loves, and how to imagine a future in a world that ended before she was born.

Publisher Review

Written in sparse, affecting prose, and reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, this is a fiercely feminist, highly imaginative novel * Observer * A debut novel of jaw-dropping skill and immense power, a shimmering dystopian vision but also a lucid meditation on tenderness, intimacy and courage. From the get-go it gripped me, and since the last page I've been haunted -- Joseph O'Connor Kept me up until 2am. A triumph. A confident, assured debut from one of the most exciting new voices on the Irish literary scene -- Louise O'Neill I will be cursing Last Ones Left Alive for seriously troubling dreams for weeks to come -- Patrick Gale A deft and darkly enigmatic saga . . . so many details connect this terrifying Ireland to the one we recognise * Irish Independent * This dystopian future Ireland will unnerve and intrigue and thrill readers everywhere -- Donal Ryan A riveting novel. It reminded me that even in the darkest times, love and human decency can survive -- Eowyn Ivey Last Ones Left Alive gripped me as much by the heart as it did by the throat. A stormer of a debut, Davis-Goff has created an urgent, assured, terrifying tale of destruction, humanity, and love -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave Beautifully written and terrifying. 'Last Ones Left Alive' will leave you reeling, not only from its originality and searing vision, but also from the humanity of the relationships portrayed -- Kate Hamer LAST ONES LEFT ALIVE combines the spare poetry of THE ROAD with the dizzying pace of 28 DAYS LATER. A beautiful book, lyrical in its violence, painting in vivid strokes the joy and brutality of the human experience. An original, brilliant take on the end of the world. -- Jennie Melamed, author of GATHER THE DAUGHTERS Davis-Goff has crafted a beautiful, lyrical, and guttural examination of what it takes to love and survive in a world shaped by loss and violence. This is a magnetic novel pulsing with life. It is truly remarkable and unforgettable -- Sarah Schmidt, author of SEE WHAT I HAVE DONE This pacy debut marries glimmering prose to a gripping plot * Sunday Express *