Thirsty Animals

Thirsty Animals is a hard-hitting speculative thriller, equal parts terrifying and compassionate. Beautifully written, vivid and unflinching, it confirms Atalla as a real talent * Doug Johnstone * Original, timely, terrifying. Thirsty Animals takes a brutal yet deeply heartfelt look at survival, and kindness, and just how difficult it can be for the two to coexist at the extremes * Chris Whitaker * Rachelle Atalla's second novel has shown her once again to be a master of slow-burning tension and unease. Thirsty Animals is terrifyingly believable, and functions both as a warning against overconsumption and division, while also providing a hopeful message about the redemptive possibilities of community. The pace of the story builds to an unputdownable conclusion, and the characters will stay with the reader for a long time * Cailean Steed * this is one seriously brilliant and thought-provoking read * Heat * This brilliant, profoundly unsettling second novel will secure Atalla's place as an extraordinary writer, and a poet of controlled bleakness * Daily Mail * Atalla knows how to ramp up tension expertly, and Thirsty Animals comes to a dramatic, unexpected but satisfying conclusion * Big Issue * Compelling, unsettling and emotive, this is an exciting story of survival and self-discovery * Candis * A disturbing and compelling book * SFX * A prophetic book, offering the reader both a deeply unsettling glimpse into our possible future and a comforting reminder of how resilient humans can be. I was utterly captivated by the story, especially Atalla's characters who are richly drawn and incredibly relatable. Atalla has an uncanny knack of both revealing the best and the worst of humanity. She's quickly establishing herself as a writer for these unsettling times * Jan Carson *