Why we’re excited
New York in 2040 lies wrecked after some great disaster, and the hero of this novel is a pigeon. Blaze grows up in a ruined tower with her flock, dodging the hungry humans they call Talls. When she rescues an old loner who remembers how things used to be, his stories make her doubt the rules her family lives by.
Emma Donoghue is best known for Room, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and became an Oscar-winning film, and she favours unusual narrators. An animal narrator in a ruined city is a bold swing. It should appeal to fans of Watership Down and literary dystopias.
On our most-anticipated list since 26 October 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about Blaze
Emma Donoghue is a familiar name here: 2 of Emma Donoghue’s books have full reviews, averaging 4.3 out of 5. Our highest-rated so far is Room (5★); the most recent is The Paris Express.
From the publisher
From the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of The Paris Express and Room, a brilliant novel about one unexpected heroine’s coming-of-age in a post-apocalyptic New York.
The year is 2040 and a catastrophic event has left New Yorkers in dire need of food and shelter. This is the world a young pigeon named Blaze was born into, navigating a brutal world where death is always around the corner. She lives in an abandoned tower with her flock, a close-knit family who rely on each other to survive. They forage together, and raise young with their mates, all while steering clear of the Talls—the remaining starving humans.
Blaze’s flock makes it through various disasters by holding to rules such as, No pigeon lives long alone. On one of their foraging trips, Blaze saves the life of an older lone pigeon and welcomes him into her family. Her new flock member brings with him a forgotten history of the-time-before that upends everything Blaze knows about pigeons, Talls, and the meaning of home.
As Blaze comes of age, she must learn to navigate the thrills and terrors of unexpected adventures, evolving flock politics, tragic and exciting romances, and the uncertainties of motherhood. Ultimately, she must choose between adhering to the beliefs of her kind or forging a new path.
Sweeping, captivating, and gorgeously rendered, Blaze is a heartfelt testament to the joy of finding one’s flock and the endless possibilities when we choose bravery over fear.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read Blaze yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
