End of Story by Louise Swanson is an outstanding book about a world where no one is allowed to write fiction. Authors are forbidden to operate and are punished severely for their crimes. In this surveillance state nothing is hidden from the authorities. Government officials visit with little or no notice—namely, two individuals Fern describes as “the tall one and the short one.” It’s a compelling book, set in 2035, revealing a cruel, totalitarian era where disaster is sure to come at full force. It’s almost The Handmaid’s Tale meets Delirium (Dare to Love) in that individuals must undergo disciplinary procedures to “cure” them.

Fern Dostoy, once a fiction laureate with a bright future, has been robbed of her house by the river and a lifestyle that once complimented her bestselling status. Hobbled to an existence that almost resembles imprisonment, she lives a nightmare of rules and isolation, longing for the old life; book tours, library events, the warmth of fellow authors, and someone of substance with whom to talk. So when a blue trainer, a tea seller (Fine-Fayre) and a notebook are her only companions, it’s easy to resonate with her grief.

When book lovers leave hints of Bedtime Stories in secret places, Fern sees a chance to reconnect with old friends. She begins reading a story a young boy to whom she becomes attached, a boy she’d already dreamt about. But it’s clear she cannot fly under the legal radar for long. The tall one and the short one will be back to take her away.

Her words kept resonating with me; “If you tell a story well enough, it’s true,” and it’s through these words I began to understand the mystery of her confinement. Thank God for Fine-Fayre and his mock-vintage van, depicting a picture of a family drinking tea and eating custard creams. I loved him! As I continued to follow Fern’s traumatic journey through the five stages of grief, hoping she would find a way out of her incarceration, I cried a lot, laughed a lot and wished the book wouldn’t end.

The book is multi-layered and complex, Fern’s tragedy unfolding with each chapter. But by the end, it provided hope. My husband kept asking why I was sobbing in a tissue—well, several actually—and I said it’s sad in a good way. It gave me an opportunity to address my own stages of grief and to come out the other side a stronger person.

The book is a prophetic and highly visual novel—a thought experiment about what could happen if fiction writers were seen as a threat to the government. But more than that, it’s a knitting together of “family”—Fern’s greatest loss. It’s true to say I savoured every single page. This is definitely one you can’t afford to miss.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Louise Swanson and Hodder & Stoughton for the privilege of reading this book.

A propulsive and incredibly creepy dystopian premise – I was hooked from the outset, and every twist was perfectly executed. A fantastic thriller that deserves all the accolades.

The story is set in a future where fiction is banned, but all is not as it seems. As we watch the protagonist fall apart more and more questions are raised. The pacing is great – you'll find yourself racing to the end to see how this original premise pans out. Bravo!

Admittedly when I finished this utterly amazing novel I bawled like a baby for a good hour. I mean really, you should all read it and share the completely honest trauma.

I hadn't actually read the blurb, I love this author when she writes as Louise Beech and genuinely if you can manage to read this with as little influence as possible I'd recommend doing that. Any description you get couldn't possibly encompass the strange beauty of this story it is entirely its own thing.

The writing is gorgeous and the author presents a pretty horrific scenario, which sets a scene that slowly slowly absorbs you in. The main protagonist is enthralling, the deep emotional layers of the narrative are hard to put into words but you'll run the gamut of all of them at various points then the end will slap you around a bit before releasing you into the aftermath.

Gorgeously crazy and crazily gorgeous. Stories that do what this one does pitch perfectly don't come along that often so I wouldn't miss it if I were you.

Highly Recommended.

It's the year 2035 and fiction has been banned by the government for five years. Writing novels is a crime. Reading fairytales to children is punishable by law.
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?
Totally gripping really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton
I just reviewed End of Story by Louise Swanson. #EndofStory #NetGalley

2035 and all fiction has been banned by the government. You are no longer allowed to read bed time stories to your children. Not something that I would usually read but something caught my eye when reading what the book was about. This is an original story with a surprising ending.

Having enjoyed Louise’s writing for many years, I was keen to find out more about this change in direction as she dipped her toe into a dystopian world. In 2035 fiction has been banned, whether it be novels and the bookshops that sell them, or even just a parent telling their child a bedtime story. Only facts can be printed now, imagination is too dangerous to be allowed to run free and the penalties are severe for anyone who doesn’t obey the law.

Fern Dostoy was an award-winning author, one of the “Big 4” whose success has ushered in this strange world where story is feared. Forced to abandon her craft she has been re-housed, renamed Fern Dalrymple and given a new job cleaning in a hospital. She isn’t as anonymous as she thinks, however, and her world is somehow being shaped in an unsettling way around her. A stray trainer that came from nowhere, a phone line that shouldn’t be able to ring, a boy she has never met but can describe perfectly, fiction becoming fact in a hospital conference room, sinister visitors probing her secrets.

Fern maintains a diary of what is happening to her. She knows that it is dangerous, the contents of the diary could have consequences, but she has to tell her story, it’s the only way to get through the horror that is unfolding around her. As Fern’s desperation rises, as she gets closer and closer to the truth of this dystopia and why her world has changed so dramatically, the writing becomes more frantic and your heart races to its own crushing revelation.

This is something new from Louise, it is Swanson, yet deep down it is also Beech. End of Story is a dark, intense thriller and it is also a journey into the soul. Honestly Louise, I don’t know how you do it. How you journey so deep to pull these stories out and then bring yourself back, it’s remarkable. I think it’s a gift, I hope that it is. You break me when you write, you make me want to hold everyone I love tightly to me. Bless you, not frivolously, but deeply, be blessed.

This was a chilling and intense read with a creepy atmosphere all the way through it. It was fast paced, dark and gripping and I couldn't put it down. I loved it.

A Dreaded Futuristic Premise..
A disturbing, distressing and emotionally draining picture of a dystopian future is presented in this well written, fluid and imaginative suspense. The year is 2035 and all forms of fiction have been government banned for five years - the writing or reading of such is a crime. Fern is officially a criminal - the trouble is, just who can she trust. With a carefully crafted and credible cast of characters, a shockingly real portrayal of this dreaded futuristic premise and a menacing plotline peppered with twists, this is an accomplished tale from a talented pen.

3.5 stars


Nobody wants a future like this, where stories are banned.
It's an incredible idea , and sparked several conversations as I was reading it.
It's an unusual book, with several interactions that I just couldn't see where it was leading, or if I has any idea, I was completely wrong.
There's not much else I can say without spoilers.
Definitely worth your time.

A book lovers worst nightmare, with an unexpected twist!

Can you imagine a life without books, where all the great books are destroyed, and reading fairy tales are banned.

Fern is a writer, the year is 2035 and a New Order has commenced. The world has recovered from Covid but the government seeks to control the minds of others. Fiction is banned, writers can no longer write and to do so, encounters punishment of an unimaginable scale.

Fern is battling the grief of her husband, but finds comfort by attending an illegal book gathering to read to small children to help them sleep. Here she helps a boy called Hunter and will do everything in her power to protect him.

Thank you to Netgalley and @HodderBooks for an ARC of End of Story.

This story had me gripped from the beginning. I started to have panic attacks thinking of how I'd survive without books. This book was unusual in it futuristic setting but a cracking twist at the end, that I certainly didn't see coming.

I’ve read and enjoyed Louise’s work when she writes as Louise Beech, so I was very intrigued to hear about her latest novel, End of Story that she has written under the name Louise Swanson. I’ve enjoyed reading dystopian fiction in the past, and I found her latest book to be an utterly captivating read that I flew through in just a couple of sittings.

Imagine a world where fiction has been banned by the government. No longer can a writer pen novels or stories, for fear of making their own personal voices and views heard through fiction. It has often been said that the pen is mightier than the sword, and Louise Swanson paints a vivid portrayal of just how frightening the stroke of a pen can be to some people.

We meet Fern Dostoy, and the year is 2035. Fern was once a famous writer until the fiction ban came in, now she lives in fear of her life, but you can see just how much she aches to pick up a pen again and write; now she has to do in secret. Louise Swanson delves into her character and into her innermost thoughts and this adds to the tension, especially each time government officials descend on her to check that she is still abiding by the law. Soon, Fern discovers a lifeline when she finds a secret group of former writers, who have set a group up so that they can read bedtime stories to children at night, as this once source of comfort for children, has been lost.

The landscape in 2035 Louise Swanson portrays in her book is a very frightening one. Not just is it hellish because of the new laws, but you can also feel the rampage of the climate, the heatwaves that carry on well into November. It’s another part that makes this reality so terrifying.

I had no idea just where Louise Swanson was going to take this novel, especially when Fern becomes acquainted with the group of writers reading bedtime stories to children. You can feel her attachment to one particular boy, Hunter, who calls each night and speaks to Fern, but I wondered here, if she was putting herself more in danger by growing attached to him.

The ending of this book took me completely by surprise and it is a really heart breaking one. I could feel the emotion pouring out on the page and it was so expertly done. I’m certain End of Story is going to be a huge hit. I highly, highly recommend it.

Thank so much for this book!!!
Perfect story with twists and lovely characters...
I can't put the book down, just so Perfect!!!
If you tell a story well enough, it's true.

An impossible book to review as I don't want to say too much - I'd advise any and all readers to go into this one as blind as possible! The twist truly knocked me off my feet, and I was bereft when it was all over. FIVE STARS!

I’m a big fan of Louise Beech and so was very keen to read her literary alter-ego, Louise Swanson.
Completely different to anything I’ve read from her before, End of Story is a brilliantly executed novel. And one which is really difficult to talk about without giving anything away! It’s a book of two halves in the best possible sense. Dark, smart and very well written, with a complex main character and suspense filled story. End of Story is a strong start from a new generation of novels from this author. I’m very much looking forward to reading more from Louise Swanson.

What a fantastic book! I was both captivated and dismayed by the dystopian elements as things got worse and worse for the Fern and the terrible life she was leading in the not to distant future - my heart broke when all of the strands of the book came together at the end. Unique and unputdownable - highly recommended.

What an addictive story this one was. Set in a world where fiction is illegal, one writer tries to keep a record of what has happened and what life has become. Full of dark specificities and characters who are doing what they can to be rebellious, to fight for what they once knew. I consumed every page of this like it's the last book I'll ever be allowed to read.

End of Story was such a strange book like nothing I have ever read before. If you enjoy stories where you’re not sure exactly what is going on until the end this is for you!

End of Story is set in the near future in a world where fictional works become banned. The story follows our main character Fern, an award winning author who is NOT ready to give up writing and hides under the guise of a hospital ward cleaner. Fern is actually writing fiction in secret, while also working for an undercover call centre that tells bedtime stories to children. It is here where Fern meets Hunter, a little boy who captures her heart. As time goes on however, it becomes clear that secrets are being kept. What are they hiding? And can they be trusted?

I really enjoyed End Of Story. While I was quite confused throughout the first half of the book, the relationships between our main characters kept me gripped. I love stories that keep you guessing for most of the book then gift you the answers one by one towards the end, so this was an aspect I really enjoyed! All of the key characters were so well written and had so much depth to them. I don’t cry at books, but with this one I came very close! No blurb or review will prepare you for how layered, strange and unique this book is - just pick it up!

Scrolling through NetGalley, this cover stopped me in my tracks. I just love that eye looking out at you. I had to add this book to my wish list. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Louise Swanson is not a new to me author after all. Turns out I have read a book by Louise Beech – who happens to be the same person.
End of Story is a moving, creative tale set in 2035, which was not what I expected when reaching for this book at all. The author keeps you engrossed in an unusual futuristic tale and then spins it around and delivers a whopper you would never foresee. By the time you reach the end of this book, you are left with a creative look at loss, heartbreak and unexpected friendships.
I enjoy this author’s work. She manages to deliver an emotional ending while keeping the story light and easy to read. By the time I reached the end of this book, I was amazed by where the story ended.
End of Story transports you to 2035, to a world that has banned all fiction. The government appears to have lost the plot and is keeping writers under a close eye to ensure they do not write, anything. Fern Dostoy, a successful writer has surrendered, she lives by the rule and keeps her head down. Until she unexpectedly receives a card for Bedtime Stories. An underground group who are secret reading bedtime stories to children over the phone. Fern finds the more time she spends telling stories, the more her anger at the situation increases. Is she strong enough to fight back? Can she make a difference? Or will she quietly disappear into a re-education centre?
Initially, I was not convinced that this was the book for me. I have never been a huge fan of futuristic fiction. Yet, there was something that kept me reading. I needed to know what was going to happen to Fern. Not giving up on this book proved to be a good choice. This story turns out to be an emotional read that leaves you loving it.
You will find you are quickly drawn to Fern. This woman has lost so much, her career, her friends her home. It’s easy to understand that she seems a little troubled. From the start, you are left with a feeling that something is not quite right. And oh boy when you find out what that is your heart will break for this woman. Fern is a fantastic creation, the author did a brilliant job creating this woman.
The first half of this book did not have me convinced, but as I kept reading and as the story unfolded I found myself enjoying it more and more. This is an unusual read, but a brilliantly creative look at dealing with loss. When you reach for this book, expect the unexpected.
If you are looking for something different to sink your teeth into, a book that is not what it appears to be, then I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

Thank you to Louise Swanson, Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for my ARC.

I’ve had to think really hard about this review. It is a testament to the writing that I knew it was a 5⭐️ read but struggled to work out why!

Fern, our main character, is strongly developed and interesting. She narrates her story for us in diary entries which, although believable, leave the reader with a slight feeling of confusion. This air of mystery is fascinating rather than annoying and carries the reader forward, wanting to know more.

About two thirds of the way through I guessed what the ending was going to be and, to be honest, my heart fell. Without wanting to give spoilers, it could have been a real cop-out of an ending. But it was done so well that it totally redeemed itself. And best of all, it’s one of those books that make me want to read it again with the knowledge of the ending.

Bravo Louise Swanson.

This is a difficult book to review without spoiling it in any way, so I won’t recount any more of the story than the blurb gives you.

If you are not familiar with the author, I think you’ll enjoy this book for what it is straight away and will probably just go with the flow.

My issue was that I have read a lot of books this author has written under the name Louise Beech, and I love her for the emotional response her characters evoke. This was lacking for me for the first half of the book, I wasn’t connecting with Fern and something seemed off about her relationships with people. I had expected more, that special something was missing… until later events, when it all made perfect sense! All the bits that didn’t gel were suddenly all the more poignant and all the feels I’m used to getting from the author were there in spades. It was absolutely heartbreaking and I could really relate to Fern and imagine her pain. I’m glad I didn’t give up when I felt like it was missing the soul I had come to expect, you have to go with it and trust Louise, I’m sorry I ever doubted her!

a creative taale set in the future, an unusual read that is both curiously and compelling. The story deals with some dark and difficult topics and had a surprising ended which i really enjoyed.

Having read End of Story during the balmy days of October 2022, I could well believe the setting of a heatwave in November 2035. But that's not the only catastrophe that's happened. In another believable move, fiction has been banned by the government and only factual books are allowed to be sold and read. Parents could go to prison and have their children removed if they're caught telling them a bedtime story. For Fern Dostoy, a best-selling, award-winning author, this is more than a travesty. Her whole life is turned upside down as she's not allowed to acknowledge her previous success. She's also monitored on a regular basis to ensure she's no longer writing. But Fern is writing a diary, a secret one that reveals everything that's going on.

There's immediacy and intimacy in Louise Swanson.'s writing that captured me completely and drew me in. I was in the story with Fern, feeling everything that she was feeling. I could instantly relate to and feel her despair, not just for herself, but for everyone affected. Rather worryingly, I could imagine a time where fiction might be banned. A stunning book.

I absolutely loved the premise of this novel and the execution is excellent.

Louise Swanson has created a dystopian society where fiction is forbidden and writers are enemies of the public.
Despite finishing this book over a week ago, I can't stop thinking about the characters.

An intelligent, moving novel.

I read 1984 in the 70s, and Children of Men when it was published in, I think, 1991, so it intrigued me when an author whose work I hugely enjoy (as Louise Beech) decided to write her 9th novel as a futuristic one. Set not that many years away, though; indeed, someone of my vintage reading End of Story may well look at some elements and wince, but what Louise Swanson has actually done is add some pretty thought-provoking "what ifs" to a modern day catastrophe and turn them into a reality of the near future in this story of one woman's plight, trying to maintain the life she used to have. Some very poignant moments and some others that may leave you wanting to rage against the machine, but certainly a book that will linger long after the final page has been read.

My thanks to the publishers, Hodder, and Netgalley UK, for the advance review copy of this book and the opportunity to read prior to publication in March.

Very enjoyable book. It had a different storyline than I was expecting. Great character building. Would definitely recommend this book

This book inspires and scares in equal measure. End of story is set not so far in the future (2035) where books of fiction are banned, the protagonist, an award-winning writer Fern Dostoy, reveals how creativity has been banished. No books, no theatre and only factual programmes available and writers are no longer able to write and are closely monitored by sinister Government officials who regularly turn up unannounced. Fern befriends a delivery man who tries to tempt her with tea and biscuits and she is both intrigued and annoyed with him. With bedtime stories banned, children are deprived of storytelling but through a clandestine group, Fern gets a call from an eight year old boy Hunter and weekly, he calls for the latest instalment. The final quarter of the book springs quite a surprise. It is both redeeming and touching. A well-crafted and original story. A sombre read that is thought-provoking and for book lovers everywhere, a reminder of how much joy reading brings. Keep your enemies close, but your beloved books closer.

This is a book of two halves.
The first had me gripped in a world where fiction is banned and where our best selling heroine is observed constantly and cannot quite believe that her stories appear to be coming true. A dystopian nightmare of what could happen is stories were gone.
The second made me much more thoughtful and reflect, much more would spoil it.
Highly recommended.

Genuinely think this will be one of the big titles for 2023. Such a clever concept. The writing is hauntingly beautiful, and done in a way that drags you head first into Louise Swanson’s world. It’s one that attracts and repels you for all the right reasons, not least of which are the opposing cast of characters who carry the story. Will be surprised if this isn’t still at least in my top 5 by the end of the year.

I'll start at the beginning and admit this book blew my socks off from the first pages. And — wow — the end of (the) story caught me completely unawares and alternating between gasping and wiping away tears.
Having read several of the author's novels under a different name, I knew her to be outstandingly talented. This nightmarish read (imagine a world where fiction is banned, and authors dealt with brutally for their 'crimes'), underlines again her ability to weave magic with words. And to create characters that will stay in your mind for a long time. As always, so many outstanding lines:
The voice is different when it reads. The words are different when lifted from the page. The air holds its breath when a story is told.
Discretion; I love that word. I formed it silently in my corner. I can be as discreet as soft net curtains hiding an illicit encounter.
I sensed the author bleeding out her heart and soul into this intense and thought-provoking tale. Memories, moments of pain spilling out across the pages, raw and real.
I don't want to say anything about the plot because you simply have to read this. Just be ready to put the rest of your life on hold when you do.

An atmospheric and highly original read; I really enjoyed this and did not see the twist coming. With a futuristic yet plausible plot, this story provides suspense as well showing insightful perspective on loss and grief. Very readable -I was completely gripped and will be looking out for more books by this author.

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

This novel really affected me. Set in a near-future dystopian world where fiction is banned, it details the bland existence of Fern, a former prize-winning author now relegated to a mundane cleaning job. She finds her way to an underground group that reads bedtime stories over the phone to children and develops a relationship with a boy named Hunter. The tedium and low-level dread of Fern's life is changed by her participation in the group and I was surprised by the direction the novel took at the end.

I have reviewed End of Story for book recommendation site LoveReading.co.uk

I’ve chosen it as a Star Book and Liz Robinson pick of the month for its publication month.

Please see the link for full review.

Wow I really don’t know where to begin with this one. Although this is a 2023 book, I couldn’t wait to delve in and now I have months to wait before I can discuss this one.

Fern Dostoy is criminal– a fiction writer. Just imagine a world in which fiction is banned and novels are burnt.

The horror I’ve felt at this aspect, has resulted in me stroking my books and reminding those around me of the consequences of coming near my books. It’s a thought that terrifies me- a world without fiction novels.

However, Swanson takes us on a journey with Fern- writer, award winner, laureate. As a reader, you feel for her and can’t help but want to give her a great big cwtch because of her circumstances.

Once I’d got over the nightmare the author planted (burning of books), I devoured page after page. There are so many scary elements to this one, yet they are presented in a way which is completely imaginable and realistic.

As events in this one have unravelled, I’ve found myself completely speechless and unable to put this down. I’ve needed to know how this was going to play out. Swanson is a genius, this is a book that will completely pull the ground from under you. I have been completely speechless and unable to predict this.

I am in awe of how effortlessly this flows. Swanson is talented and this is a book which absolutely must be a bestseller. I can say nothing negative about this gem because it’s everything I had anticipated and so much more. This truly is a book worthy of all the stars.

A must for the TBR.

There’s going to be a day, soon - if not already - where this author’s work is going to be on school / university reading lists, End Of Story especially.
The humanity in this novel is a shining beacon.
In my eyes, a dystopian read - whether apocalyptic or post, totalitarian or even speculative - had to have a sense of all hope gone, but at the same time, some semblance of belief to cling to.
End Of Story is superbly written. I CARED massively about the characters.
This book is going to be a major hit.
Solid five stars.

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!

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

" If you tell a story well enough, it is true."

End of Story is a unique story about near future world where fiction was banned. Noone can write, publish, sell fiction books. Even tell bedtime storytelling to our children will granted big punishment. The worldbuilding look similar with world we knew but before read this book I never imagine losing fiction will affect our life drastically. At least it was in Fern's life. Our MC is one of big book winners, she wrote after lost her family member. Her books was bestseller and become inspiration so many people. But she only taste her success in short time.

This is my first read from the author and at first pages I thought this one will not work for me. The writing is simple and Fern's narration seem depressing. But suprisingly the plots are richer with each of daily ordinary activities Fern's shared. All of that slowly absorb me into the eerie of Fern Dostoy's world after banned. In the end I really like this creative and well plotted boom and appreciate every layers facts author gave me. The twist was heartbreaking but offer big hope for all our characters.
I must highlight my favorit supporting character, the tea man. His scenes always heartwarming and elevated Fern's personality.

This is a good book started my 2023 with strong kick. Highly recommended.
Thank you Hodder and Stoughton for provided me another great book. I truly enjoyed this one and my thoughts are my own

Wow! I loved the premise of this story, loved the writing, could not put the book down!

End of Story is a well written novel, set in a near dystopian future, where fiction is banned and writers are treated as criminals. The book has a bit of everything, the pages almost turned themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I kept this book as my last of the year to end 2022 with something I knew would be special, and I'm happy that it is going to be my first recommendation to you in 2023!

What can I say about it without spoiling the treat that's waiting for you? A scary dystopia, a woman who's suffering... and a lot more than meets the eye.

Louise Beech, Louise Swanson... whichever name she publishes under, she is going to break your heart. I forgive her every time! In fact, I thank her for it!

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!

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'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.