Description:

In the midst of a mysterious environmental crisis, as London is submerged below flood waters, a woman gives birth to her first child, Z. Days later, the family are forced to leave their home in search of safety. As they move from place to place, shelter to shelter, their journey traces both fear and wonder as Z’s small fists grasp at the things he sees, as he grows and stretches, thriving and content against all the odds.

This is a story of new motherhood in a terrifying setting: a familiar world made dangerous and unstable, its people forced to become refugees. Startlingly beautiful, Megan Hunter’s The End We Start From is a gripping novel that paints an imagined future as realistic as it is frightening. And yet, though the country is falling apart around them, this family’s world – of new life and new hope – sings with love.

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yes, this book came out in May 2017 and it’s taken me this long to post my review. Let me explain. I’ve attempted four times to read and finish this book without success. On the fifth try, I persevered and finished it.

This book, oh this book… I get what the author was trying to do, really I do. However, identifying people by a letter was as personable as stamping a number on their wrist… hmmm sounds like another form of identification used that I know of.  The problem when writing in the style she chose is that you become detached from the characters, or at least, I did. It’s hard to connect with someone, watch how they develop as the story develops and become invested in them to join them on the journey to self-discovery. It’s the reason why we have names, to be unique and an individual, rather than a number/letter impersonal and coded for identification.   Maybe it’s just me. I’m really neither a character driven story lover or a plot driven story lover.  It switches often depending on the book.  But I need to like the characters and the author introduces more and more and those with just a letter for a name, I had to go back to figure out who she was talking about.

Anyway, the actual writing of the book is interesting and the concept original and creative. I gave stars for this originality.

The premise was also intriguing and why I wanted to read this book.

Other than that, it’s not for me and I really didn’t enjoy the story because I kept getting tied up in the word usage and name issues. The story left me feeling lost and exhausted and uninterested. Sorry but not for me!

I give this book:

 

 

barely…