The COVID Wars by David John Roberts is a brilliantly observed, character-driven novel that captures the raw, unfiltered reality of everyday life during the pandemic. At the heart of the story is Derek, a modest café owner in Chiswick, who suddenly finds his world turned upside down by forces outside his control; namely government policy in response to the pandemic and how this feeds through to the population at large. Through Derek's eyes, we meet a cast of sharply drawn characters-his partner Samantha, her teenage son Jack, a mix of eccentric neighbours, loyal customers, and unexpected skeptics-all trying to make sense of shifting rules, media frenzy, and the emotional weight of isolation.

Rather than retelling headlines, The COVID Years zooms in on the smaller, more human moments: the tension in a household forced into 24/7 togetherness, the humour in socially distanced conversations, the warmth of unlikely friendships, and the disorientation that comes with endless political tinkering and not enough clarity. It's a rich, timely, and at times unexpectedly funny exploration of how people cope-not as heroes, but as humans. Deeply relatable and unflinchingly honest, this book doesn't just revisit a chapter in history-it reveals what it felt like to live through it.