Dystopian sapphic romance…I’m in!
Terrifying lessons to be learned from this book like don’t sit and watch other people’s suffering online, you never know, one day it could be you!
Ava’s character building skills meant that I didn’t know who I should have been rooting for with lots of turns in the story. I was kept on my toes with this one.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this eARC.

I adored the concept of this novel - a modern and ever relevant exploration of technology and wealth with a sapphic romance to melt your heart. Personally, I would have liked more world building as the premise had so much potential and would have enjoyed more build up to the romantic tension which would have made this a 5 star. However this is a fresh dystopian, which was executed well and written with all the prose one expects from Ava Reid.

Never did I expect to pick up a book with such beautiful, whimsical writing yet haunting and bleak subject matter.

I’ll admit, Fable for the End of the World is the first dystopian I’ve read since the boom in the 00’s (The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner etc) and aspects of this book definitely felt Hunger Games esque. Particularly when our two FMC decide their love will allow them for a rebellion attempt and change their fates.

Both FMC are equally fantastic and flawed. I loved the concept of a soft, untrained, liability which we get with Inesa and the hard, expertly trained assassin with the best weapons money can buy Melinoë, and as the book progresses, this reverses as they grow ever closer and begin to rely on and trust one another through necessity.

Up until the end, I had zero notes. I had genuinely enjoyed every page and it made me fall in love with reading dystopian again.

However, the no HEA? How could the author do this to us?? I am BROKEN. I needed them to beat the system, I needed them to find the drowned lands and discover that simple, survival life with each other that they so deserve. I understand that the narrative is showing that it is difficult for the small fry’s in the world to defeat the government/corrupt state. That their money means unimaginable power, when this is coupled with a population who would rather accept than challenge any chance of a successful rebellion falls flat. But I remain devastated that I did not get to witness their happy forever on the page.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

As an avid Ava Reid enjoyer I was looking forward to reading this a lot and it did not disappoint me. I loved it from the beginning to the end. I especially enjoyed the whimsical writing and the dystopian world the story took place in. Couldn't help but feel slight Hunger Games vibes throughout but it didn't dampen my enjoyment at all.

I would definetely recommend this book to fans of dystopian fantasy genre; especially if they like a splash of romance.

At this stage I was not unfortunately able to read this arc before the book was released but I am still excited to read it and have in fact bought it.

The main protagonist, Inesa, is thrust into the deadly “Lamb’s Gauntlet” due to her mother’s debts to the oppressive Caerus corporation. Alongside her, we follow Melinoe, an assassin programmed by Caerus but fighting against her own conditioning. Inesa’s brother provides the emotional heartbeat of her journey, as his fate becomes a powerful motivator for her actions.

While the characters are emotionally grounded, Melinoe’s perfect-assassin exterior belies the nuanced personality and inner rebellion that drive much of the tension. The evolving relationship between Inesa and Melinoe from hatred to reluctant partnership anchors the story’s emotional arc.

The plot is straightforward: in a world ravaged by climate disaster, Inesa must survive the Lamb’s Gauntlet while evading Melinoe, the assassin sent to eliminate her. While the setup is tense and action-packed, the narrative unfolds in a linear, predictable fashion, punctuated by some emotional twists, especially tied to Inesa’s brother and the manipulations of Caerus. Despite some familiar dystopian beats, the personal journeys of the protagonists keep you engaged.

Set in a collapsing Earth dominated by corporate overlords, the world feels both immediate and claustrophobic. The tension-filled atmosphere reflects the characters’ inner turmoil: as Melinoe struggles against her programming and Inesa confronts her shattered reality, the crumbling world mirrors their unraveling identities. The setting amplifies the story’s weight, blending action with the suffocating presence of corporate surveillance and environmental decline.

Key themes include survival, isolation, corporate greed, and the complexity of human connection under oppressive systems. It examines how both protagonists navigate their personal traumas and adapt when forced into collaboration. Isolation is a potent undercurrent, particularly for Melinoe, whose life as an assassin has cut her off from real human bonds. The corporate manipulation and environmental decay mirror real-world anxieties, giving the novel allegorical depth.

Ava Reid’s prose is emotionally driven, balancing tension with introspective moments. The dual perspectives are accessible, even as Melinoe’s potentially unreliable narration adds complexity. The writing leans more toward dystopian sci-fi, with romance and emotional stakes woven through the action, rather than a purely speculative or literary style.

This novel fits comfortably within dystopian fantasy/sci-fi, with strong appeal for readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance, LGBTQ+ narratives, and climate fiction. Fans of more traditional, structured story arcs will find it satisfying, while readers seeking experimental or deeply layered speculative fiction might crave more nuance.

Positives of Fable for the End of the World
Emotionally complex dual protagonists
High-tension enemies-to-lovers dynamic
Sharp commentary on corporate greed and survival
Strong LGBTQ+ and dystopian themes
Negatives of Fable for the End of the World
Predictable plot points
Familiar dystopian tropes
Some readers may want deeper world-building or thematic exploration
Fable for the End of the World delivers an emotionally charged dystopian adventure with compelling dual protagonists, tense action, and thought-provoking themes. While some plot points feel predictable, the character relationships and emotional undercurrents make this a worthwhile read for fans of dystopian romance and survival stories.

So I have been holding off on reading this one for some time, and I’m not entirely sure why, but I think it was more that I was worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype that I had seen at the time. However, this book was fantastic!

From the get go I was hooked. The world building was so vivid, that even now I’ve finished it, I can still envision so many of the places that were described in the book. The dystopian world in this was so well thought out, and I loved the idea of the gauntlet as a ways of paying back debt from the poor and providing entertainment to all.

Obviously from the start I developed a fast dislike/hatred for the fmcs mother, and that became more obvious as the story developed. But I really liked how well rounded all the characters were. The sapphic romance in this was so beautifully written. And it is very much a forbidden love.

I can’t belive that I devoured this book within a day. I literally couldn’t put it down! And without going too far into spoiler territory, that ending destroyed me! I had so much hope!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.

This is a dystopian novel which as far as I am aware is new for the author. The writing, however, was just as phenomenal as I have to come to expect from Ava Reid.

I really enjoyed the cat and mouse element of the book, appreciated the sapphic nature and was surprised at how emotionally charged the book was.

It was really easy to get immersed in the world and the characters and I would definitely recommend this to Ava Reid lovers as well as dystopian lovers.

I initially clicked on A Fable at the End of the Word by accident. But after reading the first sentence, first page, first chapter, I couldn’t stop. I haven’t been this engrossed in a dystopian novel since first picking up the Hunger Games in high school - and this was clearly an ode to those books.

It was really interesting to see how such a similar plot changed within ten years between the books. Yes, the Hunger Games were an inspiration to Reid, and the characters mimicked Collins’, as well as the slightly heavy-handedness of the themes explored (it is a YA after all), but I still couldn’t stop reading.

The themes covered in both books are almost the same: social inequality, capitalism run amok, twisted narratives and control with constant surveillance, but Reid payed heavier attention to the looming effects of climate change and the rise of social media and propaganda through narrative manipulation (which was also explored in Sunrise on the Reaping, to be fair). Reid’s classic themes - misogyny, identity - took centre stage, but the landscape itself - the forest, constant rain, unclean air, ‘free’ technology - all served as a warning for the very real climate disaster we are currently facing.

While the character’s relationship evolved quickly, and I probably needed a little more time to buy into it, I really enjoyed watching the plot unfold in the second half of the book. Even though it’s a formula I’ve read tons of times, the very real focus on our (the audience’s) acclimatisation to violence and aversion to love and emotion in media is something I think a lot about when scrolling through social media. What is real and who is a character? Is the screen what makes them fake? What am I actually looking for when I log on - connection or escape?

The imbalance between real life and content ‘creation’ and consumption is rife, and very truthfully portrayed in the book. What is entertainment? What is reality? I read this book for pleasure, but it’s a very real critique of the social climate today - so where do I draw the line?

Everything has a price. Nobody wins

A sharp, timely dystopian that doesn’t quite land emotionally

Fable for the End of the World offers a gritty, climate-ravaged dystopia with clear nods to early 2010s YA like The Hunger Games. The worldbuilding is bleak and compelling, with strong themes around corporate control, inequality, and survival.

But while the concept is solid, the execution felt uneven. The characters lacked depth, the romance was underdeveloped, and the ending was abrupt for a supposed standalone. Still, it's worth reading if you're craving classic dystopian vibes with modern relevance—just temper your expectations.

I was hooked on this book from the start, the plot was incredible and honestly something I could see happening in the future which is what makes dystopian books great. Personally I did feel it was a bit too short, there were definitely parts I feel could have been longer and prevented it from feeling rushed. But I can confidently say it filled the void that was left by the likes of the Hunger Games and the Maze Runner.

Fable for the End of the World is a beautifully strange and haunting book that pulled me in from the first page. Ava Reid has such a poetic way with words—her writing feels like a dream you don’t want to wake up from, even when it turns into a nightmare.

The world she creates is vivid and full of heartache, but there’s also a spark of hope running through it, which I really loved. It’s the kind of story that makes you stop and think about humanity, survival, and what truly matters when everything else is stripped away.

The characters felt raw and real, and I found myself rooting for them even when I didn’t fully understand them. There’s something deeply human in their struggles that I think will stay with me for a long time.

I gave it 4 stars because, while it’s stunning, it’s also heavy and slow in places, and I wanted just a little more resolution. That said, it’s a unique and unforgettable read that left me both emotional and inspired. Definitely worth picking up if you’re ready for something beautifully bittersweet!

The vibes were giving me The Hunger Games and The Last of Us! I loved each detail especially describing the characters and the wends. The last couple of chapters had me clawing at the book because every chapter was just so good. The end of the book had me crying and upset because of how it ended and I wish there was a second book to their story! Overall most definitely a slow burn but it doesn’t focus entirely on the romance which I love.

Fable for the end of the word by Ava Reid is a dark, unique dystopian world with a sapphic, enemies-to-lovers romance story. If you’re looking for a darker version of The Hunger games with deadly assassin trials then this is it.

It’s giving the last of us and the ballads of the songbirds vibes and follows a sapphic falling in love story of Inesa and Mel.

“I’ll always be able to find my way back to her”

I love a dual POV and the word building was detailed and beautifully written. The story was engaging with a sapphic romance, forced proximity, found family, deadly assassins, targets and trials.

I loved Inesa’s relationship with her brother Lukas and how they coped with their abusive mother and it was emotional to read and would’ve really liked more.

The story incorporates capitalism and climate change in a Dystopian world with trials that reminded me of the Hunger games .

A heartbreaking, unique dystopian story.

Trigger warnings/tropes:
Dystopian
Enemies to lovers
Sapphic lesbian romance
Violence
Deadly Trials
Found family
Assassins/target x

It was exciting to read a ya dystopian from Reid, but for now this is going to be a dnf for me (probably a soft dnf as I do think I may revisit it).

Hunger Games comparisons are completely fair, and I was excited for Reid's take on this, but I struggled to find the motivation to keep reading. I'm not sure if it's the characters or the pacing or the world but something wasn't working for me.

I wasn’t sure about this in the beginning as it felt a bit like a hunger games knock off. However as I got more into it I realised it was actually written quite beautifully. I ultimately enjoyed it and I would definitely read something by this author again.

ava reid can do no wrong. everything she writes is a true masterpiece and i am left in awe every single goddamn time

Fable is a queer love letter to the YA dystopian novels that came before it mixed with the technological and climate anxieties of today. The F/F enemies-to-lovers from different worlds blends beautifully into a critique of society and who is really winning that somehow still manage la to remain hopeful even in the darkest situation.

I feel Ms Reid and I are really going through a rough patch and I don't want to blame her publishing schedule but... :)

The beginning of Mel's storyline was definitely giving Capitol but I feel like the hunt was pretty badly established and you kind of knew from the start she was never gonna do anything to Inesa - I think it would have been more interesting if the moment she froze while killing her was the first you got of her moral issues/trauma and then it was explored from there. I also felt Inesa was just pretty useless and boring.

The Twitch-esque streaming element also felt very strange to me, especially how it played such a central role. I feel it was trying to be like the part at the end of Catching Fire where Peeta talks to Katniss but like...there's a reason why those are the holy texts and imitations will never live up :/ Mel and Inessa's relationship just wasn't interesting, and the middle felt like a lot of them just sitting around TALKING so much TALKING while camping and then trying to find civilisation (which like why if you're gonna get like killed??) and then deciding not to and then being like omg shes gonna kill me but then half a page later being like im not afraid of her im afraid of my heart :S

It just felt really melodramatic and drawn out but not really in a fun way, and since I felt like the world/plot was not really fleshed out I didn't feel like there was much tension keeping the plot going. The ending also felt like it was opening up to a sequel which I could see it going like a Catching Fire route but also think it would need to do a lot of work to flesh everything out.

In the words of Nicki Minaj, if you come for the queen you best not miss and sadly....this missed :/

The dystopian future genre is not something I’d normally pick but I love Ava Reid and will read anything she’s written so I was excited when I received an ARC of Fable.
What can I say? This book drew me in.
I love a dual POV and this did not disappoint. The MCs were brilliant in their own ways and the storytelling through the dual POVs was really clever.
The twists caught me by surprise and i felt as if i was right there with the characters.
The world building was detailed enough to orient you in the world but never felt over the top or complicated.
I wouldn’t say it’s an enjoyable read, per se, because I don’t think it’s supposed to be - but it’s touching and haunting and it really stayed with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance digital copy. All opinions are my own.