The Herd: the unputdownable, thought-provoking must-read Richard & Judy book club pick

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At the outset it reminded me a little of The Slap, so much so that I read it in my head in an Australian accent, though it’s set in England. As the story progressed, I found myself losing patience with it. Bob Mortimer wins 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction with The Satsuma Complex Wow! What an incredible book, and so timely. I was riveted! Really beautifully written, compassionately told and incredibly thought provoking. A truly immersive telling of both sides of a story. Susan Lewis

A masterpiece of emotional nuance, this novel makes you think. It challenges pre-conceived attitudes and beliefs and it turns your heart upside down and inside out. I found this to be a very well written, researched story. I would recommend it to fans of Jodi Picoult. If your book club is looking for something special then you need look no further. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy. Each one desperately living their offspring. Mistakes easily made having a domino effect on another with consequences unforgivable. And, unfortunate. But with well meaning at that time. Personal freedom versus public health. Who gets to decide (and judge) how you raise your own children? How do you know (and choose) what’s right? What happens when your choices have an impact on others? How do we reconcile societal needs and values with personal beliefs and fears? Such questions are at the heart of Emily Edwards’ The Herd, a thought-provoking debut that’s sure to spark big debate as it sets readers off on a heady emotional rollercoaster, with unexpected revelations as it builds to a thrilling, moving climax.Controversial, addictive and clever, and the characters are so multi-layered and complex they are wholly believable. Woman & Home

Hmmmm, I almost didn’t read this when saw the blurb and realised it was all about vaccines and the title ‘The Herd’ related to herd immunity ( lesson learnt re reading blurb although It probably isen’t!) even more turned off when reading the authors info at the beginning it mentioned having a chat to her ‘doula’ had inspired the book ( google doula if not heard of them ) but an author friend who had read it convinced me to give it a go and all told am pleased did My biggest gripe is that around 2/3 of the way through the book I felt that the theme changed – up to this point the focus was on the grey areas of the pro/anti vaccination argument and highlighting why people can become so entrenched in their beliefs that they lose the ability to talk and think about things objectively, and how people can find themselves in a stalemate with people they care about and not be able to see a compromise. These are themes that are so important in current times and are drawn out really well. Frankie Gray, publishing director at Transworld, pre-empted world English language rights in The Herdfrom Nelle Andrew at Rachel Mills Literary.I want to start by indicating that this novel is based on a very contentious issue of vaccination and herd immunity. But it does so in a way that does not preach for either side. It highlights the pain that may be experienced by those making their choice on either side of the debate. I found myself not wanting to put this book down, I was so engrossed in what would happen. It moved me in many ways and highlights the highs and lows of friendship. Life can be extremely difficult sometimes, but enduring friendship can be a salve for the pain. I didn’t understand exactly how this was going to pan out for me as it was close to what’s happening in the U.K. at the moment with “herding” as regards to jabs/vaccines and Covid.

The synopsis reads: "Lauren and Bryony are best friends, neighbours and godmothers to each other’s children, and yet completely different in their outlook on life. But both agree on one thing – their children and their welfare is the most important priority. Neither of their daughters have been vaccinated – one because she is unable to have vaccines as she is allergic to a key ingredient, and the other because her mother is terrified of vaccines. But when one woman lies to the other and they all fall ill, the consequences are devastating. Soon their private turmoil becomes public, as the case comes to court in vengeance for the events that have changed all of their lives forever." I’d pushed for us to choose Sophie – she was the kind of mother I wanted to be. Strong, unafraid and incredibly kind. Alternative, yes (she had a yurt in her garden where she’d perform rebirthing rituals), but her life choices were rooted in experience and her shelves were heavy with books about birth and parenting. They were arguing because Sophie had just asked us whether we intended to vaccinate our baby. Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it properly yet, but was eager to hear Sophie’s wisdom, while James scrunched up his face as though her question had released a terrible smell.It also shows us on how relationships and friendships are fragile and how us parents want what’s best for our child even if others choices are different they still have the same love, the same protectiveness over their child/children as you yourself does. Through the characters' friendships and past experiences we learn how others' opinions can colour our own, how we can and hear only what we want to see and hear, and in doing so how muddied and murky the vibrant kaleidoscope of life's rainbow colours can be stained a murky brown, affecting our decision making to the extreme. Two friends - Bry and Elizabeth - both have young daughters who are good friends. Elizabeth's daughter can't be vaccinated due to fits in early childhood so her mother relies on the concept of 'herd immunity' to keep her safe. Bry has never told her friend that her daughter ISN'T vaccinated because Bry's adult brother has severe autism and Bry's mother had spent all her parental life drumming into Bry that Matty, her brother, was damaged by the MMR vaccine. I liked it. I liked how it didn't feel preachy or didactic. One thing I didn't love was the character of Rosalyn because I did not understand why she had no purpose other than to randomly pop up and offer magical hippie wisdom. Also, all the characters were middle to upper middle class, which is typical of anti-vaxxers, and white, which I honestly don't know if that's typical of anti-vaxxers or not.

This is essentially a book about two middle class women who think they know better than decades of established medical science. Sigh.

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So yes I am glad I gave the book a go and listened to advice to try it and it did turn out to be a worthy amd interesting read That it until the issue of childhood vaccinations rears its head, and along with it the thorny debate over whether our choice to vaccinate is personal – or one that affects the whole community. I got well and truly into this story. Focusing around the main two characters (mothers /friends) and could definitely see both sides. What a clever book. A very divisive subject written with such understanding and empathy but still light enough to be an enjoyable easy read. Truly a must read for all parents. Megan, NSW, 4 Stars I loved this book. It put me through the emotional wringer. A genuine rollercoaster that asks big moral questions with beautifully drawn characters who left me in tears but also full of hope - Sharon Horgan