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The Quiet at the End of the World
How far would you go to save those you love?
Lowrie and Shen are the youngest people on the planet after a virus caused global infertility. Closeted in a pocket of London and doted upon by a small, ageing community, the pair spend their days mudlarking for artefacts from history and looking for treasure in their once-opulent mansion.
Their idyllic life is torn apart when a secret is uncovered that threatens not only their family but humanity’s entire existence. Lowrie and Shen face an impossible choice: in the quiet at the end of the world, they must decide who to save and who to sacrifice . . .
Lowrie and Shen are the youngest people on the planet after a virus caused global infertility. Closeted in a pocket of London and doted upon by a small, ageing community, the pair spend their days mudlarking for artefacts from history and looking for treasure in their once-opulent mansion.
Their idyllic life is torn apart when a secret is uncovered that threatens not only their family but humanity’s entire existence. Lowrie and Shen face an impossible choice: in the quiet at the end of the world, they must decide who to save and who to sacrifice . . .
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First published March 7, 2019
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About the author
Lauren James
20 books1,572 followers**This is my old author profile - follow https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... for ongoing updates!***
Wren James is the Carnegie-longlisted British author of many Young Adult novels as ‘Lauren James’, including Green Rising, The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker and The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. They are a RLF Royal Fellow at Aston University and the story consultant on Netflix’s Heartstopper (Seasons 2 and 3).
Wren is the founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League, editor of the anthology Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change, and a member of the Society of Authors’ Sustainability Committee. They work as a consultant on climate storytelling for museums, production companies, major brands and publishers, with a focus on optimism and hope. They run a Queer Writers group in Coventry.
Their books have sold over two hundred thousand copies worldwide in seven languages. The Quiet at the End of the World was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and STEAM Children’s Book Award.
Their other novels include The Next Together series, the dyslexia-friendly novella series The Watchmaker and the Duke and serialised online novel An Unauthorised Fan Treatise.
Wren’s writing has been described as ‘gripping romantic sci-fi’ by the Wall Street Journal and ‘a strange, witty, compulsively unpredictable read which blows most of its new YA-suspense brethren out of the water’ by Entertainment Weekly.
Wren was born in 1992, and has a Masters degree from the University of Nottingham, where they studied Chemistry and Physics. They have taught creative writing for Coventry University, WriteMentor, and Writing West Midlands. Their next release is Last Seen Online.
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March 9, 2019I wrote this!!
March 2019 - The book is RELEASED!
I had a launch at Waterstones Piccadilly and you can watch 27 minutes of the panel here.
SFX magazine reviewed the book and gave it five stars! They said "A controlled yet elegantly light touch makes The Quiet at the End of the World a credible, hugely rewarding read."
Some things I've written about the book:
Research trips I took when writing the book
Writing playlist
Fancasting the characters
Where I got the idea
The science representation in the book
A video introducing the book
Q&A with Grace Latter
Q&A with Amy McCaw
Q&A with Fantastic Books - who also made this amazing moodboard!
I've also written an article for Den of Geek:
If you get it, I hope you like it! I am very nervous!
Lauren x
June 2018 - Title reveal!
My next book, The Quiet at the End of the World, is about Lowrie and Shen, the youngest people alive in a time after humans go infertile. They have grown up knowing that they are going to watch their species face extinction, and spend their time exploring the crumbling remains of civilisation, treasure-hunting for things their ancestors have left behind - objects like the ones in the pictures.
It took a long time to decide on a title for this book, but in the end we settled on The Quiet at the End of the World because that's what the book is about - the time after the apocalypse, when there's no hope, and nothing to do but wait and try to enjoy life at the end of the world (also, let's be honest - I just wanted a longer title than The Loneliest Girl in the Universe).
I love post-apocalyptic novels, but they are always very grimdark - depressing and tragic. I wanted to subvert that trope and write a kind of soft apocalypse, with an uplifting look at humanity and kindness in the small community that would result from a large population loss (it's a very English kind of village, and book).
I read Station Eleven a few years ago, and really came away from that novel with a sense of just how much there still is to live for when you've lost everything. As a reader I feel like there are so many stories that hadn't been told in that kind of setting - after the angst of the apocalypse, when you're not necessarily trying to rebuild the world but live a good, happy life in the time you have left. So as a writer, I didn't want to write a dystopia full of villains and evil governments (there's enough of that in real life). I just wanted to write about humanity in isolation.
I wanted to tell a story about how vulnerable life is, when the human race is an endangered species on the brink of extinction. And how easily the smallest thing could push it over the edge.
What do you do? If you know you're the last of your kind, and nothing you do matters or will be remembered once you're gone. How can you spend your days in harmony, when you know that every hour represents the thousands of years of human civilisation behind you? With those generations looking over your shoulder, are you ever truly yourself, or are you just the culmination of their decisions? How can you be an individual without looking ahead or behind you? Should you even try? Those are the questions that Lowrie and Shen are asking each other in The Quiet at the End of the World.
It's out in Early 2019 (date to be confirmed) and I'll be revealing the cover in a few months. I really can't wait for you to meet my childhood best friends and their robot pal Mitch. You're going to love them all.
The Quiet at the End of the World will be published in the UK and Australia with Walker Books in March 2019.
March 2019 - The book is RELEASED!
I had a launch at Waterstones Piccadilly and you can watch 27 minutes of the panel here.
SFX magazine reviewed the book and gave it five stars! They said "A controlled yet elegantly light touch makes The Quiet at the End of the World a credible, hugely rewarding read."
Some things I've written about the book:
Research trips I took when writing the book
Writing playlist
Fancasting the characters
Where I got the idea
The science representation in the book
A video introducing the book
Q&A with Grace Latter
Q&A with Amy McCaw
Q&A with Fantastic Books - who also made this amazing moodboard!
Moodboard by fantasticbooksawtft
I've also written an article for Den of Geek:
The best (and worst) on-screen female scientists
As a science student, it’s always been rare for me to find fictional scientists who feel realistic. Most of the time the scientists I see in films are wildly absurd – geniuses in not just their field but in everything, who know how to hack any server, recreate any molecule, identify any liquid and calculate the angle of impact of any bomb.
If people grow up only ever seeing scientists as being impossibly, unbelievably clever, then they are going to be discouraged from ever studying science themselves. This is especially true for women: who wants to become a scientist when your on-screen counterparts are constantly harassed, seen as bossy or lacking social skills, and are either comically unattractive or so sexy that it makes it unsafe to be in a laboratory environment? (I’m looking at you, mini-skirt lab coats and high heels.)
Frankly, this isn’t great. In a time when women still only make up 23% of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) workforce, there need to be better role models for the aspiring girls in the audience.
If you get it, I hope you like it! I am very nervous!
Lauren x
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Tumblr tag | Read the first chapter on Wattpad | Buy a signed copy on my Etsy (comes with a free themed bookmark and postcard of my books)
June 2018 - Title reveal!
My next book, The Quiet at the End of the World, is about Lowrie and Shen, the youngest people alive in a time after humans go infertile. They have grown up knowing that they are going to watch their species face extinction, and spend their time exploring the crumbling remains of civilisation, treasure-hunting for things their ancestors have left behind - objects like the ones in the pictures.
It took a long time to decide on a title for this book, but in the end we settled on The Quiet at the End of the World because that's what the book is about - the time after the apocalypse, when there's no hope, and nothing to do but wait and try to enjoy life at the end of the world (also, let's be honest - I just wanted a longer title than The Loneliest Girl in the Universe).
I love post-apocalyptic novels, but they are always very grimdark - depressing and tragic. I wanted to subvert that trope and write a kind of soft apocalypse, with an uplifting look at humanity and kindness in the small community that would result from a large population loss (it's a very English kind of village, and book).
I read Station Eleven a few years ago, and really came away from that novel with a sense of just how much there still is to live for when you've lost everything. As a reader I feel like there are so many stories that hadn't been told in that kind of setting - after the angst of the apocalypse, when you're not necessarily trying to rebuild the world but live a good, happy life in the time you have left. So as a writer, I didn't want to write a dystopia full of villains and evil governments (there's enough of that in real life). I just wanted to write about humanity in isolation.
I wanted to tell a story about how vulnerable life is, when the human race is an endangered species on the brink of extinction. And how easily the smallest thing could push it over the edge.
What do you do? If you know you're the last of your kind, and nothing you do matters or will be remembered once you're gone. How can you spend your days in harmony, when you know that every hour represents the thousands of years of human civilisation behind you? With those generations looking over your shoulder, are you ever truly yourself, or are you just the culmination of their decisions? How can you be an individual without looking ahead or behind you? Should you even try? Those are the questions that Lowrie and Shen are asking each other in The Quiet at the End of the World.
It's out in Early 2019 (date to be confirmed) and I'll be revealing the cover in a few months. I really can't wait for you to meet my childhood best friends and their robot pal Mitch. You're going to love them all.
The Quiet at the End of the World will be published in the UK and Australia with Walker Books in March 2019.
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Tumblr tag
June 19, 2018
Lauren's newest book is a deeply human story about a 'soft apocalypse' - what happens when humans stop being able to reproduce and you have to slowly watch your entire species go extinct as you grow up? Beautiful, melancholic, and hopeful - this is a perfect book for the dark times we currently live in. 'The Quiet at the End of the World' will give you faith in humanity again.
March 9, 2019
THIS WAS SO GOOD!
Diversity - A+ (the MC is bisexual, the love interest is Chinese/British with a hearing impairment and there's a trans character!)
pLOT TWISTS - you're going to have to pick your jaw up off the ground (i'm still searching for mine)
the ROMANCE - absolutely SWOON-WORTHY
the message - so WHOLESOME
that's it... that's the review... you should check it out XD
Thanks to Walker for the review copy!
Diversity - A+ (the MC is bisexual, the love interest is Chinese/British with a hearing impairment and there's a trans character!)
pLOT TWISTS - you're going to have to pick your jaw up off the ground (i'm still searching for mine)
the ROMANCE - absolutely SWOON-WORTHY
the message - so WHOLESOME
that's it... that's the review... you should check it out XD
Thanks to Walker for the review copy!
August 16, 2021
“We live in the quiet at the end of the world. The slow winding-down clockwork motions before life stops completely. Time is slipping through our fingers.”
Mitch the robot was everything in this book! 💖
Lowrie and Shen are best friends. They are also the youngest people on the planet after a virus caused the human race to become infertile.
They live in a small community of the only remaining humans on Earth - all of whom are in their 80s. They spend their days exploring, while their parents are still researching a way for humanity to reproduce, to keep going.
But when something happens, things start to go wrong very quickly and Lowrie and Shen realise just how truly alone they could be.
Lauren James’ books always come out of left field and I love it! This is my second book by her and I am not stopping yet.
Full of fantastic rep and a believably frightening post apocalyptic world. If Sci Fi or the end of the world is your bag then give this a try!
Mitch the robot was everything in this book! 💖
Lowrie and Shen are best friends. They are also the youngest people on the planet after a virus caused the human race to become infertile.
They live in a small community of the only remaining humans on Earth - all of whom are in their 80s. They spend their days exploring, while their parents are still researching a way for humanity to reproduce, to keep going.
But when something happens, things start to go wrong very quickly and Lowrie and Shen realise just how truly alone they could be.
Lauren James’ books always come out of left field and I love it! This is my second book by her and I am not stopping yet.
Full of fantastic rep and a believably frightening post apocalyptic world. If Sci Fi or the end of the world is your bag then give this a try!
Read
April 25, 2021"I've been thinking about extinction..."
Haven't we all, honey? It' hard not to in this economy.
The Quiet at the End of the World is what you would call a feelgood dystopia. It's a little like a contemporary novel set in the future. It's a win-win situation, all the good stuff in just one book. The story is set in London, where the last humans on earth have formed a community to raise Lowrie and Shen, the last living teenagers. While the city is crumbling around them, they are trying to find a cure to the sickness that rendered humanity infertile. But when their community is threatened by a new disease that kills them off faster than ever, the end of humanity seems inevitable. Shen and Lowrie have to take matters into their own hands or the human race might be lost forever.
This is my first Lauren James book and it turned out to be just what I expected. Cute and cosy. The book was well-written, the concept intriguing. I liked Shen and Lowrie but didn't connect with them on an emotional level. I have to admit that this would have made a perfect mystery/horror story, though. A slow-burning and shocking one. Reading Lauren's version of the end of humanity always gave you the feeling that everything was going to be fine. Nobody wanted anyone any harm, everyone got along, and you knew things would turn out to be just fine - so if you're looking for a cool and comfortable read, this is your book.
Thank you to Walker Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Find more of my books on Instagram
Haven't we all, honey? It' hard not to in this economy.
The Quiet at the End of the World is what you would call a feelgood dystopia. It's a little like a contemporary novel set in the future. It's a win-win situation, all the good stuff in just one book. The story is set in London, where the last humans on earth have formed a community to raise Lowrie and Shen, the last living teenagers. While the city is crumbling around them, they are trying to find a cure to the sickness that rendered humanity infertile. But when their community is threatened by a new disease that kills them off faster than ever, the end of humanity seems inevitable. Shen and Lowrie have to take matters into their own hands or the human race might be lost forever.
This is my first Lauren James book and it turned out to be just what I expected. Cute and cosy. The book was well-written, the concept intriguing. I liked Shen and Lowrie but didn't connect with them on an emotional level. I have to admit that this would have made a perfect mystery/horror story, though. A slow-burning and shocking one. Reading Lauren's version of the end of humanity always gave you the feeling that everything was going to be fine. Nobody wanted anyone any harm, everyone got along, and you knew things would turn out to be just fine - so if you're looking for a cool and comfortable read, this is your book.
Thank you to Walker Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Find more of my books on Instagram
March 11, 2019
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Teenagers Lowrie and Shen are the youngest humans left on earth. In February 2024 the population of the world was infected with a virus that made them all infertile. The only humans that were conceived after this date were from eggs frozen at fertility clinics.
Now in the year 2109 and with the population of the world so small the last people have all congregated in central London, UK, to form there own little family and to protect the last two humans there will ever be on the Earth.
Lowrie and Shen, now aged 16 and 17 are taught life skills as one day they will be the last two people and they will need one another and all the skills they have been taught to survive. They are as close as brother and sister but with a little spark between them that neither wants to admit.
As well as the last humans there are also robots that are working to protect the planet and the people, including lifeguard robot Mitch who walks up and down the banks of the river Thames ready to jump in should anyone get into difficulty. It is Mitch who saves the youngsters when a helicopter crashed near where they are searching for treasure. The pilot Alexei had some sort of seizure and crashed into Big Ben.
Over the next few days, others start to have seizures and Lowrie and Shen are kept in the dark about what is happening until all the people in London are unconscious except for themselves. They need to find a way to help them, but the more they search the more unusual and strange information they find out. Can the two work out what is going on and help the people or has the fact that they will be the last two humans suddenly become a reality?
The Quiet at the End of the World is the first book I have read by Lauren James. It is a mixture of a philosophical story and sci-fi interwoven and fitted together perfectly. Lowrie is a very headstrong teenager. She understands that she will be one of the last two on earth and it scares her. She is a deep thinker, although she often tries to push her thought to the back of her mind. She likes anything she can fix or make and is always carrying tools around with her.
Shen is more easier going. He has a big thing about aliens and would love to meet one. He understands what will happen in the future but takes most of it in his stride. He’s also deaf in one ear, although Lowrie can never remember which.
The two have a love for treasure hunting. One day they come across an old tube train and discover a purse belonging to a Maya Waverley. Intrigued about the discovery Lowrie does some research looking at old social media sites and discovers who Maya was. Following her old posts, Lowrie learns all about the past, when the virus hit and its symptoms plus what happened to the world afterward and also Maya’s personal life.
The story has been very cleverly written to make you think about what you would do in that situation but also about how the planet is being destroyed now by global warming and humans generally not looking after it. Whilst the premise of using infertility to wipe out humans isn’t a new one, I love the way that Ms. James has used her plot to show you the ending of the world through the eyes of teenagers.
I also love the twists that she placed so carefully into her book, so just when you thought you understood everything you are again learning something new. Plus, she made a robot so likeable and adorable too.
It will make you think, it will make you laugh and it is quite simply amazing. This is definitely a book not to be missed.
Teenagers Lowrie and Shen are the youngest humans left on earth. In February 2024 the population of the world was infected with a virus that made them all infertile. The only humans that were conceived after this date were from eggs frozen at fertility clinics.
Now in the year 2109 and with the population of the world so small the last people have all congregated in central London, UK, to form there own little family and to protect the last two humans there will ever be on the Earth.
Lowrie and Shen, now aged 16 and 17 are taught life skills as one day they will be the last two people and they will need one another and all the skills they have been taught to survive. They are as close as brother and sister but with a little spark between them that neither wants to admit.
As well as the last humans there are also robots that are working to protect the planet and the people, including lifeguard robot Mitch who walks up and down the banks of the river Thames ready to jump in should anyone get into difficulty. It is Mitch who saves the youngsters when a helicopter crashed near where they are searching for treasure. The pilot Alexei had some sort of seizure and crashed into Big Ben.
Over the next few days, others start to have seizures and Lowrie and Shen are kept in the dark about what is happening until all the people in London are unconscious except for themselves. They need to find a way to help them, but the more they search the more unusual and strange information they find out. Can the two work out what is going on and help the people or has the fact that they will be the last two humans suddenly become a reality?
The Quiet at the End of the World is the first book I have read by Lauren James. It is a mixture of a philosophical story and sci-fi interwoven and fitted together perfectly. Lowrie is a very headstrong teenager. She understands that she will be one of the last two on earth and it scares her. She is a deep thinker, although she often tries to push her thought to the back of her mind. She likes anything she can fix or make and is always carrying tools around with her.
Shen is more easier going. He has a big thing about aliens and would love to meet one. He understands what will happen in the future but takes most of it in his stride. He’s also deaf in one ear, although Lowrie can never remember which.
The two have a love for treasure hunting. One day they come across an old tube train and discover a purse belonging to a Maya Waverley. Intrigued about the discovery Lowrie does some research looking at old social media sites and discovers who Maya was. Following her old posts, Lowrie learns all about the past, when the virus hit and its symptoms plus what happened to the world afterward and also Maya’s personal life.
The story has been very cleverly written to make you think about what you would do in that situation but also about how the planet is being destroyed now by global warming and humans generally not looking after it. Whilst the premise of using infertility to wipe out humans isn’t a new one, I love the way that Ms. James has used her plot to show you the ending of the world through the eyes of teenagers.
I also love the twists that she placed so carefully into her book, so just when you thought you understood everything you are again learning something new. Plus, she made a robot so likeable and adorable too.
It will make you think, it will make you laugh and it is quite simply amazing. This is definitely a book not to be missed.
December 6, 2018
My favourite book of 2018, The Quiet at the End of the World is the stunning new book from Lauren James. I've loved all of her books so far, but I think this is my favourite -- Lowrie and Shen are two of the most loveable characters you could wish to meet, and I had a very big soft-spot for Mitch.
Even though I've come to expect huge twists in Lauren's books, I never seem to be able to guess them, and have to put the book down to take a big breather -- she never fails to shock me (in a good way!!) with the places she takes the plot.
I read The Quiet at the End of the World in the space of a few hours, and was very angry with myself afterwards for not savouring every glorious word. Can I re-read it already? I can't get enough!
Even though I've come to expect huge twists in Lauren's books, I never seem to be able to guess them, and have to put the book down to take a big breather -- she never fails to shock me (in a good way!!) with the places she takes the plot.
I read The Quiet at the End of the World in the space of a few hours, and was very angry with myself afterwards for not savouring every glorious word. Can I re-read it already? I can't get enough!
March 25, 2021
Just finished... "The Quiet at the End of the World" by Lauren James. Is it Science Fiction, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic!? Yes! I loved it! After reading this book and "The Loneliest Girl in the Universe", Author Lauren James is quickly becoming a new favorite author of mine.
May 21, 2019
Note to self: Do not read a book on a bus, gasp loudly like a goldfish at response to a plot twist otherwise you get an array of confused stares!
That is what happened when I dived into Lauren's latest release. A YA Sci-Fi novel set in the future, in the heart of London. At this point, two young friends Lowrie and Shen are the youngest humans left alive on Earth. This was due to a serious virus that caused high levels of global infertility. They both love digging up drains for artefacts, until the second a huge secret about their upbringing is unleashed. With time against them, the pair must work together to save the living race before it's too late. I loved the story-line, characters and the adventure. Although the pacing was a little slow for me at times, I found myself engaged with the thrills of both main characters and their connections towards technology and robots. A fun standalone read!
That is what happened when I dived into Lauren's latest release. A YA Sci-Fi novel set in the future, in the heart of London. At this point, two young friends Lowrie and Shen are the youngest humans left alive on Earth. This was due to a serious virus that caused high levels of global infertility. They both love digging up drains for artefacts, until the second a huge secret about their upbringing is unleashed. With time against them, the pair must work together to save the living race before it's too late. I loved the story-line, characters and the adventure. Although the pacing was a little slow for me at times, I found myself engaged with the thrills of both main characters and their connections towards technology and robots. A fun standalone read!
August 23, 2023
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
“You don’t remember the perfect things when you think about the people you love. You think of the them things. The little habits or guilty pleasures or secret flaws that only they have.
Those are the things that make them unique. Those things make us all human.”
I had left The Quiet at the End of the World on my shelf for so long, that I had completely forgotten why I had decided to read it. 😭 Nor did I refresh my memory by re-reading the blurb to see what it was all about; but, once I did, I could not stop. I mean, just imagine a futuristic world, where the fertility rate drops so low that there is no longer the possibility of babies ever being conceived. Imagine the sheer panic and manic that ensues amongst the people - the disruptive nature that rises with the arm that this was all going to end - our lifelines would not continue. Imagine as the years go on, and the hope for actual children of your own diminishes and it yields the fierce urge and drive to find a working substitute to still experience the joys of parenthood - the creation of an alternative plausible option in the form of Babygrows - not so much as genetic but synthetic - complete with human facial features and mind and abilities. 😟😟
It is a scary and unsettling premise - more jarring when you think about the pandemic that we have currently gone through and the very thought that truly nothing - not even life - can be taken for granted. It was thought-provoking; and it made it even more compelling to see this dystopian world through the eyes of two teenagers - Lowrie and Shen - the youngest people left to exist - many many years into the future.
Oh, this was definitely an interesting read - science fiction may be a genre that I'm least interested in, but the writing here completely takes you in. And it's also a very quiet one - it reminded me a lot of the quote 'This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper'. Lowrie, our sixteen-year-old narrator, has a very strong head on her shoulders. She's eager to learn - eager to know - willing to change - willing to help - devoted to her family of caregivers - devoted to Shen - and always - always hopeful for a fighting chance of survival. 🤍🤍
Even as she uncovers the truths behind the sudden calamity that swept the world - so many years before her time - even as she learns the secrets behind her own existence - her positive outlook - her growing feelings for Shen - all the sequence of events was like a chain reaction toppling one after another - but as a reader, we never lost perspective of what Lauren James was aiming to achieve - what the outlook of our world would be like, if such a situation ever came to fruition. She captured such a scope of emotions - ranging from the feeling of helplessness of whether or not you can love a child that is not your own - to whether people who are not humans can be worthy of love or not. 🙂
“We’re humans. If there’s one thing we can do well, it’s find a way to survive. A little thing like extinction isn’t going to stop us.”
It made me think a lot - can humanity be replaced with other forms of beings, when humans no longer exist? It's not just being a clone that matters - it's a being that is created through scientific means that is not artificial intelligence, but actually a person - when there are no longer humans that exist - can this new entity become the original surviving example of the human race? Who is to question or judge them for being not the actual humans, but something that has evolved into something more. 😢
Still, as complex as these thoughts are, this was still a very entertaining Young Adult read. The tough challenges Lowrie and Shen faced as the only children left on the earth was portrayed well - an eerie silence that enveloped even my heart, when they realized they were truly alone and had to take a chance to bring the noise back to the earth. ❤️🩹 ❤️🩹 I liked how Lowrie learned about the past - the unique usage of blog settings and twitter details that led her to learn more about what took place in the world - how humanity ended up in the state that it was. I liked Shen - the only boy on the planet, how the romance between him and Lowrie was always there, but when it came the time when they had no choice but to accept it was a wonderful moment.
“Maybe that’s what matters. Maybe that’s what being “alive” is. It’s not some trick. There’s no magic chemical that gives something a soul. It’s about being loved and loving in return.”
There is also the underlying theme of acceptance and love and family; of what even as humans or robots - what lasting impression do we want to leave for our off-spring - what do we want to be remembered by - what legacy will you leave for future generations and civilizations to know of your existence? Human or meta-human? Who is there left to question what is truly human nature? Biological or artificial - will there be a substantial difference between the two in the end, when we all equate to share the the same feelings and experiences that are one and the same? It is a challenge, but the way the story concluded - not with silence, but with a tangible hope, there is the promise that the end of the world will not be a quiet one. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
“Humans aren’t like that. We aren’t a dead end in the evolutionary chain, a future fossil that will serve as an example of what not to do if you want to survive. We are adaptable. We are intelligent. We are worthy of being alive. We are humans.”
“You don’t remember the perfect things when you think about the people you love. You think of the them things. The little habits or guilty pleasures or secret flaws that only they have.
Those are the things that make them unique. Those things make us all human.”
I had left The Quiet at the End of the World on my shelf for so long, that I had completely forgotten why I had decided to read it. 😭 Nor did I refresh my memory by re-reading the blurb to see what it was all about; but, once I did, I could not stop. I mean, just imagine a futuristic world, where the fertility rate drops so low that there is no longer the possibility of babies ever being conceived. Imagine the sheer panic and manic that ensues amongst the people - the disruptive nature that rises with the arm that this was all going to end - our lifelines would not continue. Imagine as the years go on, and the hope for actual children of your own diminishes and it yields the fierce urge and drive to find a working substitute to still experience the joys of parenthood - the creation of an alternative plausible option in the form of Babygrows - not so much as genetic but synthetic - complete with human facial features and mind and abilities. 😟😟
It is a scary and unsettling premise - more jarring when you think about the pandemic that we have currently gone through and the very thought that truly nothing - not even life - can be taken for granted. It was thought-provoking; and it made it even more compelling to see this dystopian world through the eyes of two teenagers - Lowrie and Shen - the youngest people left to exist - many many years into the future.
Oh, this was definitely an interesting read - science fiction may be a genre that I'm least interested in, but the writing here completely takes you in. And it's also a very quiet one - it reminded me a lot of the quote 'This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper'. Lowrie, our sixteen-year-old narrator, has a very strong head on her shoulders. She's eager to learn - eager to know - willing to change - willing to help - devoted to her family of caregivers - devoted to Shen - and always - always hopeful for a fighting chance of survival. 🤍🤍
Even as she uncovers the truths behind the sudden calamity that swept the world - so many years before her time - even as she learns the secrets behind her own existence - her positive outlook - her growing feelings for Shen - all the sequence of events was like a chain reaction toppling one after another - but as a reader, we never lost perspective of what Lauren James was aiming to achieve - what the outlook of our world would be like, if such a situation ever came to fruition. She captured such a scope of emotions - ranging from the feeling of helplessness of whether or not you can love a child that is not your own - to whether people who are not humans can be worthy of love or not. 🙂
“We’re humans. If there’s one thing we can do well, it’s find a way to survive. A little thing like extinction isn’t going to stop us.”
It made me think a lot - can humanity be replaced with other forms of beings, when humans no longer exist? It's not just being a clone that matters - it's a being that is created through scientific means that is not artificial intelligence, but actually a person - when there are no longer humans that exist - can this new entity become the original surviving example of the human race? Who is to question or judge them for being not the actual humans, but something that has evolved into something more. 😢
Still, as complex as these thoughts are, this was still a very entertaining Young Adult read. The tough challenges Lowrie and Shen faced as the only children left on the earth was portrayed well - an eerie silence that enveloped even my heart, when they realized they were truly alone and had to take a chance to bring the noise back to the earth. ❤️🩹 ❤️🩹 I liked how Lowrie learned about the past - the unique usage of blog settings and twitter details that led her to learn more about what took place in the world - how humanity ended up in the state that it was. I liked Shen - the only boy on the planet, how the romance between him and Lowrie was always there, but when it came the time when they had no choice but to accept it was a wonderful moment.
“Maybe that’s what matters. Maybe that’s what being “alive” is. It’s not some trick. There’s no magic chemical that gives something a soul. It’s about being loved and loving in return.”
There is also the underlying theme of acceptance and love and family; of what even as humans or robots - what lasting impression do we want to leave for our off-spring - what do we want to be remembered by - what legacy will you leave for future generations and civilizations to know of your existence? Human or meta-human? Who is there left to question what is truly human nature? Biological or artificial - will there be a substantial difference between the two in the end, when we all equate to share the the same feelings and experiences that are one and the same? It is a challenge, but the way the story concluded - not with silence, but with a tangible hope, there is the promise that the end of the world will not be a quiet one. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
“Humans aren’t like that. We aren’t a dead end in the evolutionary chain, a future fossil that will serve as an example of what not to do if you want to survive. We are adaptable. We are intelligent. We are worthy of being alive. We are humans.”
January 6, 2022
this was oddly enlightening and mildly terrifying. love that for me
March 27, 2021
3.5 Stars
Well I finished a few days ago and I still don't know if I enjoyed this book but I thought I would just start writing a review anyway.
Another reviewer called it a "soft apocalypse" and that is exactly right. It just follows the slow demise of humanity through infertility. I liked the concept immensely. I enjoyed the exploration of what it means to be human and as a result I thoroughly enjoyed the ending. Oh. Sitting here writing this has been quite enlightening and clarified my feelings for me. I did enjoy it. However, I will need to be careful how I recommend it to students as usually when you say post-apocalyptic survival it conjures up images of life or death situations and degrees of hectic that are entirely absent from this book. Quite a thought provoking read.
Well I finished a few days ago and I still don't know if I enjoyed this book but I thought I would just start writing a review anyway.
Another reviewer called it a "soft apocalypse" and that is exactly right. It just follows the slow demise of humanity through infertility. I liked the concept immensely. I enjoyed the exploration of what it means to be human and as a result I thoroughly enjoyed the ending. Oh. Sitting here writing this has been quite enlightening and clarified my feelings for me. I did enjoy it. However, I will need to be careful how I recommend it to students as usually when you say post-apocalyptic survival it conjures up images of life or death situations and degrees of hectic that are entirely absent from this book. Quite a thought provoking read.
October 23, 2020
Well, this was a really quiet book...
[RTC]
[RTC]
April 21, 2019
A nice book about finding out what is meaningful to you and what it means to be human.
Some of the themes explored are similar to those in James' previous book, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, where Romy copes with living alone on a ship in deep space. Here, the main character has grown up knowing that, after the small community of older people she lives in die, she and her friend Shen are going to be the last two humans on Earth, watching as humanity winds down to a close.
Lowrie and Shen are a little naive, but in a genuine and likeable way. Both are competent and kind, and I thought quite realistically portrayed.
I did have an idea about how the story would play out, but even as my thoughts were confirmed, I enjoyed it and felt it was nicely written.
Not really a book for action fans, but good if you like soft apocalypse stories told gently.
No species has ever survived by trying to cling to what's gone. You can't exist if you're trying to get back to an environment or culture or climate that's changed. You have to adapt if you want to keep going.
Some of the themes explored are similar to those in James' previous book, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, where Romy copes with living alone on a ship in deep space. Here, the main character has grown up knowing that, after the small community of older people she lives in die, she and her friend Shen are going to be the last two humans on Earth, watching as humanity winds down to a close.
Lowrie and Shen are a little naive, but in a genuine and likeable way. Both are competent and kind, and I thought quite realistically portrayed.
I did have an idea about how the story would play out, but even as my thoughts were confirmed, I enjoyed it and felt it was nicely written.
Not really a book for action fans, but good if you like soft apocalypse stories told gently.
No species has ever survived by trying to cling to what's gone. You can't exist if you're trying to get back to an environment or culture or climate that's changed. You have to adapt if you want to keep going.
April 30, 2019
This is one of those books I read in one go, not wanting to stop, too curious to see how it ends. The premise is a soft apocalypse, and the world doesn't go out with a bang but slowly, silently with infertility.
Lauren James takes her time to explore what humanity would do with tech at their fingertips once people can no longer have children. At first, they hope it's a blip. It'll all be over soon. How could it not? Then, they throw their entire budget at science, trying to rectify the issue. Finally...I won't give it away, but I thought it was so well done.
To be honest, I simply did not expect the direction this plot took. Throughout, I wondered if what Lauren James describes is realistic, but it doesn't matter. It's science fiction, and this thought experiment is an interesting one.
Overall, this is cozy. Light in tone, hopeful, filled with love.
Lauren James' writing style is perfect for this sort of book. It's conversational, contemporary, and talks about science in an accessible way.
The pacing is good, and it's not a long book. Perhaps the start is a bit slow, but I didn't mind. The characters are sweet, and the relationships between them well developed. This novel offers a lot of diversity, which is always nice to see. It's not a big plot point, and perhaps doesn't even really matter, but it's there. Like it should be.
Lauren James splits the book into the now, Lowrie and Shen, the youngest people to be alive, and the before, back when it happened via social media posts Lowrie uncovers. I must admit I was more intrigued by the before, than the now, but the author manages to bring both together.
The ending is immensely satisfying.
I'd recommend this one to people looking for an end of times type of book without war, cannibalism and slaughter. Perhaps fans of Station Eleven would like this.
Lauren James takes her time to explore what humanity would do with tech at their fingertips once people can no longer have children. At first, they hope it's a blip. It'll all be over soon. How could it not? Then, they throw their entire budget at science, trying to rectify the issue. Finally...I won't give it away, but I thought it was so well done.
To be honest, I simply did not expect the direction this plot took. Throughout, I wondered if what Lauren James describes is realistic, but it doesn't matter. It's science fiction, and this thought experiment is an interesting one.
Overall, this is cozy. Light in tone, hopeful, filled with love.
Lauren James' writing style is perfect for this sort of book. It's conversational, contemporary, and talks about science in an accessible way.
The pacing is good, and it's not a long book. Perhaps the start is a bit slow, but I didn't mind. The characters are sweet, and the relationships between them well developed. This novel offers a lot of diversity, which is always nice to see. It's not a big plot point, and perhaps doesn't even really matter, but it's there. Like it should be.
Lauren James splits the book into the now, Lowrie and Shen, the youngest people to be alive, and the before, back when it happened via social media posts Lowrie uncovers. I must admit I was more intrigued by the before, than the now, but the author manages to bring both together.
The ending is immensely satisfying.
I'd recommend this one to people looking for an end of times type of book without war, cannibalism and slaughter. Perhaps fans of Station Eleven would like this.
November 19, 2019
Read more at www.yourwordsmyink.com
Man, this book. It’s once again one of those books you read, and when you finish you can’t seem to find the right words to describe what you were feeling. Even though this book was dystopian, it was still a cosy, albeit scary read. It wasn’t scary in the traditional dystopian way, there was no zombies or aliens, it was scary in the way that we all know the world could end like that.
Lowrie and Shen are the last two people on earth, after an infertility crisis. The world is falling apart and they have the weight of the entire human race on their shoulders. You could feel the weight of that throughout the book. The book was just stunning. The writing was stunning and I enjoyed the story.
It includes a surprising twist at the end, which I did not see coming, and I absolutely loved it. This was a quick read, but it definitely stayed with me after reading. It made me think of humanity and all the things we built, and how easily we could be wiped out. A Quiet at the End of the World was scary, but at the same time made me feel insignificant, and not in a bad way. It’s that feeling when you recognise that there are bigger things out there and we’re all a part of it.
Man, this book. It’s once again one of those books you read, and when you finish you can’t seem to find the right words to describe what you were feeling. Even though this book was dystopian, it was still a cosy, albeit scary read. It wasn’t scary in the traditional dystopian way, there was no zombies or aliens, it was scary in the way that we all know the world could end like that.
Lowrie and Shen are the last two people on earth, after an infertility crisis. The world is falling apart and they have the weight of the entire human race on their shoulders. You could feel the weight of that throughout the book. The book was just stunning. The writing was stunning and I enjoyed the story.
It includes a surprising twist at the end, which I did not see coming, and I absolutely loved it. This was a quick read, but it definitely stayed with me after reading. It made me think of humanity and all the things we built, and how easily we could be wiped out. A Quiet at the End of the World was scary, but at the same time made me feel insignificant, and not in a bad way. It’s that feeling when you recognise that there are bigger things out there and we’re all a part of it.
October 13, 2021
Didn't work for me at all. The mcs live such privileged lives in a peaceful organized community that loves and pampers them, I could not care less that they are the last humans on Earth, or about them!! It's almost like a utopia, especially seeing how bots are there to do all labour: housework, rescue humans, repetitive jobs, repair other bots, hard labour - poor bots. They want for nothing (except more people of their age and they already have each other, so shush). They are provided for, cared for, pay no taxes and can lay claim to anything they find. Not that they'd need most things, since they live in such luxury. Lowrie lives in an effing mansion!!
Maybe Hell is other people is well applied here, because with most humans dead, gone is the hate, the crimes, the harm to the environment... Win-win. I bet the sterility was Nature getting rid of us pests, aka humanity.
Maybe Hell is other people is well applied here, because with most humans dead, gone is the hate, the crimes, the harm to the environment... Win-win. I bet the sterility was Nature getting rid of us pests, aka humanity.
August 30, 2020
Note: I read this for the YA Book Prize 2020 (I'm one of the judges, hooray!).
December 24, 2020
DNF@ 31%
I don’t know if I’m not in a reading mood or if I’m just picking things up that aren’t my thing anymore, but it is bringing my overall mood down.
This book was for a reason on my tbr, and that’s that I probably liked the synopsis. The writing wasn’t that good it was mediocre at best. After a pretty remarkable first page, I expected more, a lot more. However, the next pages and chapters weren’t that interesting; I started skimming early in the beginning. And the only reason I got to 1/3 of the book was only to give it a chance. It has potential, but it’s not for me.
This review by Regsly perfectly says what my problem was with the book.
I don’t know if I’m not in a reading mood or if I’m just picking things up that aren’t my thing anymore, but it is bringing my overall mood down.
This book was for a reason on my tbr, and that’s that I probably liked the synopsis. The writing wasn’t that good it was mediocre at best. After a pretty remarkable first page, I expected more, a lot more. However, the next pages and chapters weren’t that interesting; I started skimming early in the beginning. And the only reason I got to 1/3 of the book was only to give it a chance. It has potential, but it’s not for me.
This review by Regsly perfectly says what my problem was with the book.
April 13, 2019
This was fantastic. Lauren James is a sci fi queen, and knows exactly how to throw a curve-ball halfway through a novel and make it work brilliantly. I also loved just how diverse this was (casual diversity in genre specific fiction is what I Live for).
November 30, 2019
3.5 out of 5 stars
it was fine. the premise was interesting. had the bog standard YA romance subplot that i don't care for. the narrative style wasn't to my taste.
it was fine. the premise was interesting. had the bog standard YA romance subplot that i don't care for. the narrative style wasn't to my taste.
March 4, 2019
DOES LAUREN JAMES KNOW THAT I WOULD DIE FOR HER
July 10, 2019
4.5 stars
This book was so brilliant! Exploring the effects of A.I. and infertility on human population, it's thoughtful, chilling and also admittedly, a bit lonely. I loved the platonic relationship between Shen and Lowrie as they navigate the last years of humankind together.
full review to come!
This book was so brilliant! Exploring the effects of A.I. and infertility on human population, it's thoughtful, chilling and also admittedly, a bit lonely. I loved the platonic relationship between Shen and Lowrie as they navigate the last years of humankind together.
full review to come!
January 10, 2022
Lauren James truly has an incredible mind. I'm absolutely mind-blown by this story she's created. I wasn't sure about reading a book discussing a pandemic, but the way the story was crafted was so hopeful that I simply couldn't stop reading and found a lot of comfort within those pages! (4.25)
May 17, 2020
She did it again! As I loved The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, I had high hopes for Lauren James's new book. And it's so good!!
What I loved most about this is how hopeful it is. Usually, dystopian sci-fi tends to be quite anxiety-inducing for me, but this wasn't at all. I can only describe the pacing as relaxed, and there was little conflict in the book. It's mainly centered around Lowrie discovering secrets about her world, and her coming to terms with being one of the last humans.
It took a while for the story to really take off, but when it did, it was one surprising twist after the other, some of them amusing (wait until you find out Lowrie's last name!) and others mindblowing. I love when books pose ethical questions, and this does just that.
Rep: bisexual main character, Chinese love interest, bisexual side character, trans side character.
CW: infertility.
Edit 24-3-2020: I reread this book because I needed something to help me process this pandemic, and it was exactly the right choice. It helped me a lot.
What I loved most about this is how hopeful it is. Usually, dystopian sci-fi tends to be quite anxiety-inducing for me, but this wasn't at all. I can only describe the pacing as relaxed, and there was little conflict in the book. It's mainly centered around Lowrie discovering secrets about her world, and her coming to terms with being one of the last humans.
It took a while for the story to really take off, but when it did, it was one surprising twist after the other, some of them amusing (wait until you find out Lowrie's last name!) and others mindblowing. I love when books pose ethical questions, and this does just that.
Rep: bisexual main character, Chinese love interest, bisexual side character, trans side character.
CW: infertility.
Edit 24-3-2020: I reread this book because I needed something to help me process this pandemic, and it was exactly the right choice. It helped me a lot.
February 26, 2024
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Lowrie (mc) & Maya (sc) are bisexual; Shen (mc/li) is Chinese & deaf in one ear; Riz (sc) is a trans boy.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
▷ Representation: Lowrie (mc) & Maya (sc) are bisexual; Shen (mc/li) is Chinese & deaf in one ear; Riz (sc) is a trans boy.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
April 15, 2020
3.5 stars. I was quite disappointed with the ending to this book. The first 200 or so pages had me hooked and I loved the whole story and thought it was going to go somewhere great, but where it went was not for me. I thought it all became too unrealistic and cheesy. The idea behind the story was brilliant but I’d have much preferred it to have led to a different ending. It also felt very much like I was reading a young adult novel, which I didn’t mind at the beginning because the story was so gripping, and I am only 25, but it all got a bit much towards the end.
October 25, 2020
it started really amazing and I could ignore the major plotholes but it went the only way I didn't want it to go in.. so yeah :/
May 21, 2019
This was great! Loved the characters- and there was so much diversity! 😊
Very interesting look at what could be with robotics in the future - but scary at the same time but really interesting. Loved reading about what Lowrie & Shen found at the start of each chapter from the past - as well as their relationship between themselves & The their characters.
I did really enjoy reading the snippets from social media too. Got very invested in this story 😂
Very interesting look at what could be with robotics in the future - but scary at the same time but really interesting. Loved reading about what Lowrie & Shen found at the start of each chapter from the past - as well as their relationship between themselves & The their characters.
I did really enjoy reading the snippets from social media too. Got very invested in this story 😂
September 18, 2019
Despite the interesting concept and plotline I really didn't enjoy reading this book. There were many times where I was ready to DNF this book but decided to push on to see what the conclusion was.
There were aspects to this story that I appreciated like the diversity of the character regarding their race, sexuality and identity. As well as the subject matter of the story being about infertility but this didn't make up for how slow pace the story was. It felt as though the story didn't truly start taking place until 200 pages into the book and suddenly everything started to happen in just a 100 pages.
Half of the reason why I though this story was so slow pace was because a lot of the time Lowrie was repeating information in her thoughts on something that she had already spoken about a few pages prior or she would then go onto speaking about that subject in person to someone making the story feel really repetitive.
As well, there were a lot of aspects to the background/scenery of the story that to me didn't add up, with some of it being explained so late in the story I honestly didn't care anymore.
The character were okay, they weren't apparently amazing or interesting. I was more interested in Maya's social media posts rather than Lowrie's dialogue of wanting to lick Shen's forearms (an actually thing she says in the story which I still bewildered by).
The plot twist in the middle of the story was pretty interesting but rather than me being out right shocked it received more of a 'oh okay, that explains a lot' reaction.
One of the other reasons why I was disappointed in this, is that I felt that despite the themes being so different and interesting this book was clearly written for a young audience (which I guess I shouldn't complain about as it is a YA book) but not as in 16 to older but more like 12 to 15 old year olds who are just starting to dive into older books.
As well I was gutted that we didn't learn anything about
Also how do we know that Lowrie and Shen
I give it a 1.5 out of 5, if the story wasn't so slow paced at time and maybe we learnt a bit more about the infertility then I would have found it more interesting.
There were aspects to this story that I appreciated like the diversity of the character regarding their race, sexuality and identity. As well as the subject matter of the story being about infertility but this didn't make up for how slow pace the story was. It felt as though the story didn't truly start taking place until 200 pages into the book and suddenly everything started to happen in just a 100 pages.
Half of the reason why I though this story was so slow pace was because a lot of the time Lowrie was repeating information in her thoughts on something that she had already spoken about a few pages prior or she would then go onto speaking about that subject in person to someone making the story feel really repetitive.
As well, there were a lot of aspects to the background/scenery of the story that to me didn't add up, with some of it being explained so late in the story I honestly didn't care anymore.
The character were okay, they weren't apparently amazing or interesting. I was more interested in Maya's social media posts rather than Lowrie's dialogue of wanting to lick Shen's forearms (an actually thing she says in the story which I still bewildered by).
The plot twist in the middle of the story was pretty interesting but rather than me being out right shocked it received more of a 'oh okay, that explains a lot' reaction.
One of the other reasons why I was disappointed in this, is that I felt that despite the themes being so different and interesting this book was clearly written for a young audience (which I guess I shouldn't complain about as it is a YA book) but not as in 16 to older but more like 12 to 15 old year olds who are just starting to dive into older books.
As well I was gutted that we didn't learn anything about
Also how do we know that Lowrie and Shen
I give it a 1.5 out of 5, if the story wasn't so slow paced at time and maybe we learnt a bit more about the infertility then I would have found it more interesting.
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