A well paced dystopian novel about a family navigating a new world. I suspect many will recognize bits of themselves in Marlene, the mother who holds It all together. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book made me grateful that the virus we are experiencing these days with the pandemic is not as deadly!

I liked the storyline but for some reason I could not get used to the writing style. I skipped many of the passages till the end only to find out that the ending was not quite my cup of tea either!

A very different dystopian novel with a great narrator. Held my interest throughout, dark and twisty with a sense of impending foreboding.

I tried to like this book! It was slow and not connected! I didn’t feel the story was realistic and it had a hard time keeping my attention.

I don't usually like post-apocalyptic fiction – that whole thing about a bunch of survivors banding together, navigating a wasteland, running from zombies, probably some of them die, have to save a moppet, blah blah. No thanks.

But this book got to me. Maybe it was the voice – it was funny, wry and literary. Maybe the main character, who I found believable and sympathetic (I don't agree with the reviews saying she was placid – she's a badass, not in an unrealistic Lara Croft/Wonder Woman way, but in the way of real women, who try their best but have emotions and make mistakes). There weren't really any surprises in this book, but I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next Jo Furniss novel, but I hope it's not post-apocalyptic.

All the Little Children is a book that interested me because of the dystopia theme. A family, two sisters with their children out camping, and then they realize that something is wrong. They can't contact anyone and they see fires in the distance. What has happened? Are they the only one that has survived?

All the Little Children is a book that engrossed thanks to the brilliance of the narrator and the thrilling story. You don't know what will happen next all through the book. What I really liked about the book is that Marlene, the main character is not a perfect person, she makes mistakes and sometimes she frustrated me (a lot), but she is also a fierce mother who will do anything to protect her family.

There is not a slow start to the book, pretty early one do we learn that something is wrong, but it will take a while for the full truth to be learned. And, Jo Furniss doesn't hold back the punches. There are several scenes that were hard to listen to and if you have a hard time reading books where children are hurt should you perhaps pick something else. I found the book to be very gripping and suspenseful, and the ending left me wanting more. I would love to know what happens next.

All and all, this book is a great book, perfect for thriller and dystopia fans!

I liked the theme of dystopia.

That's really the only thing I enjoyed. The characters were not nice. The writing was a bit choppy. The ending didn't work for me.

When I was a teenager, the absolutely brilliant librarian at my secondary school fuelled my insatiable thirst for books by recommending authors I had never considered reading. This wonderful lady introduced me to the works of Stella Gibbons (Cold Comfort Farm is still the title I will cite when asked for my favourite book), Dorothy L Sayers (Gaudy Night is a masterpiece and a book I return to time and again) and John Wyndham.

John Wyndham is the master of the dystopian novel and I have adored his work ever since I first read one of his books. I started with Chocky but The Chrysalids is my favourite. However, he is known to most people by way of his most famous two novels, The Midwich Cuckoos and The Day of the Triffids..

The reason for my seemingly irrelevant ramblings about my youthful reading habits and my abiding love of a long-dead science fiction writer in this blog post is that from early on this book reminded me of The Day of the Triffids and I can’t think of higher praise than a book garnering a favourable comparison to one of my most beloved authors.

The opening scene of the novel sees the protagonist, Marlene, hiding from her children in the branches of a tree, trying to make a phone call in peace and this pretty much tells you all you need to know about Marlene and her mothering techniques. Many of us will recognise this woman, if not in ourselves, then in people we know. She is a modern woman, trying to juggle a demanding job, young and exuberant children and a failing relationship, and feeling like she isn’t doing any of it particularly well. Even on a weekend away in a remote, rural location, she can’t switch off and is frustrated by lack of connection to the outside world and being unable to escape for five minutes from her needy offspring, . Marlene is not an obviously likeable central character. She is brusque and short-tempered with her children and her sister-in-law, who has joined her on the trip. She is bitter and resentful and impatient and self-centred and some readers may find it difficult to bond with her. However, Marlene’s personality and attitude are important tenets in the story arc, both from the perspective of how she deals with the predicament she finds herself in throughout the novel and the journey she goes on in her personal relationships.

We are thrust into the action instantly when it becomes obvious very quickly that something is terribly wrong in the outside world and the small group have only escaped harm because of their isolation. This isolation never feels idyllic from the start because of Marlene’s attitude towards being stranded in a remote place trying to entertain her children but it soon becomes suffocating, as the party gradually realise that this is their only refuge, despite it’s lack of facilities – it becomes a prison without walls or bars. As we find ourselves in the heads of the characters, only knowing the very little they know and gripped by the fear they are feeling, the whole book is imbued with menace and an underlying current of suppressed panic that propels us from page to page in a desperate effort to find out what is happening and how the characters can make themselves safe. Marlene doesn’t know where to turn or who she can trust in a world turned on its head and so we in turn are suspicious and wary of every new character. It is uncomfortably compelling reading and I was hooked from the beginning, almost desperate for the intolerable ride to be over so I could relax.

The central theme of this book for me is Marlene’s development as a mother and in her relationship with her children. She is a fairly hard and strict woman with very little patience to begin with. However, over the course of the novel, as her family are threatened and she realises that she can depend on no one for help but must rely on her own resources and work with her children to save them, she learns things about herself and her children which change them all. All the best novels involve a journey that is both emotional as well as physical and this book does not in any way disappoint in this regard. Marlene may not be the most sympathetic character I have ever met but she was real and interesting and complicated and I found myself with a lot of questions as to whether things would have turned out differently if Marlene had been a different type of person and how I myself would react and fare if I were placed in the same situation.

If you have read any of the reviews of this book on Goodreads, you may have seen some readers complaining about the ending of this book, and it is certainly unconventional and unexpected. Why some people see this as a negative I am unsure, as anything that surprises, that makes you question why the author chose this conclusion, wonder what happens next, can only be a good thing. For me, I love a book that makes me FEEL something, that leaves me questioning, pondering the issues, wanting others to read the book so I can see what they think is nothing but a positive and this book did all that.

This book is not a comfortable read but it is evocative and thought-provoking and tense. It will stay with you beyond the final page and I would highly recommend it. And read some John Wyndham while you’re at it, you won’t be sorry.

All the Little Children is a nice addition to the female-driven post-apocalyptic genre, and I look forward to Furniss’s next book. Click on the link to read my full review.

3☆ A Unique Read

All the Little Children is very different from the books I usually read, as it is a dystopian mix with a post apocalyptic/ thriller mix.

The reasons I rated a 3☆ was this really isn't a genre i usually read so I found it a little difficult to fully engage with the story.
However I did enjoy it and it's in no reflection of the Author it's just down to my personal taste.

Secondly the ending! It felt like the ending was left on a cliff hanger instead of finishing it with an ending. I do wonder if there will be a second book?!

Marlene is in need of a break and so does her hubby.
So she decides to take her three children Billy, Charlie (and his friend Peter) and Maggie on a family camping trip leaving her husband to fend for himself at home.
Her sister-in-law Joni and her little girl Lola decide to tag along.

Quickly things start to go wrong when they spot a fire in the distance.
Marlene has to think on her feet as she does everything in her power to protect her family.

For me this was a thought provoking read. I'm not a mother but I am very protective of my family.
It's one of those books that you can criticise Marlene's decisions all you want but ask yourself.... What would you do in this situation?... truthfully I haven't a clue!

Marlene frustrated me, although it's not easy judging her decisions she wound me up with her attitude.
I don't imagine she will be particularly likeable to many readers, but I did feel sorry for her at the same time.

All the Little Children is a unique read as it's hard to place it into one particular genre.
Right from the start you are placed into the action. Although I enjoy being in the thick of the action early on, I felt that I missed out on connecting with the characters stories as I didn't really know anything about them.
This is a fast moving read that keeps you on your toes.

The perfect read for those who enjoy dystopian, post apocalyptic, and a sense of a thriller.

Thank you to Random Things Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I do love a bit of dystopian fiction as it challenges my thought processes and allows me to ask what I would do in incredible situations. I like post-apocalyptic books that throw characters into a situation that could really have happened – for example The Feed which I reviewed last week examined a world that had become reliant on technology and what happened to humanity after it crashed. Sometimes though I crave the bit in-between; the days of the apocalypse and those after. I want to know about the immediate aftermath, the survivors, how they act, how they react and the myriad of emotions that take over when you are one of the few people left in a world that is forever changed. All The Little Children by Jo Furniss explores all of this and more in a clever, well-written and well-plotted novel that takes the genre and turns it on its head.

The book opens with Marlene Greene camping with her sister-in-law, niece and her three young children plus a schoolmate. They are deep in the English countryside and Marlene is using the trip as a way of shutting off from her stressful life. She owns a succesful business, she travels a lot, and her marriage is failing – this trip is the perfect opportunity to spend some valuable time with her children and to disconnect from the world for a while. But then strange things happen – there are lots of fires in the distance, the towns round about are in darkness, an injured dog appears without an owner and a local dairy is filled with the sound of distressed cows overdue for milking. It is not until they venture from the relative safety of the woodland that they realise that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong and this is where things get seriously interesting.

We are flung almost immediately into the action with a protagonist who is, well, a little unlikable. She is abrupt, seems disconnected from her children and compared to warm, loving sister-in-law Joni seems cold and distant. It took me a while to ‘get’ Marlene – it was only as the book progressed that we start to understand her fully and realise that her abruptness, the disconnect and distance are self-preservation techniques to cope with being away for huge lengths of time from her family. I am not a mother so can’t comment on the accuracy of the actions she displays but I do have to admit at raising an eyebrow at times. On reflection though I think this may have been more of her self-preservation coming into play and I found that having a challenging protagonist really helped to flesh out this novel. Who wants to read about a perfect woman who knows exactly what to do when the world as she knows it has imploded? I don’t. I’d far rather be exasperated and question the situation before reaching an understanding about the person I am reading about.

At its heart though, this is a book about choices, decisions and their repercussions. The world that Marlene and Joni find themselves in is a terrifying one, they must rely on their wits and deal with the extreme circumstances to the best of their abilities. There is action, sadness, difficult decisions and moments of extreme loss and despair. No spoilers, but the ending in particular will polarize readers – it is one which completely threw me for a loop.

I really enjoyed this exploration of a world forever changed and loved that it featured a strong female protagonist with flaws a mile wide. I’m looking forward to reading more by Jo Furniss.

All the Little Children is an atmospheric post-apocalyptic novel that is eerily realistic. Full of action and yet always believable, this was an enjoyable read by an author I will continue to look for in the future.

I was set to really enjoy this book. I was highly disappointed and then to top it off it had a stupid cliffhanger. I hate when I read a book and have no indications that that is coming. That is why the 2 stars. Well that and I didn’t really enjoy this book at all. It was just not my normal kind of book.

I loved this book. It tells the story of Marlene and Joni who are camping with their children when a plague wipes out much of the country. They are faced with many obstacles. I love survival stories, this was one of the best that I have read in a long time. I think so many mothers can relate to Marlene. This book really makes you think, what would you do to keep not only your own children safe, but all children. I will definitely be looking for more from this author. I think this would make an excellent movie. Highly recommend.

I didn’t know what to expect with this book. It gave me nightmares and I loved it!!

Enjoyed book for the most part. Was very disappointed in the ending or should I say lack of an ending. No answers to any questions it just left you hanging. Maybe to leave an opening for a sequel but still not a satisfying read.

Some of the reviews of this book are really harsh . Unfairly so in my opinion. I love a good apocalyptic thriller and this one delivers. Just picture it a quiet mums camping trip with the kids and while you're busy enjoying a bit of down time the world ends (at least you're little bit of it). It takes a little time for the shock to wear off but the main characters eventually come through. I've read that the author isn't planning a second novel which is a shame because I would buy it.

All the Little Children is set in the UK after an apocalypse. The lead character must make decisions involving her surviving family members. The book is suspenseful, fast-paced and tense. Recommended for anyone who enjoys the impossible seeming like a reality.

The description sounded great. But unfortunately this book was not for me. I couldnt get into it at all sorry

I found this book to be quite creepy and not as I expected.