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Swarm
In the not-too-distant future, thirty-seven-year-old Sandy lives a challenging and unfamiliar life. She survives by fishing, farming, and beekeeping on an isolated island with her partner, Marvin, and friend, Thomson. When the footprints of a thieving child start appearing in their garden, the family must come together to protect both the child and their fragile community. In the face of scarcity, Sandy still dreams of being a mother. The thought of a child compels her to revisit her earlier life in a city plagued by power outages, unemployment, and protests. There she met Marvin and joined his violent cause, initiating a chain of events that led to tragic and life-altering consequences. A powerful debut novel, Swarm is about persevering in a time of shrinking options, and coming to terms with regrettable choices.
279 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2013
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771 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Carter
8 books43 followersLauren Carter is the author of five books: the forthcoming short story collection Places Like These, the novel This Has Nothing to Do with You, winner of the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction, and her debut novel Swarm, which was longlisted for CBC Canada Reads, as well as the poetry collections Following Sea and Lichen Bright, longlisted for the ReLit Award. Her work has also appeared in anthologies, including 15: Best Canadian Stories (edited by John Metcalf) and Voicing Suicide (Ekstasis Editions). She has been published in a wide variety of periodicals including The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, National Geographic Traveler, and the literary journals Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire and Grain. Longlisted multiple times for the CBC literary awards in both fiction and poetry, she's also been nominated for the Journey and Giller Prizes. A transplanted Ontarian, she currently lives near Winnipeg, Manitoba with her husband, Jason, and rescue animals Merlin and Mo.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 23, 2013
This was just a damn fine piece of fiction. I was initially interested when the Toronto Star posted a review calling it dystopian sci-fi, but it was much more than that. A story of futuristic survival, sure, but one with such realistic characters and beautiful, tragic writing that it transcends the genre. Highly recommended.
June 20, 2013
This is one of the most memorable manuscripts I've read in a long time. I didn't even think I'd like it, as I'm not keen on 'futuristic' or 'dystopian' stories. But, because the world is much like ours is now, and could be our world soon, it didn't feel like a robots-gone-bad kind of future. The characters are people we know and just find themselves in a situation unfamiliar to them (and to us). And how they make it work, how they not only survive but continue to build community and live good lives is what got me. Lauren Carter is a writer to watch and I'm very privileged to have worked with her on this book.
August 16, 2016
'Swarm' was really middle of the road for me. This is a genre I love, and I especially love realistic takes on how food production and survival would work after a societal collapse. And I love beekeeping! So I wanted to love Swarm, but I didn't.
Lauren Carter is a good writer - a lot of her prose sections were really great. Unfortunately, I think her biggest weakness is characters. There were several I liked, primarily Pheonix and Thomson, but most of them didn't grip me at all, and I think when you're dealing with a story like this, character is crucial. A lot of them felt real, more or less, but it was hard to care about them.
I was frustrated with Sandy for being so weak-willed and flimsy a lot of the time. I was frustrated with Marvin for just being annoying and with the writing for giving me no reason to care about him, and with his relationship with Sandy also being so... empty.
Pheonix was the most compelling character in the book, and it almost seemed like Carter realized this towards the end of the book, but didn't have time to go rewrite it all to give her a stronger presence. While I appreciated the connection between Sandy and Pheonix in the last section of the book, it was too little too late. And honestly, have two female characters start something romantic/sexual and immediately having one die is a tired and homophobic cliche.
A rewrite where Pheonix was alive and with Sandy would have made a much more interesting book, honestly.
Lauren Carter is a good writer - a lot of her prose sections were really great. Unfortunately, I think her biggest weakness is characters. There were several I liked, primarily Pheonix and Thomson, but most of them didn't grip me at all, and I think when you're dealing with a story like this, character is crucial. A lot of them felt real, more or less, but it was hard to care about them.
I was frustrated with Sandy for being so weak-willed and flimsy a lot of the time. I was frustrated with Marvin for just being annoying and with the writing for giving me no reason to care about him, and with his relationship with Sandy also being so... empty.
Pheonix was the most compelling character in the book, and it almost seemed like Carter realized this towards the end of the book, but didn't have time to go rewrite it all to give her a stronger presence. While I appreciated the connection between Sandy and Pheonix in the last section of the book, it was too little too late. And honestly, have two female characters start something romantic/sexual and immediately having one die is a tired and homophobic cliche.
A rewrite where Pheonix was alive and with Sandy would have made a much more interesting book, honestly.
November 12, 2013
Swarm is a story of our own society only a few years from now after the collapse has begun (from the end of oil, climate change—take your pick). Lauren Carter juxtaposes two time streams in the main character’s life with great effect, deepening the impact of both storylines with their parallels and counterpoints. Swarm also has the depth of characterization we expect from literary fiction with a setting from dystopian science fiction. Some will compare it to Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam series, but Carter’s vision feels closer and more real. It gave me a strong urge to go into survivalist mode and prepare my summer cottage for a very long stay.
October 30, 2013
A dystopian novel about a not-improbably future. I enjoyed the low-key nature of the story. Instead of a grandiose vision of destruction, we see characters clinging to the little details that mean the difference between mere survival and actually living - family, human connection, honesty, compassion and so forth. A great ending, too.
December 8, 2014
Clean and affecting prose in the service of a group of characters about whom I found I couldn't really care.
April 3, 2024
I thought I would like this more. I vastly preferred the Island chapters to the City ones, which felt like a chore to be gotten through.
May 22, 2014
Swarm
Lauren Carter
Brindle and Glass Publishing
Swarm follows Sandy as she and her partner Marvin and their friend Thomson struggle to survive on an island. The novel weaves from past to future to show Sandy’s story. On the island a mysterious girl is taking food from their already meagre stores. Marvin has no sympathy for the girl. They don’t have enough for themselves. Yet, Sandy dreams of being a mother. She desires the opportunity to do impossible mother and daughter things in a world that no longer exists.
The bees, the swarm of the title inhabit both parts of the novel and are a symbolic link to both what has gone wrong with the world and the possibility of hope. Swarm explores and all too likely scenario of economic collapse that leaves the largest part of the population hopeless.
Swarm reminded me of Margaret Attwood’s work in which everything carries weight. The story is built on the warp and woof of time and meaning. We feel Sandy’s desires and sometimes get impatient with her refusal to anchor her life in what is real rather than hopes that seem little more than a will-o-the-wisp. Then we see Marvin’s harshness and the way he’s been reduced by their subsistence living to focus only on what will help them survive and we hope that Sandy might succeed.
Between Sandy and Marvin, there is Thomson, a dying father figure, the inspiration to Marvin’s violence who rejected violence and yet refuses to reject either Marvin or Sandy. He is the one who forces a recognition of the value of death and it is no accident that he is also the bee keeper of the book.
Swarm is a challenging and occasionally a difficult read, but all the more valuable for that. It points to our present reluctance as a society to change. We are moving toward the brink, and Sandy’s story could be anyone’s story in a few years. The book is about not just the choices of a few characters, but the choices we’ve made as a species. I highly recommend it.
Lauren Carter
Brindle and Glass Publishing
Swarm follows Sandy as she and her partner Marvin and their friend Thomson struggle to survive on an island. The novel weaves from past to future to show Sandy’s story. On the island a mysterious girl is taking food from their already meagre stores. Marvin has no sympathy for the girl. They don’t have enough for themselves. Yet, Sandy dreams of being a mother. She desires the opportunity to do impossible mother and daughter things in a world that no longer exists.
The bees, the swarm of the title inhabit both parts of the novel and are a symbolic link to both what has gone wrong with the world and the possibility of hope. Swarm explores and all too likely scenario of economic collapse that leaves the largest part of the population hopeless.
Swarm reminded me of Margaret Attwood’s work in which everything carries weight. The story is built on the warp and woof of time and meaning. We feel Sandy’s desires and sometimes get impatient with her refusal to anchor her life in what is real rather than hopes that seem little more than a will-o-the-wisp. Then we see Marvin’s harshness and the way he’s been reduced by their subsistence living to focus only on what will help them survive and we hope that Sandy might succeed.
Between Sandy and Marvin, there is Thomson, a dying father figure, the inspiration to Marvin’s violence who rejected violence and yet refuses to reject either Marvin or Sandy. He is the one who forces a recognition of the value of death and it is no accident that he is also the bee keeper of the book.
Swarm is a challenging and occasionally a difficult read, but all the more valuable for that. It points to our present reluctance as a society to change. We are moving toward the brink, and Sandy’s story could be anyone’s story in a few years. The book is about not just the choices of a few characters, but the choices we’ve made as a species. I highly recommend it.
June 13, 2018
For a lover of post-apocalyptic novels, it’s rare for me to be so disappointed as to not finish the book. Ultimately I found the trope of the book being addressed to a phantom child annoying and kind of unbelievable, although it started out fun. I did not like any of the characters in the alternating “City“ sections, including Sandy. As other reviewer‘s have pointed out, the most interesting character in the book is Phoenix but by the time I was 3/4 of the way through the book I had lost interest in even her.
I enjoyed the “Island” sections much more because, as always, I love the world building and learning the details of how people survive.
As a beekeeper myself, I thought I would enjoy her descriptions of interactions with the bees, but they were rather pedestrian and did not really explore the mystical/sacred nature of bees.
Finally, I resorted to just skimming through the last 50 pages. Disappointing overall.
I enjoyed the “Island” sections much more because, as always, I love the world building and learning the details of how people survive.
As a beekeeper myself, I thought I would enjoy her descriptions of interactions with the bees, but they were rather pedestrian and did not really explore the mystical/sacred nature of bees.
Finally, I resorted to just skimming through the last 50 pages. Disappointing overall.
November 23, 2013
I liked the book, but it kind of made me sad too. Not because of the post-apocalyptic future where everything has fallen to dust. That was interesting. To be honest, my favorite parts were on the island with just the everyday minutiae of life and how it goes on, even in the darkest of times.
What I didn't care for were the scenes from the city. I didn't care for young Sandy. She was so clueless and naive... I can forgive a little, but having watched her parents lose everything, you'd think she wouldn't be quite so bad as she is. Plus, I never liked Marvin, so I didn't get her attraction to him.
Still, I felt like it was a good debut. The language was really pretty at points, and I did find parts of the story very intriguing. You could certainly find worse out there without even looking hard. 3 stars.
What I didn't care for were the scenes from the city. I didn't care for young Sandy. She was so clueless and naive... I can forgive a little, but having watched her parents lose everything, you'd think she wouldn't be quite so bad as she is. Plus, I never liked Marvin, so I didn't get her attraction to him.
Still, I felt like it was a good debut. The language was really pretty at points, and I did find parts of the story very intriguing. You could certainly find worse out there without even looking hard. 3 stars.
May 21, 2014
Swarm is an intelligent and moving narrative. The topic is relevant and the story has lessons to teach. Lauren paints her characters brilliantly and I know a good book when I am sad when I come to the end. I highly recommend.
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February 29, 2016Some beautiful writing in this and a great structure.
I had to read it in fits and starts because of circumstances beyond my control.
I had to read it in fits and starts because of circumstances beyond my control.
March 2, 2020
This is my first book by Lauren Carter. I read this book as we will be having the author as a guest at our book club. Lauren is a local author from where I live in Winnipeg, MB Canada.
I would say that the style of writing is well done grammatically with evidence of sentence structure and dialogue and would give the book 4/5 for this portion.
The problem I have with book is the flow and follow through of ideas and development of the book in general. The excerpt on the back cover of the book draws you in to an exciting mystery. This is however where the excitement ends.
The story starts with “the Island” which is present day where the protagonist Sandy lives with her father figure Thomson and partner Marvin. They live in a society post collapse where they live off the land; hunting, fishing, farming and ration food supplies by canning and preserving for the harsh winters to come.
Chapters in the book alternate with “the City “ which takes place in the past 15-20 years ago. The City is a dystopian society in the midst of collapse. Where Sandy becomes involved in a rebel group, of which Marvin is a member. Blinded by her naïveté and insecure feelings Sandy’s involvement with this group sets in motion her future life on the Island.
Sandy is a nurture to Marvin, Thomson and the Bobiwash’s. She befriends Margo and Phoenix in the city, but these relationships do not carry forward into the future. In the future she is friendly with the first Mrs Bobiwash, but not with Shannon. Her only true friend is Thomson her father figure and mentor who she cares for in the future on his death bed. Sandy has a tumultuous relationship with Marvin, who is set in his ways and a poor communicator. Sandy is a also a poor communicator and this along with her lack of closed relationships is also a problem with the narration of the story which feels at times to be unfocused.
It is a dark read due to the dystopian theme. Sandy’s narrative speaking to Melissa (which means honey bee) seems to be therapeutic by the end of the novel. I loved the references to the hives and the bees. However unable to get my head around the underdeveloped plot, I had to force myself to read this book at times. I give the story a 2/5. So combined 3/5.
I would say that the style of writing is well done grammatically with evidence of sentence structure and dialogue and would give the book 4/5 for this portion.
The problem I have with book is the flow and follow through of ideas and development of the book in general. The excerpt on the back cover of the book draws you in to an exciting mystery. This is however where the excitement ends.
The story starts with “the Island” which is present day where the protagonist Sandy lives with her father figure Thomson and partner Marvin. They live in a society post collapse where they live off the land; hunting, fishing, farming and ration food supplies by canning and preserving for the harsh winters to come.
Chapters in the book alternate with “the City “ which takes place in the past 15-20 years ago. The City is a dystopian society in the midst of collapse. Where Sandy becomes involved in a rebel group, of which Marvin is a member. Blinded by her naïveté and insecure feelings Sandy’s involvement with this group sets in motion her future life on the Island.
Sandy is a nurture to Marvin, Thomson and the Bobiwash’s. She befriends Margo and Phoenix in the city, but these relationships do not carry forward into the future. In the future she is friendly with the first Mrs Bobiwash, but not with Shannon. Her only true friend is Thomson her father figure and mentor who she cares for in the future on his death bed. Sandy has a tumultuous relationship with Marvin, who is set in his ways and a poor communicator. Sandy is a also a poor communicator and this along with her lack of closed relationships is also a problem with the narration of the story which feels at times to be unfocused.
It is a dark read due to the dystopian theme. Sandy’s narrative speaking to Melissa (which means honey bee) seems to be therapeutic by the end of the novel. I loved the references to the hives and the bees. However unable to get my head around the underdeveloped plot, I had to force myself to read this book at times. I give the story a 2/5. So combined 3/5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2019
I left the book in a hotel in Orvieto, locked away in the drawer of an antique writing desk. Someone may cherish the find, but it was a tough read for me. It had everything to do with the mysterious little girl who went from figment of the imagination to real human being, and then back again. I had greater problems with the narrative. Carter's flashbacks went in all directions, so that the reader spent more time guessing the time period than appreciating the characters she was sculpting. If the book had been written in a more straight-forward chronological fashion, the book may have been more gripping.
Whoever finds that book in the writing desk, make sure you have a pad of paper and notes to help you follow the narrative. It might be a better treasure if you do that.
Whoever finds that book in the writing desk, make sure you have a pad of paper and notes to help you follow the narrative. It might be a better treasure if you do that.
August 31, 2019
Wonderful book about a young woman trying to make sense of the dystopian world she finds herself in, trying to survive physically and emotionally, connecting with others, forging relationships and trying to find herself and her way in this strange new world. The author skillfully weaves the story through glimpses of the past (our world as we know it), the gradual global decline, the malignant growth of rebellion, shocking decay, acts of defiance, and the reality of the struggle for survival in the new landscape.
April 2, 2021
Phew. That was gloomy.
Set in Canada right around now, Swarm tells the story of Sandy, a young woman who sets out for the bug city to start her independent adult life. Unfortunately, the world economy and social order are at the brink of collapse, the gulf between haves and have nots finally too wide. Optimistic, naive, and out of work, she falls in with a group of revolutionaries and commits acts she neither intends nor understands. Told in chapters that alternate with her older self yearning for different choices, this tale is compelling but offers no solace.
Set in Canada right around now, Swarm tells the story of Sandy, a young woman who sets out for the bug city to start her independent adult life. Unfortunately, the world economy and social order are at the brink of collapse, the gulf between haves and have nots finally too wide. Optimistic, naive, and out of work, she falls in with a group of revolutionaries and commits acts she neither intends nor understands. Told in chapters that alternate with her older self yearning for different choices, this tale is compelling but offers no solace.
May 9, 2018
A beautifully written and relatable novel about life after peak oil. Walking through the grocery store after reading Swarm, I felt so grateful for all that we have at our fingertips---oranges from Spain, noodles from Japan, a mini-computer in everyone's pocket, and so aware of how quickly we could lose it all and return to a pre-industrial society. Looking forward to reading Lauren Carter's next book.
August 15, 2025
Dystopian and near future. I enjoyed the parts on the island, more than the ones in the city. However, the city ones were necessary as a back story. The story follows a group of revolutionaries, they wreak havoc in the city, then flee to the woods and eke out a living. The writing was beautiful and kept me reading this bleak story.
September 12, 2019
Really well written, with a mysterious undertone of past occurrences, as protagonist Sandy struggles to survive in a dystopian world.
March 18, 2020
A brave novel, full of depth. But the execution was lacking. It meandered. The characters never gelled.
November 11, 2013
I wanted to like this more but found it a bit of a chore.
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April 3, 2025Can’t rate it cuz I don’t remember even reading it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews