End of Story - Louise Swanson - ★★★★.½

AUTHOR: Louise Swanson

NARRATOR: Sophie Bentinck

GENRE: Dystopian Fiction.

RATING: 4.5 stars.

In a Nutshell: Cant reveal much without spoiling the story, so you’ll get just a cryptic clue: it’s dystopian, but it’s not dystopian. Intelligent writing, innovative plotline, impactful characters. Definitely worth a read, even if you aren’t a fan of the dystopian genre.

Story Synopsis:

November 2035. Fiction has been banned since 5 years, and fiction authors have been asked to stay isolated and under the radar. Fifty-two-year-old Fern Dalrymple is one such ex-fiction-author who currently works as a cleaner at minimum wage. But Fern is no pushover, and she doesn’t want to extinguish her love of writing. So she has found a creative way of going against the ban: she is writing about her routine life in her notepad. That’s not fiction, is it? Moreover, she joins a secret group that narrates bedtime stories to sleep-deprived children over the phone. However, the random visits from government officials unnerve her, and now Fern wonders if her secret is out. Is Fern at risk?

The story comes to us mostly through Fern’s notepad scrawls written in first person.

This is the kind of story that is very easy to mess up with spoilers, so I will be very vague in my feedback.

Where the book worked for me:

😍 “If you tell a story well enough, it’s true.” – Fern’s catchphrase in the book that works on so many levels despite its obvious simplicity.

😍 Fern’s being a fiction author automatically means that her journal entries ought to display her prowess in writing. They do! The little comments about non sequitur characters and character backstories and so on were intelligently done.

😍 The book is written in five parts, each named after the five stages of grief. You will find Fern’s thoughts aligning with the specific grief stage perfectly without going too far. (And when it does become farfetched, you’ll know the reason for it later.)

😍 I had a long list of plot holes written in my draft review as I proceeded with the audio. Questions about Fern’s odd behaviour, about some weird people and some random events. Every single loophole was fixed in the final quarter.

😍 The plot became weirder and creepier as it moved ahead. I kept wondering how the author was going to resolve this nightmare of a situation. My rating too kept dipping in sync with my progress. And then… **something happened**… and zhoooop!!! (That is the sound of my rating shooting up to the top once again!)

😍 The writing – sheer brilliance. Beautiful, impactful, thoughtful.

😍 The descriptions are so vivid! No matter what scene, I could visualise it clearly in my mind.

😍 As a fiction lover, I found this book a nightmare. Oh, to picture a world without fiction – what a tragedy! I loved how it stressed on the importance of fiction (and I did get some heebie-jeebies at the way fiction was treated.)

😍 You will find some events seemingly inspired from dystopian classics such as Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. Keep your patience. There’s a reason behind every such reference.

😍 The title is perfect for the book in more ways than you can realise now.

😍 Despite being slow-paced, the story had enough going on to keep me hooked. (It is literary fiction and thus heavily character-oriented. So the slow pace is to be expected.)

😍 I had requested this book mainly on seeing the part about the ban on fiction. But the book spoke not just to the bibliophile in me but also to the woman and the mother in me. I hadn’t expected such an emotional impact.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

😒 A few of the dystopian scenes were too graphic for me. This might not be a problem for all readers.

(If you do feel uncomfortable at such scenes, do not give up on the book. I can’t tell you why. Just trust me on this.)

😒 Some part of the final reveal feels a bit dragged, though I do see why they were necessary in the broader sense. I guess I was just impatient to find out more as soon as possible!

The audiobook experience:

The audiobook, clocking at 12 hours, is narrated by Sophie Bentinck. Just one word for her performance: WOW!! She suited Fern in age and emotions. Her voices for the other characters too were mostly on track. If you are an audiobook lover, I would definitely recommend you try this on audio.

Note: The chapter endings in the initial half or so are quite abrupt, stopping mid-sentence. Don’t assume that this is a defect in your audio/digital/print copy. It is a deliberate writing choice, and you will discover the reason for it if you stay patient.

I am not a dystopian fiction lover, especially of one set in the real world. I feel very uncomfortable and claustrophobic when I read scenes that might just happen in reality. This book too made me very anxious in between. However, as it led to an ending that proceeds so well from the main plot, I couldn’t help but admire the brilliance of the author. (I am SO going to look up more of her works!!!))

What I am trying to say is, this book isn’t only for dystopian fiction fans. So don’t disregard the book by its genre if you don’t read dystopian works. (In fact, a part of me feels it will not work as well for dystopian book lovers.)

Strongly recommended to all literary fiction readers. Pick it up when you can focus on it, because it is not to be speed-read – every chapter contains many clues that you will require as you move ahead. This is easily going to be one of my top adult fiction reads for the year.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “End of Story”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.