The Pharmacist

Reviews

A compulsive, claustrophobic but wonderfully compassionate read, beautifully written and set within a brilliantly realised world. Rachelle Atalla is a major talent and I can't wait to see where her mind goes next An unflinching portrayal of what we might all be capable of, Atalla's stunning debut is essential reading for our times Atalla's speculative literary thriller debut draws you in with its mounting sense of tension, disquiet and desperation There are shades of George Orwell in this stunning writing debut, but Rachelle Atalla's voice is highly original. And wholly her own This horrendously claustrophobic, utterly absorbing debut. The fiercely controlled narrative beautifully translates the horrendous grip of dismal routines and tiny, stolen pleasures Sitting somewhere on the spectrum between Paul Auster's heart-rending In the Country of Last Things and Bong Joon-ho's pulse-thumping film Snowpiercer, The Pharmacist is a slow-burn nightmare about how ordinary human decency gets eroded - and also how it perseveres Rachelle Atalla is obviously a talented and gifted writer Reminiscent of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, this unsettling story is a nightmare for our times of end-of-the-world prepping, increased nuclear insecurity and political inequality A breathtaking, tense debut. ***** It's really remarkable how she makes this bland, bleak, limited world so vivid and engrossing Rachelle Atalla's debut is a thought-provoking addition to the post-apocalyptic genre The twists and turns in this brilliantly written, post-apocalyptic tale make for compulsive reading Atalla nails the atmosphere of claustrophobia and brings this world to life convincingly, as well as fostering sympathy for her protagonist, despite her flaws. This debut author is one to watch Dystopian fiction, yes, but so much more. This book forces its readers to consider what it means to be good or evil, what motivates us to act as we do, and what matters to us in the end. A wonderful mix of tense drama and provocative ideas, I loved it The Pharmacist is the perfect dystopian novel. Post-apocalyptic fiction masterfully handled. Addictive, claustrophobic, tense. I'm obsessed with this novel. Easily in my top reads this year The Pharmacist is a confident debut, in which Rachelle Atalla fully lives up to the promise of her New Writers Award . . . This literary thriller is highly original, asking difficult questions about morality and motherhood. And its claustrophobic atmosphere perfectly reflects the setting. Rachelle Atalla's elegant debut novel is a compelling account of a society whose rigid inhumanity is pierced with glimmers of hope Rachelle Atalla nails the claustrophobic atmosphere and brings this world to life convincingly in her impressive debut Highly original This elegant debut novel is a compelling account of a society whose rigid inhumanity is pierced with glimmers of hope Expand reviews