Briefly Very Beautiful

by Roz Dineen

A spellbinding dystopian novel about the lengths one will go to for their children in a world teetering on the edge of apocalypse

In a land destabilized by unsafe air, wildfires, floods, viruses, supply shortages, and homegrown terror, Cass is raising three small children by herself in the city. Her husband, Nathaniel, has gone all too willingly to serve as a medic in an overseas war. His absence, and Cass’s isolation, has brought her into an exhausted but harmonious rhythm with the children; while it’s a frightening time, there is also a surprising, quiet tenderness in living on the edge of societal collapse. When things start to feel more dangerous in the city, Cass evacuates with the children to her mother-in-law’s house deep in the countryside. Initially, it’s a place of safety, but her mother-in-law’s erratic behavior and increasing grip over the children worries Cass, and so they flee again to a commune on the coast. It’s an idyllic place, but Cass comes to suspect this seemingly harmonious community has a dark underbelly.

Briefly Very Beautiful is a magnetic novel about love and resilience. Against a wider backdrop of a world imploding, it is an exploration of hope and fear, beauty and joy, as well as seismic betrayal. Roz Dineen’s lush prose combines with epic and precise world-building to create a society that feels at once unrecognizable but deeply, chillingly familiar. The result is a compelling portrait of what it is to parent through apocalypse.

Genres: Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Climate Change Fiction, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Adult

336 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2024

Reviews

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, but stressful to read, story about parenting and marriage during the slow apocalypse as it picks up speed.

Alternate title: The Mother’s Guide to Surviving Climate Collapse When Your Husband is a Giant Man-Baby 😂

[Vivian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow paced and oddly written with overly complicated and bizarre conversations. I found much of the dialogue totally indecipherable. Added to this Cass, despite her never ending internal dialogue and constant assessing of situations, is quite a terrible judge of character and at times too dense to believe. All in all confusing and exhausting to read. Often very strange. 2.5⭐️

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

The collapse of society just seems to creep up on Cassie and her 3 children....she adjusts...copes as best she can to climate extremes..constant fires and eco-terrorism.
This while her husband is away being a Doctor in a war zone and being vague and dubious.
So Cassie picks up the children and essentials and moves...first to her Mother-in-law and then to her husband's brother.
It's a compelling read...I'm not sure so close to home apocalyptic stories can be really enjoyed..but I do like the suggestion Motherhood and Mother Earth are underappreciated and taken advantage of.

[Shannon Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Before everything became impossible, it was briefly, unspeakably beautiful."

Briefly Very Beautiful tells a story about the apocalypse, sure. And a believable one, at that. But more than a story about the end times, it's the story about finding your strength and doing what you must in the darkest of times. We meet Cass, a mother raising three children by herself (two of whom are her step-children, but she loves them deeply), in a city that gets more terrifying by the day. Her husband is the worst a doctor who apparently needed to help people overseas instead of, you know, his family and friends and all the people suffering in his own city? I hated this guy from the start, even though Cass desperately tries to defend him and talk up his good points; all I needed to know about him was that the left his family at the end of the world.

I digress. Cass knows she needs to get out of the city. Electricity is rare, temperatures are soaring, and the violence has reached a tipping point. So Cass loads up the kids, says goodbye to her few remaining friends, and heads to her mother-in-law's house in the country. And this is just the beginning of Cass's limits being tested. For me, while the looming apocalypse provided an excellent backdrop, the real story was Cass finding herself and channeling her bravery and strength. She has been, like many of us have, burying her head in the sand a bit when it comes to her husband and his family, and if she's going to succeed in protecting her kids and herself, she is going to have to face some very unpleasant realities.

There is a period of time in the middle that felt a little... off with the tone of the rest of the story, so I did not wholly love that. And I do wish the end was a little more wrapped up, but I think that is just a personal preference thing. Overall, I loved reading Cass's story, and I loved that in truth, the whole story was about whether she would be able to overcome the hardships and find her agency again. I also adored her relationships with her children- they felt so authentic and loving, and just not something I'm used to encountering. Often, the children are written more like props for the main characters, but in this case, they are wholly developed and quite enjoyable!

Bottom Line: Finding the strength to persevere in spite of all the odds being against you? That is quite beautiful indeed.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Before everything became awful, it was briefly very beautiful."

An unnamed city in the near future on the verge of collapse. Wildfires rage, government is corrupt, a group of vigilantes take matters into their own hands, walls are built and borders are controlled. The problem with so many of these dystopian end of world climate catastrophe books is that they are so believable given the world in which we live.

Here Dineen takes a slightly different track writing through the lens of motherhood.

"In many cultures the mother is exploited: she must grow the baby, she must return to work and be the perfect mother simultaneously, she must grow the economy. Her training, her nature in these circumstances, is to give, to nurture, and this is taken advantage of. Our society feels entitled to her kindness, her care, her mind, her labor, her heart. And if she does not perform, if she does not provide total nurture, if she does not appear to be trying to give more than she is capable of, she is villainized and ripped apart.
The Earth has been exploited along similar lines. We have acted with entitlement towards Earth's bounty, without honoring Earth, without protecting it. We have exploited the mother, we deny her community and honor, we have exploited the Earth, we deny it a protective community, we do not honor it. We use both up until they are wasted."

I really admired this debut novel. It is well written, the characters well drawn to the extent that I could yell at some in absolute disgust and cheer others on. I liked Cass's introspection as she negotiated the survival of her blended family despite the absence of her husband and the issues with the in-laws. If I had a negative it would revolve around that extended family and Cass's apparent ignorance of their actions. For me as a reader that was all a little too obvious. A second problem is perhaps the optimism that prevails which, while I would like to believe, I cannot really be convinced by. All of that said I will seek out this author's future works as this was a very good read.

[Peter Baran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't seen or read The End We Start From when I read Briefly Very Beautiful, so it is interesting how the (environmental) collapse of society novel actually has a number of tropes already baked into it from other apocalypses. Roz Dineen starts from a similar premise to that book/film, though her environmental collapse is based more on excessive heat. All good reasons to eventually move out of the city. It is also interesting how specific my brain made her non-specificity, she mentions no place names - but to me this book was about being the local effects of a climate disaster taking place in Britain, our protagonist's flight from The City being London (there are occasionally hints - a line about the Southerners generally being seen as the oppressors fits the UK very well). And politically the story often chats about a Black Box technocratic government which did feel like an endgame of the last regime. Nevertheless my brain painted in a scenario not dissimilar to one I would later see played out in different weather and different situations in the very specific The End We Start From, though the outcome of those differences here are quite startling.

Cass is bringing up three children in the City while her husband is overseas as a doctor in a war. Not all the children are hers, but her husband has family is elsewhere in the country elsewhere in the country (including a ne-er-do-well brother) she can escape to. We have the usual trials of escaping London, the dilemmas about scarcity, transport and what to do when you find sanctuary. And these ethical issues are heightened because Cass has three children with her, and is hoping her husband will return. Societal collapse is not complete, and there are large pockets of towns as you go progressively north that won't accept newcomers. Safety is usually fleeting, and family often seem to consider Cass the weak link in her group, they want the children but don't want her (particularly with her husband's predilections which we occasionally glimpse in asides). Dineen has made a different leap in the hierarchy of needs, and its quite a cynical if possibly quite true-to-life one that when all hope has gone, what humans turn to.

As its title suggests, Briefly Very Beautiful (a description of the extreme weather events) also finds moments of joy and beauty in its trudge. Dineen has a firm hold on her anxious and self-criticising lead, showing us in action a strength that the character doesn't accept in her own self-image. The feeling of the slow collapse of society also is more convincing than most I have read, and whilst there is a meaningful amount of feminist viewpoint here with mother and children as lead characters, its sense of disaster is pretty universal. Often Very Beautiful, I found it rather riveting and frighteningly relatable.

[M. Rought-Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all the books about climate change including 'The Ministry of the Future' and 'Uninhabitable Earth' this falls at the last fence by ending on a note of optimism. There is no future in optimism now. You only have to look at the manifestos of the main parties in this election and consider how people might vote. The Greens have a plan but who is prepared to guarantee that voters would elect a party to make poverty normal for everyone. And there is the fact that whatever we do would be worthless without the USA, China, Russia and India doing something very radical.

Each of the books mentioned are very good on what might happen and the Roz Dineen gives a very personal and particular view but she just can't help finding hope.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dineen’s writing is gorgeous and I loved Cass’s development throughout the book. Overall a climate-caused apocalypse novel that hits too close to home in certain parts with the increase of global wildfires in recent years. The ending is wrapped up but allows for a sequel should the author want to pursue it.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

the synopsis is so overstuffed with big themes - climate apocalypse! betrayal! motherhood! neon signs promising / threatening a blockbuster of weary tropes

these ideas didn't really link up with how it felt to read.

loved it for the flashes of compassionate introspection, the texture of the relationships. even when the themes asked for suspension of disbelief, it felt melodic and authentic.

[Hannah Chaussee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strength of mothers is unmatched

[Eli Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I disliked every character in this book and it was a chore to finish. I guess your mileage may vary.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually would give this book 4.5 stars if I could- Half stars would be awesome Goodreads!

This book sucked me in- I am a fan of apocalypse stories and survival tales- ok so imagine if the single dad in The Road was crazy hopeful? That’s kinda what this book felt like- its the story of a single mom ( by all measures) doing everything it takes to keep her kids safe during the end of the world. Cass, the main character was delightful and believable.
I found myself immersed in the language and writing throughout.
100% recommend.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Empezó con 4 estrellas y fue perdiendo decimales conforme avanzaba. La premisa de maternar durante el fin del mundo me parecía muy buena y en los primeros capítulos creo que lo logró muy bien, pero fue en decadencia por culpa de una protagonista que es malísima para juzgar el carácter e intenciones de las personas. El final me pareció muy aburrido.

[Ruth Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the characters were unlikeable, Lance and Ella being the only ones with any decency. Ending wasn't particularly good, but maybe left that way for a sequel.

[Amy Beleckas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. Character driven, a slower pace to almost mimic the slog of the day to day while watching the world become less and less inhabitable, beautiful prose.

[Milla Honkola · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was briefly very beatifull

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Barely 2 stars. Liked the premise, but a slog to get through. Too much introspection and musing by the main character. I didn't care for the writing style.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exceptionally good I thought. There is such skill in causing the reader to care about characters, and to feel that you need them to be ok, and Roz Dineen really has that skill in spades. I loved those 3 kids as if they were my own. The first time Cass went to get water from Tim (I won’t give anything away by saying more than that) I went through the whole thing with her and it was like the worst anxiety dream of my life. I will always remember it. In fact this book took me more than a month to read because I wanted to read a lot of the sentences twice. It’s that kind of book. Beautiful detail but also has an epic scope. I think it is probably my book of the year.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edited to add:
This is getting one less star, because the big mystery at the end never even got solved! I was left not even with a cliffhanger, but much much worse; one of those "you decide for yourself what is true"-endings. Nothankyouverymuch

This was a rollercoaster.

It started out as a 4 star, went down to 2, up to 3, down to 1, up to 5, down to 2 and then it stayed between 1 and 2.

In the end I'm giving it a 3 because apparently it did keep me entertained and I finished it withouy issues. Only one time did want to quit, but decided to give it a few more pages and was not disappointed.

Worst parts:
The period groups on the beach. Just...why?
All the incessant sex talk. As if a woman can only do 3 things: take care of kids, be insulted by men and other women, think about sex.
The description, because it was WAAAAAY off.

Best parts:
Climate disaster were fairly true to reality.
The crazy mother in law, because she actually did something at all even if she was evil incarnate.
The children. They were well written in clearly differing in personality and ages.

Let me also make a mlre accurate description of what the book is really about.

A family drama of a husband leaving his wife and kids to go to war, and her having to handle problems on her own. Setting: about 20-30 years in the future where everything is exactly the same, except the weather is much warmer and the air is polluted.

Do I recommend this book? Idk. Ask again later.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The body could do things for the children that the mind could not, like birth them, or take impact on their behalf; you had to leave it alone to do its work, and not let the mind interfere with it too much Her legs moved into a shape of more comfort. She watched the sleeping boy. She watched for the heat that felt visible in the room.
She watched the open window, which was covered with a mesh screen. She had lied to her son when she'd said there was nothing to be scared of. He knew.
She watched as, outside, an extremely large moth fluttered itself violently against the mesh. It was drawn, she suspected, not just t the candlelight, but to the particularly heady golden smell of the children's slumber. It was making sounds like it was breaking itself up. The moon was nearing full. The sky was yellowing black not moulding itself subtly to the earth. How was she going to understand everything tonight?
Before everything became awful, it was briefly very beautiful.

Shortlisted for the 2025 Climate Prize

It is the debut novel by a long time fiction and then (post maternity leave – which is very relevant to the novel) features editor at the TLS.

It reminded me of two other novels on the longlist – The Morningside and (particularly) Private Rites which use a near-future dystopia starting in each case in a major City experiencing societal breakdown due to climate change, as the starting point for part psychological mystery and part a literary examination of other themes.

For Dineen – a major theme is motherhood, which she examines both literally and metaphorically in the guise of Mother Earth. She has said:

In many cultures the mother is exploited: she must grow the baby, she must return to work and be the perfect mother simultaneously, she must grow the economy. Her training, her nature in these circumstances, is to give, to nurture, and this is taken advantage of. Our society feels entitled to her kindness, her care, her mind, her labor, her heart. And if she does not perform, if she does not provide total nurture, if she does not appear to be trying to give more than she is capable of, she is villainized and ripped apart.
The Earth has been exploited along similar lines. We have acted with entitlement towards Earth's bounty, without honoring Earth, without protecting it. We have exploited the mother, we deny her community and honor, we have exploited the Earth, we deny it a protective community, we do not honor it. We use both up until they are wasted.

The novel starts (although unlike the other two books does not end) in an unnamed City (which seems most likely to be London) – a city on the verge of breakdown due to extreme heart (as an aside the other two novels major on rising sea levels, in this the City is sinking due to ground water evaporation), climate induced shortages and the effective cessation of involvement of central government who (known as the Black Box) are rumoured to have fled North to set up their own protecting enclave. Meanwhile huge wildfires rage across the middle of the country.

Many of the City’s inhabitants have fled – particularly those with boltholes in the countryside, but those that remains try against all the odds to maintain a semblance (perhaps pretence would be closer) of normality – and the mothers actively debate whether children should be told what is going on or shielded from it.

Cass is married to Nathaniel – his third wife (his first dying in birth, his second travelling to her home country for emergency treatment on one of the viruses that ravage the society and never returning) and now looks after his three children, one from each marriage (Vito – 8, Maggs – 4 and her baby Daisy). Meanwhile Nathaniel, a self confident and well connected Doctor, has gone overseas to serve as a combat medic in a bloody conflict between the Black Box government and one of its ex colonial possessions, where it has seized land used to feed the home county before they are nationalised.

When Gaia – a male dominated violent climate activist group who Nathaniel calls incels who have finally found in Mother Earth a woman that will not reject them and that they can both idealise and protect – suddenly carry out a string of pre-planned atrocities, mainly aimed at killing children to reduce over-population Cass realises its time to flee. And the second two sections of the book follow her journeys (in a series of often aborted getaway car journeys) to what in each case turn out to be far-from-safe havens:

Firstly, to Nathaniel’s family home where she stays with Nathaniel’s mother Eden - estranged, eccentric and egocentric

Secondly, across a border which has been erected across the country (it would seem between England and Scotland) with the Black Box rumoured north of it, and where she stays with Arthur – Nathaniel’s brother (estranged from both Nathaniel and Eden) and who operates some form of protectorate and pagan commune at a farmhouse apparently joint owned by the brothers.

In both cases Cass has to struggle with the ways in which Nathaniel has pre-turned her against his family, her own prioritisation of the children’s safety and belief it can be best served by staying with the children’s kin, her growing realisation of the characters of her hosts and the potentially worrying implications of their odder behaviours and the anomalies in their set up, her complex relationship with others in the location and the increasing deterioration of the wider society.

Nathaniel meanwhile seems increasingly disdainful of Cass – convinced she has no choice but to love him but also convinced that their marriage is a straightjacket and not one suitable for his current job on the frontline of global societal breakdown.

His awful theory: that the children's first two mothers left life because they could not bear reality. They saw how the world was turning. They could see that the world was on a quick trajectory to its end. They could see the inevitability of it. And they found that they could not witness the death of the world with their own children in it. So they left. It was the obvious development of a maternal instinct within them: it was not possible for these mothers to keep breathing in a world that would not sustain the lives of their children. This is his theory.
His children do not know yet that the earth will not sustain them.
Neither does Cass. She is living in a dream. Her insistence on leaving The City was maddening. There is nowhere to go! He wanted to yell this at her. There is nowhere that will be left untouched by the death
of the world: there are only places living in wilful ignorance of the coming ending.
He had to leave and be somewhere the real conditions of life were actualised. Fire, death, desperation, up close.

The book starts off fantastically – parenthood and particularly motherhood, and particularly in conditions of external threat, is brilliantly captured and the writing is luscious – oddly (or perhaps deliberately) mirroring what becomes something of a leitmotif in the opening chapters “Before everything became awful, it was briefly very beautiful.” (or variations on that). I also thought the society of the City and the conception of the Gaia group (particularly as captured in their motivations by Nathaniel) were well done and convincing.

While I enjoyed the remainder of the book (and the writing remains measured and mature throughout) – in both locations the novel entered a little too much slightly obscure psychological mystery for my tastes – both set ups felt slightly far fetched and the sense of haunting dread the novel was I think trying to achieve was for me rendered less impactful by the implausibility with the impetus of the opening somewhat diluted.

But, overall this is an impressive book and one which merits its place on the longlist and I think is a serious contender for future stages.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid 3.5 star read. The prose is gorgeous and slightly whimsical, which really contrasts with growing dread of the narrative. Cass is a mother of three living in an unnamed city during the climate collapse of the near future. There are endless fires, little rain and the air incredibly polluted. Cass is waiting for her husband to return so that she and their children can leave the city together for a better life.

Dineen has crafted this possible future with care and an absolute spear of horror. And while climate collapse is indeed an integral part of the narrative, the true core of the novel seems to be about generational trauma and how that manifests within people. This pops up in a couple of ways, Cass reflecting on her own childhood and her parents, the way she chooses to parent her children as well as her husband and his family.

The ending is frustrating, in that it's fairly open ended, though there is a clue to what the future holds for Cass and her children when we briefly (and for the only time in the novel) switch the perspective of eldest child Vi. The extended holdout for the return of her (dirtbag) husband is also frustrating to the point where you wondering if Cass might be a little delusional. The pace also induces some frustration. It feels as if Cass is constantly late to act, paralysed by her own indecision. The children, despite being quite young, are not very fleshed out as characters and there is a couple of other side characters that remain annoyingly two dimensional, merely there to prompt Cass and her journey, the most annoying is Jem, who hints at being much more but is never given the time to develop but remains more of a ghost at the edge.

The other underlying themes, motherhood and the divide between the rich and poor are also well done.

[Great Escape Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Review...

Briefly Very Beautiful by Roz Dineen is a terrifyingly realistic dystopian read that mirrors life today in all the right ways to create a thrilling novel.

The world is unstable, and the city is filled with supply restrictions, climate changes, unsafe air, instability, wildfire, and spreading illness.

Cass is fending for herself and her children, rallying to survive for and provide for her three young children that depend on her alone as her husband swiftly and almost excitedly left to work as a medic in the overseas war.

As safety becomes untenable, Cass moves her little family to her mother in laws home in the countryside, but the promise of a safe haven doesn’t sit right with Cass, and she is forced seek shelter elsewhere.

Settling in a compound with other desperate people surrounding her brings some sense of comfort to Cass until the community begins to show its cracks too.

This is an incredible story of resilience and struggle, the desperate lengths a mother will go to in shielding her little ones. This love laced across the backdrop of a world imploding is a fascinating and poetic story.

A book that makes you reflect on the state of the world, and what is important to us as individuals and a shared humanity.

Review by Lydia @ Great Escape Books

[Melissa Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cass is raising three small children in the city while her husband serves as a medic overseas. With supplies dwindling, viruses and wildfires running rampant, and unsafe air topping the ever-growing list of impending collapse, Cass feels restless and less safe in the city.

As attacks continue to occur around her, she decides to leave her home and head to the country to her mother-in-law's home. But the peacefulness of her surroundings belies the tension mounting in her new resting place. With her mother-in-law's erratic behavior and the terrifying hold she has on the children, Cass and her children flee for the coast. Will this new place finally allow her and her family some respite, or will she find herself yet again on the run?

This novel started pretty typical of your post-apocalyptic style plots. The only difference with this one is the lovely prose. Every sentence seemed carefully carved out, and nothing out of place. With the rich framework of the plot, the mesmerizing characters, and so many details packed into this novel, I truly felt as if I were watching a movie in my head.

Excellent and unique! I highly recommend it to the “end of the world” genre-loving bookworms.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

[Daniel Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman is raising three small children while the world around her is destabilized by rising temperatures, collapsing economies, illness and terrorism. While waiting for the return of her husband from a distant war-zone, the woman makes the decision to leave the large city that they call home in hopes of finding safety elsewhere. She will have to contend with further dangers in her attempts to find refuge at her mother-in-law's house and later at a seemingly idyllic commune.

I continue to be a fan of realistic dystopian fiction books, but this is the first time that the bleakness of the work began to grate. This novel was entertaining and at times captivating. On the whole, I would say I liked rather than loved it. The reader is left to fill in too many blanks about multiple antagonists and I felt that it would have made for a more edifying reading experience to be allowed into the headspace of some of those characters, such as Arthur and Eden. The ending left something to be desired. I do appreciate the exploration of how the possible end of days would pose impossible challenges for a parent, particularly of small children.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Briefly, Mildly Interesting: A Chore

Audible Audiobook -

This is a pre-apocalyptic dystopian family drama, littered with events that burn hope and positivity, and smell like doom. As life goes on with uncertainty poetically weaved throughout the story, Cass is battling to protect her family from obvious challenges (poisonous skies and water; burning fires; limited power; travel restrictions) as well as the insidious, malicious, and predatory ones that become almost daily encounters

The novel should be taut, suspenseful, and interesting, but it fails to deliver characters with any likeable qualities, and repeatedly descends into triggering examinations of narcissistic relationships. Aside from the moments I felt anger and sickening disgust, I generally found myself bored and mildly frustrated that it kept going to the extent it became a project in endurance

I’m sure this would be something entirely different - insightful, intelligent, and emotionally attuned, if it were written as a relationship drama. Alas, it is not, and it proved a chore

[Leah Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me up at night. I’m not a dystopian fiction fan usually because… well it scares me. This book stressed me out.

I was so thrown off by the writing most all of the book, it was so jumpy, and erratic. Then I closed the book and it sat…it still sits. The representation of stress, and mothering and doubting yourself. The growth in the main character was amazing. I could feel her. I was in this story with her.

Family, motherhood, fighting for your children even if you didn’t give birth to them, even if you do it alone. Topics of climate change, mental health, inner strength, trust, community.

Be warned if you want everything answered come the last page… maybe consider a different novel. I think the ending has made it stay with me even more because I just keep thinking about it.

I couldn’t rate this book immediately upon finishing it. The writing was hard for my autistic brain to work through. Yet it worked and it lingers.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some things I really love about this book. It’s quite different to a lot of dystopian fiction - and I have read a lot.
I love the way it is centred around the main character and the love she has for her children - all her children - it’s great how she never questions her relationship with them. The mother-in-law dynamic is bonkers and the outcome of her marriage unusual. It’s written in a frenetic paced way until she meets someone who brings a stillness to her life.
A few loose ends so I would prefer it a bit tidier - unless a sequel is planned.
#BrieflyVeryBeautiful #NetGalley

[Helen O'Toole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wrote a very long review then somehow deleted it! A highly recommended dystopian novel made exceptionally believable by the author’s skill in making the reader love Cass and her love and devotion to her three children, Vito, Maggs and baby Daisy. Cass is so strong, fearless and finally courageous. When you finish this book you may find yourself checking out the price of a bolt hole home in some distant part of the country. If this horror of heat, lack of water and marauding maniacs is the future world in 20 to 30 years hence, then get out of the cities. I look forward to a possible second novel as I would love to read more about Cass.

[Paul Gormley · Rating 2 out of 5]

More ‘I’m finished with this book’ than finished. Dull and boring. Despite the apocalyptic demise of the planet, there was no real jeopardy. Cass is a very one dimensional and uninteresting character - I’d rather have read about her friend Ally and her partner.

As for Nathaniel, her husband, shagging his way through a war zone, can there be a more self-centred selfish character in the history of literature? An appalling and exploitative person who made my blood boil when reading those sections.

[Sunflower · Rating 3 out of 5]

The apocalypse is evolving during this novel, with a gradual build which continues even as the story ends. I thought at first this was going to be dull; too much detail about kids, tidying up after them, and waiting for Daddy to come home. However, as the book continues it becomes a struggle for survival in the face of irreversible climate change, betrayal by family members, and the search for somewhere safe for Cass and the children. It had me hooked at the first family member who turned from potential saviour to major threat.