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The End is a pre-apocalyptical dystopian science fiction young adult book that deftly handles a bevy of social issues. It blends sci-fi with thriller as teens solve a murder. It may be more suited for older teens as alcohol, sex, and drugs play a large role. The premise is that Foxworth, a newly discovered comet, is heading directly toward earth. It is too late to try to change its course, so all the inhabitants of the planet know the exact date and time of their demise—four months from now.
The story is written in count-down form and told in two teenagers’ points of view. Simon’s girlfriend, Tilda, dumps him just after the news breaks. Lucinda, diagnosed with leukemia, finds her date to die has suddenly changed. She writes journal entries that are being sent into space to hopefully be saved for posterity. When Tilda is killed, Simon and Lucinda join forces to find Tilda’s killer.
The book is nicely diverse without being overt. Simon is the child of a lesbian couple, one of whom is from Domenica.
The book shows how various people deal with their impending deaths. Tilda, and for a while, Simon, party every night—the sex, drugs, rock and roll scene. Some sink into the world of porn. Football continues to be a major means of escape, but the riots afterward are disturbing. Simon’s half-sister, Emma, is pregnant with a child that should be born after the comet arrives. She moves into total denial. Other folks join fundamental churches and become evangelists, thinking God will only allow those who have been baptized into heaven.
The End also incorporates current political issues quite well. There are those people who feel that the comet is “fake news” or a plot hatched in Russia. Society breaks down. People quit coming to work. Money is worthless. Gas is rationed. Food is rationed as well, distributed through vouchers issued by the government. But volunteers keep food on the table and run hospitals. As people stay home more, just as in the Covid-19 pandemic, the earth began to heal—too late to save itself, though.
Despite its heavy subject matter, The End, is a story about reconciliation, about learning what really matters, who others really are, and who you are. Well worth reading.
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The End is available through:
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