The Death of Grass

First time in Penguin Modern Classics for this 1950s Sci-Fi Classic

Lindsay's Review

A prolific writer in the post-war period, John Christopher is known for his brilliant story telling skills as he explores societal and futuristic themes from imaginative angles. At the same time, his unusual insights encourage us to question some fundamentals of our humanity. His novel The Death of Grass, first published in 1956, is set in a familiar post-war Britain: smugly civil, obedient to authority and unfailingly reliable. However, the country rapidly falls into an apocalyptic chaos, in which the characters, like those in Lord of the Flies, desperately try to save themselves from the rabid barbarity of a lawless world. 

Unlike other apocalyptic scenarios in which a virus destroys humanity in the midst of abundant resources, the virus in Christopher’s novel kills off all the grasses of the world, leaving humans with scant resources. John and Rodger, with their families and the mysterious but ruthless Pirrie, battle their way across a collapsing England, seeking refuge at a brother’s protected farm. To save themselves, and a rag-tag pack of tag-alongs encountered en route, they must forego the easy comforts of civilised morality and confront the savage violence required to survive. Their goal is to create a new safe and civilized society, but at what cost? 

After a calm and thoughtful introduction to the main characters, the story takes off at a hurtling pace. The gripping narrative plunges the reader into calamity after calamity, increasingly blurring the distinction between civilisation and barbarity. The effect is to urge the reader to re-evaluate their own boundaries, and to question traditional ideas about morality.

Made into a BBC radio play, and later in 1970, No Blade of Grass - an edgy movie for its time - this novel remains a must read for lovers of dystopian fiction. While John Christopher is perhaps best known for his Y/A series The Tripods/The White Mountains, his novel The Death of Grass is suitable for discerning teenagers and adults alike.

Publisher's Review

First time in Penguin Modern Classics for this 1950s Sci-Fi Classic

At first the virus wiping out grass and crops is of little concern to John Custance. It has decimated Asia, causing mass starvation and riots, but Europe is safe and a counter-virus is expected any day. Except, it turns out, the governments have been lying to their people. When the deadly disease hits Britain they are left alone, and society starts to descend into barbarism. As John and his family try to make it across country to the safety of his brother's farm in a hidden valley, their humanity is tested to its very limits.