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

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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. A genuine rollercoaster that asks big moral questions with beautifully drawn characters.' Sharon Horgan, co-creator of CATASTROPHE It's clever. It's less manipulative than I expected, but somehow a book about vaccination that ISN'T about Covid getting released in the middle of a global pandemic already feels a bit like it's missing the zeitgeist. Interesting ideas, different perspectives, and quite a good pace all make this well worth a read. This is a brilliant book for a buddy read that will encourage discussion. Thanks to all the lovely readers who read along with me.

Discuss the theme of responsibility in the novel. Do you think the characters are justified in acting in the way they do? Would you have made the same choices had you been in their place? Really beautifully written, compassionately told and incredibly thought provoking. A truly immersive telling of both sides of a story' Susan Lewis Do you agree with the statement that there is no competition between friends if they are different?Wow! I found this book unputdownable. Such a topical issue for now, and really well written. The author has clearly highlighted both sides of the vaccination debate, and the consequences it can have. The characters were well developed, and it was intriguing reading about the issue from different perspectives. Lauren, QLD, 5 Stars 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 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 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. 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.

What does this exchange reveal about the women’s personalities and relationship? What is the author trying to reveal through it? I love a book that not only grips me and makes me think but also educates me. The Herd reminded me a little of Jodi Picoult’s Small Great Things, because the research was meticulous and unbiased, the topic of whether to vaccinate was fair and balanced and above all I felt I was learning so much whilst reading the book. Set in 2019, prior to the pandemic, I think this book is definitely viewed through a very different lens than it would have been had it been released pre-Covid19 and having lived through the pandemic and the subsequent ‘vaccine wars’, it definitely elevates the themes within and adds a level of understanding and interpretation that might not have been there otherwise. 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. Had me so gripped I raced through it in two days. A story about parenting decisions, betrayal and friendships - guaranteed to spark lively conversations with everyone who reads it. Sarah Turner, The Unmumsy MumIt took maybe 10% to get into it, its full of yummee mummee and posy dadee characters that I couldn’t relate to but as the story progresses that doesn’t matter so much as the story builds