A world, in the not too distant future, where fiction and story-telling is banned. It sounds such a grey and grim world. But, to be a writer criminalised and forced not to write or tell stories - it must be horrifying and unimaginable. This is the world inhabited by critically acclaimed author Fern Dostoy. Fern is taken away to a re-education camp, stripped of her identity being renamed Fern Dalrymple and retrained to become a cleaner. For me, this had echoes of the Cultural Revolution in China.

Fern writes in secret chronicling what is happening as a way to maintain her identity and craft and perhaps as an act of resistance. Without giving away any spoilers, this is an absolutely gripping read about human spirit and how stories are part of who we are.

End of Story was my first book by Louise Swanson and it certainly won’t be my last.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I just had to pick this book up and see why there were so many 5 star reviews.

Set mainly in a dystopian future where fiction books are banned and only non fiction was allowed. You couldn't write and you couldn't tell bedtime stories to children. It reminded me of a mash up between Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 but with a twist

It's hard to review without giving spoliers because the storyline has so many different levels. Told in a diary style way you never quite know what is happening or why. I did wonder what I was reading and where it was leading but I just couldn't put it down. It's strangely addictive and ever so weird, but in a positive way.

I found this to be rather emotional, especially the end part where everything made sense and fell into place. This is one of those story's that will definitely stay with me. The basis of the story is pretty simple but the delivery was out of this world.

A strong contender for my favourite book of 202....

End of Story by Louise Swanson
Publication date - 23rd March 2023
Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Thanks to @netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of the book.

I have devoured everything that Louise Beech aka Swanson have ever written and with each book she reinvents herself. This again happens with ‘End of Story’! It’s a stupendously superb book that takes the reader through so many emotions. I went into this book blind without reading the blurb as I KNOW it will be a great book from this author and I definitely wasn’t expecting what I got! A world without fiction. It doesn’t bear thinking about. But this is so much more than that, it’s a multilayered examination of what makes us tick, how we deal with situations. In a ‘big brother’ world would you fight or coalesce?

Fern lives a small life. Living alone and going to work as a cleaner. But life wasn’t always like this. She used to be a famous author but then fiction was banned, she was stripped of her identity, removed from her home and had to watch as all fiction was removed from society and books were burnt on the streets. She isn’t allowed to write and she is monitored by the state to enforce this new society.

This is one of those books which are hard to review as you really don't want to spoil it for other readers. But what I will say is this - the quality of the writing is as exceptional as always and Swanson isn't afraid to enter the darkness of this dystopian tale. There were times I did have to put this done and regroup. But probably not where you think. It was the absence of fiction that really got me. When your life is built around the joy and promotion of fiction, the idea that it could be swept away is frightening. And indeed anything can happen in this world of ours. I read this in one day as I just could not put it down, its a brilliant page turner, the use of unfinished sentences hook the reader and honestly I couldn't wait to carry on experiencing Fern’s world.

Bravo Louise! I think this book will fly next year!

I'm usually a bit wary of dystopian fiction, but I invariably adore everything this author writes, so i just had to read End Of Story. The majority of it is set in December 2035, which is quite difficult for me to imagine, but Louise Swanson describes everything in such minute detail that I could not help but think about what life would be like. (I'm not sure I'll be having milk on my breakfast tomorrow though.) She also uses events that have happened in the present day, such as Covid-19, climate change and the political situation in the NHS to make her vision of the future feel more real.

The premise of End Of Story is a world where fiction, both reading it and writing it, is banned. The people who break the rules are subjected to some appalling punishments, which are particularly brutal to read. This concept is devastating for me, and indeed, any reader, which meant I felt all the five stages of grief (which are cleverly interwoven in the story) along with Fern and her fellow authors and the contempt for those who were enforcing the rules. I have to say I loved Fine-Fayre and his no nonsense attitude to his disability, and if Smart Legs are ever made, I will be first in line for a pair! The characters are described really clearly and this helped me to become really immersed in the novel.

I would probably describe End Of Story as a slow burner, but it's ridiculously clever and I love the way even the little details are tied together. There are clues throughout the novel that I cannot believe I didn't notice! The ending completely blew my mind, and I can't say any more than that!

I do hope Ms Swanson makes a return really soon!

This review will go live on 15 March:

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet…

And indeed it does, or rather: a Louise Beech writing as a Louise Swanson writes as beautiful a book… and can still make me cry. Oh yes, rest assured, there are still certainties in this life.

I’m quite the horror fan but End of Story is more terrifying than any horror novel I’ve read (and I’m not even talking about the fingers thing or the re-education centres): the year is 2035 and fiction has been banned. Reading fiction is a crime and there is only one bookstore chain left, selling only non-fiction (gasp!). Now, in recent years I’ve become quite fond of non-fiction, but a world without made-up stories?! Now there’s a horrifying thought!

For the most part, the story is told from the perspective of Fern in the form of a diary. Fern used to be a published author but her books have become illegal, as well as her writing new ones. But blood is thicker than water, and so is the urge to write. And so, in the privacy of her home, curtains closed, she scribbles on a notepad about this sad new world and how we got there.

Being a former writer, Fern is monitored closely and gets regular visits from a duo of government agents who’d give Mr Smith from The Matrix a run for his money. Creepy dudes! In a rather creepy world to boot. In tone, End of Story reminded me of The Memory Police, astonishing things happening and people seemingly just going along with it, believing they have no other choice. What I hated about The Memory Police though, was never quite finding out what was going on. Fortunately, that is not the case with End of Story.

There were a couple of things that drove me mad because I wanted to figure them out and I couldn’t. Like what is Fern’s problem with curdled milk? Sure, it’s unpleasant, but her behaviour is more off than her milk. And what of the blue and white trainer with the bloody speck that keeps popping up and disappearing again? And what about the boy who keeps calling her on a phone he couldn’t possibly call?

As the story progresses, I had to suspend disbelief a couple of times, thinking certain developments a little too much over the top. You might feel the same way if and when you pick up End of Story, but I’m here to tell you that if you do: stick with it! It will all make sense in the end, I promise! And then you’ll cry. But that’s okay, you’ll be fine!

At a certain point, I had this inkling, this sinking feeling, that I really REALLY hoped would be wrong. I didn’t figure out the whole thing but I turned out to be right about that one thing. And it was absolutely devastating. That’s how much I cared. After all, if you tell a story well enough, it’s true.

End of Story is a brilliant, multi-layered, genre-defying pitch-perfect story that I already wish I could read for the first time again. It is glorious and rich and sumptuous, seriously, if it were a cake, it would have a billion calories. Whatever this author writes next, under whatever name, this reader will be waiting. With chocolates and tissues and a cat to cuddle through the tears. Highly recommended.

Massive thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I adore when this writer writes as Louise Beech so knew that I needed to read her Louise Swanson alter ego but wasn’t expecting to love this book quite as much as I did! It is drawing comparisons with other books like The Handmaids Tale and I can see why! Set in a not so distant future world where fiction is banned and reading bedtime stories to your child is a punishable offence, I become engaged straight away by this storyline that didn’t feel as unbelievable as perhaps it should have done unfortunately!
Once again I was completely unprepared for the emotional intensity that this brilliant author brought to her writing and I found it so hard to read at times as she is probably the only person ever to bring out the empath in me through the written word. I have always been highly attuned to the emotions and feelings of those around me and Louise creates characters that also do this to me! At one point I nearly threw up because her description of the smell of milk is one of my most hated smells (I don’t like milk and haven’t since being very young) and it was like I was actually there in the book! A very weird feeling that left me highly unsettled I can tell you!
My favourite book of 2022 topping the other 19 in my top 20 books of the year!

A pitch perfect thriller! . . . This author is an absolute master of psychological suspense!
I read through the night to finish this thriller that turns into a nightmare. Spooky, tense, richly atmospheric and profoundly moving! This author turns the psychological thumbscrews with relish.

Wow! Well that was surprising!

This book starts off in a futuristic, dystopian society. Fern Dalrymple was once Fern Dostoy, the author of a hugely successful novel which won her major awards. However, fiction has now been banned and anyone caught reading or writing fiction can be imprisoned.

Fern lives a lonely existence after the death of her husband however soon learns of an underground network which reads bedtime stories to children and seeks to join her fellow authors in helping young children fall in love with the beauty of books.

However, this comes at a cost. Closely monitored by the government, Fern is watched and it's only a matter of time before things come to a head.......

That is the general premise of this book however it only scratches the surface of what is going on here. I can't say anymore without spoilers however this book is very reminiscent of one of my favourite novels (however again, I can't say which as this would also be a de facto spoiler).

All I can say is please read this novel. One of the best I have read this year!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult book to review without giving anything away about the plot but suffice to say I really enjoyed this book. The characters are realistic and the drama and tension ratchets up throughout the story. I admit there were moments when I thought ‘where is this going’ but there were other parts that had me crying. A very well constructed and well written book.

Move over Louise Beech, there’s a new writer in town… And wow, does she have a story to tell. Louise Swanson is the new penname for Louise Beech as she does what we’ve always hoped she would do and dives into the darker side genres. And never, ever, ever, has an Author adopted the persona of their alter ego quite as well as Louise has done with her foray into writing as Swanson.

I rarely predict which direction a book is going in, but I had a sixth sense with this one. And do you know what? I wasn’t annoyed. I’ve seen reviews that say, ‘I knew the twist so…’ So what? It’s impossible to surprise everybody, truly it is. But this twist, I saw it coming, I had worked a little of it out, and I put the book down at the unravelling point and said out loud, ‘Oh my god. My God. She did it. She went there.’ And she did it with all that we’ve come to know and love from her published books as Louise Beech, and she did it with ease, with talent, with remarkable darkness. Beech meets Swanson about halfway through this book, you can almost pick the word where it happens. Almost. And they don’t just meet, they collide. Fantastically. End-of-the-world fireworks type fantastic. You can also tell that Louise absolutely adored doing this. Every single word of it. She loved it, I expect she even let out a cackle or two as she led us down that winding path…

I could write about this book forever, but I won’t, and it’s going to be very hard to say much more without spoiling it. So I will leave you with this. This book is going to be huge. It’s going to be talked about. It’s going to hit bestselling lists, book club radars, and maybe… maybe even the big screen. You. Need. This. Book.

Wow what a book! Honestly couldn’t put it down and was still reading at 4am. Thank you net galley for the opportunity to read this book

An interesting, imaginative and emotional novel. Part dystopian.thriller, part literary drama, elements of loss and maternal loss are interwoven into the threads of a very well written story. Thought provoking and poignant. Thanks to netball and the publisher for the arc.

I requested this book purely based on the hype I had seen on twitter without even reading the blurb so I had zero idea what I was even getting myself into. The second I started though, I sure as hell couldn’t put it down. It’s so clever and deals with some areas of life so incredibly well… I don’t want to give anything away because I don’t want to spoil the reading experience for you. But you must read it!

The premise of this story was one of nightmares - fiction has been banned and only government approved 'non-fictions' books are allowed. I had the fear reading this, it was far too near the truth in the way authority is heading. I was hoping it couldn't possibly be true!
I had an inkling about the way the book was going and it all clicked in place near the end. And it was an absolute heartbreaker.
I love that this author - usually writing under Louise Beech - can write in every genre. Her books are truly character based and she manages to get under the skin of every one she writes. This one is incredibly powerful, a true dystopian nightmare.

There are times when I think I could write a book. Why not? I have a first in English and I’ve been reading voraciously since I learned to read. I have even started a memoir. Surely I could do it. Then I read this. This astounding, raw, unflinching and inspirationally creative novel is proof that some of us were born to write. This book, is quite simply astonishing.

I can’t write much about the content of the book without ruining it for others and that’s the last thing I want to do, So I’ll tread carefully.. Our narrator Fern Dostoy is a writer, one of the ‘big four’ novelists of the not too distant future. A future where the Anti-Fiction Movement’s campaign to have all fiction banned has been successful. It was Fern’s third novel, Technological Amazingness, that was cited as a dangerous fiction likely to mislead and possibly incite dissent in it’s readers. She had created a dystopian future where two major policies were being adopted as standard practice. To avoid poor surgical outcomes, only patients who are dead can have an operation. Secondly, every so often families would be called upon to nominate one family member for euthanasia - leading to the deaths of thousands of elderly and disabled people. All fiction authors, including Fern, are banned from writing and the only books on sale are non-fiction. The message is that fiction is bad for you, it lies to the reader giving them misleading ideas about the world and how it’s run. Facts are safe. AllBooks dominated the market for books until it became the only bookshop left, state sanctioned of course and only selling non-fiction. From time to time they held a book amnesty where people could take their old, hidden novels to be pulped. Fern now cleans at a hospital and receives unannounced home visits from. compliance officers who question her and search her house to ensure she’s not writing. Added to this dystopian nightmare are a door to door tea salesman, an underground bedtime story organisation, a mysterious appearing and disappearing blue and white trainer, re-education camps for non-compliant writers and. a boy called Hunter. All the time I was reading about this terrible new world, I was taking in the details. and trying to imagine living in it.

Yet there was a little voice in the back of my mind telling me this wasn’t the real story. I had strange feelings of anger and frustration with the narrative, not because it isn’t brilliantly and vividly. brought to life, but because I could sense something else going. on underneath. I couldn’t quite get to the bottom of it. I felt a lump building in my throat, but didn’t know why. I read the final third with tears streaming down my cheeks, followed by the sobbing of a really cathartic cry. I hadn’t known my emotions were so engaged with Fern’s story until my husband came home and I couldn’t even speak to explain. This is a real work of genius. It shows us how strong our minds can be at protecting us from things we don’t want to face. I understood Fern and her story moved me deeply. This is, without doubt, a contender for book of the year and an unparalleled look at what it means to be human.


A longer version of this review will appear on my blog and as part of my most anticipated reads of 2023.

Too much imagination can be a dangerous thing

It has been five years since writing fiction was banned by the government.

Fern Dostoy is a criminal. Officially, she has retrained in a new job outside of the arts but she still scrawls in a secret notepad in an effort to capture what her life has become: her work on a banned phone line, reading bedtime stories to sleep-starved children; Hunter, the young boy who calls her and has captured her heart; and the dreaded visits from government officials.

But as Fern begins to learn more about Hunter, doubts begin to surface. What are they both hiding? And who can be trusted?

Wow – what a premise for a book! I was hooked and shocked from the first few pages. With reference to recent real events such as covid, politics etc it weirdly didn’t seem too far-fetched and control being taken on the public by the state in 2035 when this is set, books banned and statues removed. Fern Dostoy was such an interesting complex character, mourning the loss of her old life as an author and her friends and partner that died in covid. Events unfold and Fern and a group of writers and readers find a way to get bedtime stories out to young children that are suffering because their parents could not read to them and they could not sleep.
There is such an incredible twist to the story I couldn’t believe it (in a good way!) and was truly shocked. This has me in tears and I didn’t want it to end, when I did finish the book it kept me thinking about it for ages after. The novel conjures up such vivid pictures I can imagine it as a film – I wonder if anyone has bought the rights to it yet as they should do!

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I must say I’ve read some amazing books published by #Hodder&Stoughton in the last few years, they really have the magic touch it seems and I really appreciate the opportunity to review the ARCs.
#EndofStory #NetGalley

Stunning, unexpected and one that has crept under my skin so I'll think of in the future again and again. I thought the Handmaid's tale impacted me the idea of fiction and writing being banned ripped out the core of me. They are my escape strategies and without them I'd be lost, lonely and desperate so witnessing Fern's life and horror of potential punishment was hide behind a cushion read.
As with all this author's work, it's immersive, the characters are real and provides an emotional read. Perfect for book clubs and a warning we should cherish and appreciate books more than we do

This is a real change of genre for Louise Beech (Swanson). I’ve enjoyed all of her books so far and this didn’t disappoint.
An unusual and well planned book, what an imagination this author has! And beautifully written as always, as if the words came right from her heart. Loved it!

I had such huge hopes for this book and was very excited to read it! The first issue was the formatting on my Kindle. I had to use Digital Editions to read it properly or deal with very frustrating poor formatting. The book started off great, it was intense and I could feel the stress of not being able to live without fiction or writing fiction. The idea is terrifying. I really liked the concept and that the MC was going against the government to still read and write fiction. I was excited to see where the book would go and wondered if there would be another as I was nearing the end and I didn't see an end coming. (Without giving spoilers) I wish I had stopped reading before part 5. This section of the book, and the ending, completely disappointed me. I was heartbroken with the route the author chose and did all I could to finish the book. The first 4 sections of the book are a 5, but because of the ending, I had to drop it down.

Lately I really am in dystopian stories especially if they are done in such an intruiging way!
Louise Swanson takes us into a society where fiction is forbidden and writers are enemies of the public. How disturbing and gripping!
This story catches you and doesn't let you go!

Thanks #Netgalley #Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC