This is a cleverly plotted story. It's difficult to describe how I liked it without revealing the plot. I really enjoyed the initial part set in the near future and the clever bit of the plot is how this future is woven into the present. Still with me? Read it. It's a good book.

A hard book to review without giving spoilers. If I'm honest I almost gave up reading as I wondered where the story was going, I mean Fern, the narrator, is living in 2035 and a time with no books, it's unimaginable.
But this book is much more than a futuristic
dystopian novel, it's real, it's raw, the words trip off the pages and into your heart and stay with you long after the story is finished. By the end I loved it and was glad I stayed reading it.

What if the government decided that fiction was too dangerous and banned all fiction books? That is what author Fern Dostoy faces in the year 2035. She is thrown out of her house, loses her livelihood and all her friends and is subject to spot checks of her house to make sure she is no longer reading or writing fiction. If she fails to comply with the government sanctions, she will suffer a fate worse than death. But can a writer ever really stop writing, even when the worst has happened to them?

Thank you to Louise Swanson, Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

What a clever and terrifying idea for a book. I was disturbed and intrigued in equal measures as I explored the dystopian world that Fern has to live in. As with all good books, it made me think - what would I do if I were no longer allowed to read fiction? How would my favourite authors react if they were forced to stop writing? I enjoyed speculating about which authors would resist and how. It had a big impact on me as I read. I feel like every fiction reader should read this book just as a reminder of how important fiction is important and shapes our lives and our world. Fans of dystopian reads and thrillers will love it.
I felt I lived through everything with Fern, I was even put off by milk! I was charmed and moved by the stealth bedtime stories and tense about the risks she took. I do have to admit to getting irritated when every diary entry ended mid sentence and sometimes mid word but I understand why that was necessary for the plot. The ending is clever and interesting but I preferred the main body of the book to the end. I can't say much more without massive spoilers so perhaps I should just be inspired by Fern and end my review in the middle of the senta

Written like a diary, this book tells the story of fern dostoy, a fiction writer living in a dystopian future where fiction is banded and the mere act of reading fiction can get you locked up. This was a gripping read which made me angry and sad in equal measure. I loved the twist and I found this book to be utterly compelling and one I highly recommend.

I have never been so deeply, emotionally affected by reading a book before.

I have thought long and hard about how to review this. I thought the best way was to just send share my message to Louise.


I wish I never requested your book on NetGalley.
I expected to read a dystopian fiction not something that broke my heart.
I am laying in bed with my daughter, she’s 7. I have sobbed, still crying now. The pain I felt from you with your words. I just can’t describe it. I have luckily never experienced grief before.

In my Instagram post I mentioned I always do a little research, and I’m aware you wrote some of your books during your own grief process. Had I not known that maybe I wouldn’t have connected so much with your story. That’s not a story, it’s not fiction. It’s not made up. Your true feelings are in there and I felt them.

Do I thank you for sharing that? Do I want to wrap my arms around you? I have no idea. But I wanted to personally message you. I didn’t expect tears at 7:15am. I’ll now be late for the school run with a big red blotchy face and puffy eyes.

Truly outstanding Louise.

I think this is enough.


Due for release 23rd March. PLEASE preorder this. You won’t be disappointed.
I need a break before reading her memoir Daffodils. Not sure I’ll make it through the book!!

Wow, what have I just read? I honestly could not put this book down, I read it in one sitting.

There is so much intrigue going on throughout this story, and you will find yourself trying to work out what is going on. Then everything you thought you knew gets blown out the water and you find out the truth eventually.

I loved this book so much.

Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

A very unusual story for the most part.

The year is 2035 and it has been a few years since fiction was banned by the government. Fern Dostoy was one of four successful authors who it is believed incited the action. Fern’s motto was ““If you tell a story well enough, it’s true”. In her work of fiction, she had written about two regressive & cruel steps related to healthcare that the government of the day brings in. There was a faction which accused her and other authors of triggering unrest. The government swings into action and bans all fiction. There is only one chain of stores “AllBooks”, which ironically stocks only non-fiction.

Fern’s earlier home has been confiscated and she has been given a more modest dwelling to live in. She now works as a cleaner in an office space. She secretly writes in her notebook, staying off the internet to avoid attention. There are periodic visits by two officials – one tall and one short to check on her and suitably warning her not to write. Ferns learns about a secret group which takes calls and reads bedtime stories to children. As she joins the group, she is now back in contact with some old friends and acquaintances. A boy named Hunter calls her regularly and she gets to be very close to him. There is great danger due to the surveillance and she knows she is taking risks.

The story for the most part is imaginative on how a scenario like this plays out and the impact it has. The pace is inconsistent in the initial sections – it starts with a bang and then tapers off, then again building up slowly. I had a sneaking suspicion on the turn it would take towards the end and that is what happened. The last sections will not stand up to much logical scrutiny, though they are well written.

Overall, a different and interesting read.

It’s the year 2035 and all fiction has been banned. It’s illegal to write fiction, read fiction or even tell a child a fairytale.
Fern Dostoy is an ex writer of crime fiction who now spends her days secretly scribbling in a notebook about her new reality.
When the opportunity to read books to children over the phone in secret presents itself she jumps at the chance. Here she meets Hunter, an eight year old boy who will change everything.
This book was absolutely nuts! It sucked me in and blew me away with the twist I did not see coming. It’s definitely different to what I would normally read but I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for something a bit different

I usually love this authors work but a dystopian thriller for me was a step too far. The first chapter was gripping but then it just became mundane but it did get better. Fortunately the last 20% made up for it. So much hype which left me very disappointed. I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Wow! What a story! This book is broken into different parts, I don’t want to give anything away, because a plot reveal will ruin the whole book. However, I can say the style is unique. The first part is made up of snippets, partly formed sentences, bits of information, all adding together to really make you think. The last parts will blow your mind- not at all what I was expecting. It’s made of whole chunks of stories, weaving all the previous snippets together.
Quite moving and insightful. Just totally unique.
Loved it.

“If You Tell a Story Well Enough, it’s True”
I just finished this amazing book and I was completely blown away with what I just read !
The story is told by Fern who is living in the dystopian future world of 2035, where reading or writing fiction is banned, books are burnt and children no longer can be read bedtime stories. I’m not going to say anymore about the story I think it’s better to go into the book with no preconceived ideas as I did because I was quite literally gob smacked at what I read.
I loved the book I broke my heart at the end which is unusual for me it just brought out so many emotions whilst I was reading it. The character Fern was written so perfectly and also my other favourite character Fine-Fayre who I loved … not forgetting Hunter either who tugged at my heartstrings.
So this was a read that broke me into little pieces, I was completely engrossed in it and it’s a book that I will never forget it. The story wasn’t what I was expecting it was so much more than that, the writing was sublime and I can highly recommend it , some books are just too good to miss and this is one of those …many many thanks to the author Louise Swanson it was a joy to read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

2035 England where fiction is banned

Fern is living in a world where fiction has been banned. She used to be a successful author, now she cleans at a hospital, is visited by security police to check she is not writing, and finds life bleak. However Fern is writing, a personal diary, how can a writer not write! There are mysteries in her life, both past and current, plus glimmers of hope and excitement.

This is Fern’s account of her life in 2035 UK. There is a slow build up as we get to know Fern and the world she lives in. Then about half way through the book there are some amazing reveals and twists. I can say no more!
The ending is strong, emotional and the book as a whole is one to savour, think about and remember. The idea of fiction being banned is unnerving, partly because the author makes it seem quite plausible. Is the life that Fern is living quite possible in our not so distant future?

End of Story reads like a true story, and it feels like the author has included parts of her inner self within the story. For me it was a book of 2 halves, the first half learning about Fern and her life, which I found a little slow, and then the 2nd half where everything takes off and it becomes an enthralling read.

This is the first novel by Louise Swanson, though as Louise Beech she has written many wonderful books. I have been a great fan of this author since her debut novel How to Be Brave by Louise Beech, and End of Story continues her use of strong characters and stories that need to be heard.

OH. MY. GOD. This book will be one of THE books of 2023. Psychological thriller fans are in for an absolute treat and Louise Swanson will be one to watch in this genre.

I can't believe how utterly profound and moving this book was as well as unbelievably clever. I'm just speechless!

Swanson has created a near future dystopia in this book about books with an absolutely smashing cast of characters who you can't help but root for.

I will be buying myself a physical copy the minute this one is published. Congrats Louise, this book deserves all the hype it can garner!!

Wow! What a story! This was a very thrilling and interesting story, with many thought-provoking topics covered. I particularly liked the diary-style writing which made the story feel so real. It makes you think about what could happen in the future and there was a good twist towards the end which I didn’t see coming. Throughout, I was questioning what is happening? How can these things be happening to Fern and in her world? It was very different to other books I have read and I throughly enjoyed the journey.

I’m sorry but this book just wasn’t my cup of tea. Maybe I was in the wrong frame of mind when I read it, but as soon as I saw it was set in the future it put me off. I didn’t enjoy it at all but I thought it was very well written. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc and I’m sorry I’m in the minority!

A dystopian novel with a twist - though I did see it coming. Well written and moving. I did feel involved with the main character and chilled by the thought of a world without fiction. Clever interweaving current events such as covid made some of the premises feel frighteningly plausible.

“If you tell a story well enough, it’s true”.

Can you imagine a world without fiction? In 2030 the government of the day bans it with the only books allowed being factual. It’s now 2035 and successful author and the first Fiction Laureate, Fern Dostoy, now known as Fern Dalrymple, is understandably struggling. She can’t write what she chooses, all fiction books have been burned in mass bonfires but she’s bubbling with creativity yet for the sake of safety she must stay below the radar. She finds an old notepad and pen, she daren’t use her laptop in case it’s monitored but she’s determined to tell the truth. How does all this come about? Why does Fern have to stay so hidden? Buckle up readers, we’re in for a bumpy ride.

Wow. I couldn’t put this dystopian fiction down as I get so caught up in Fern’s story. It is so well written and in such a manner that it really gets to you.. As you progress though and get deeper in, you appreciate that the plot has several complex and thought provoking layers that absolutely draw you in. The quality of the writing makes the storyline so convincing and it touches me, it moves me and fills me with empathy. It brings into play a host of emotions, at times it’s very scary and you feel the dread, there are some strange elements that you really question and then it all clicks into place and makes sense. It shocks, it breaks your heart and it is nightmarish. There are twists and turns and whilst I do guess one or two it in no way impairs the appreciation of this clever novel.

Overall, this is a very different and creative read and I admire what Louise Swanson has produced here.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I was looking for a fun thriller, and I'm a sucker for books about books, so how could I resist this?

End of story is well constructed, well written, compelling and completely unexpected. I really enjoyed being in the dystopian future where fiction is banned, ex-writers are monitored by the state, and even diaries must be written in secret. I feel like I haven't really read this kind of dystopia before: dystopia narratives usually focus on other aspects of life, work, romance, hobbies, politics. The focus on writing, and fiction in particular, is original and gripping - and likely to appeal, of course, to book lovers.

Although Fern herself is a bit of a cypher at times (for understandable reasons), and there are many characters who fade in and out without leaving any particular mark, there are a couple that really stand out, including the tea salesman. I wanted more of him, just as Fern did! I also enjoyed the creepy government agents who stalk the narrative.I was looking for a fun thriller, and I'm a sucker for books about books, so how could I resist this?

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is one future I never want to see happen, just the thought of it alone is a very bleak, unbearably sad way of life. The complete and utter ban on everything fictional. A life with no books, not even children’s books.

All are banned, with all books from before burnt to ashes, destroyed, never to be seen or read ever again.

Most of us are lucky enough to have been read to as a child, building inside us a love of stories and books that have stayed with us through to adulthood.

My Nan encouraged my love of books, reading to me on every weekend visit and even though I was young, I still remember the complete joy I would get from just sitting on her lap, or next to her at her kitchen table, listening to her tell me stories and it is a memory I will always treasure. That, and as I got older I would sneak into the living room and read the books on her shelf that I wasn’t deemed old enough for, such as James Herbert, which started my love of horror stories!
So to take that away from a child is criminal, let alone adults! Thank god this book is just fictional!

Just from reading part one of this book it had already fired me up! And I am pretty sure this book is going to hit plenty more than just me in the ‘feels’ department!

Ok, so now I have now finished all of the book after stopping at the end of part one to have my rant about a future with no fiction, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be the only one left feeling like that! And be warned, this book hits you with several powerful emotions on top of that one!

Is it to early in the year to put a book forward for ‘Book of the Year’? I have a really strong feeling this book will at the very least be a top contender! Described on Amazon as “The most original thriller you'll read this year with a twist you won't see coming”, they’ve certainly summed it up extremely well, because boy-oh-boy is the twist one you will never see coming but it will also blow you away.

It’s one of the best twists in a book I’ve truly and utterly been surprised by for a very long time!

End of Story is due to be published on the 23 Mar 2023 and it is available to preorder now from your local bookstore or from the link below

A huge thank you to the author Louise Swanson, publishers Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for my digital and audio advance copy of this book.

Fern Dolstoy is a deeply troubled woman. She was once famous writer but it seems that what she wrote is becoming real. Fiction has been banned by the government and all existing books destroyed. Fern is now a criminal, having been moved from her home and visited regularly by government enforcers. Then in her imagination a boy called Hunter appears who, it turns out, actually had a different role in her life. This is a book with no real point to the story. I found it a slow read. I will not recommend it.