It Ends at The Wall: A suspenseful dystopian novel of a futuristic England

by Lissy Porter

For the few, it all ends at The Wall.In a desolate future England, shrouded in perpetual smog, all technological advances have been lost. Those who have survived the terrible events of 2030 have nothing to live for but the hope their children and grandchildren might flee if only they can afford it.
For seventeen-year-old Harra, the unexpected chance of escape ends at The Wall, dividing England from its closest neighbour and jealously guarded by Border Drones.
But first, she must reach it, evading the Border Drones, which rest for only three minutes every twenty-four hours, and the road north is filled with peril that only a typed list of instructions can help her evade.
Not all have made it in the past.
Will it end at The Wall, or will Harra fail, as others have done before?

ReviewsIt is a sharp commentary on the potential consequences of political decisions made over the past 15+ years around the world – and the ones yet to come – and feels terrifyingly relevant. The tension and pacing made it a great read and left me feeling quite reflective about the state of the world. Definitely recommend this for fans of dystopian fiction!’ (Netgalley reviewer).

I loved reading this book. It’s a dystopian fantasy set in England in 2049. I was intrigued the entire time. (Netgalley Reviewer)

Lissy Porter’s It Ends at The Wall is an atmospheric and gripping story that keeps you guessing until the very end. The tension builds steadily, with a mix of mystery, emotion, and just the right amount of unease that makes it impossible to look away. The characters are complex, their relationships layered with secrets and shifting dynamics that add to the intrigue. The immersive writing and eerie, almost cinematic storytelling make this a compelling and memorable read. I absolutely love the dystopian genre and this book did not disappoint! (Netgalley Reviewer).

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2025

About the author

Lissy Porter is a pseudonym for an author who usually writes in a very different genre.

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Reviews

[Ku.Reii.Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was provided with a free copy by netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 😀🖤🎇

Definitely a unique story, it reminds me of a walking game I use to play on my phone.

The story gives off mysterious vibes, similar to Harra’s perspective— I didn't fully understand what was happening at first. But then I got the gist. The story was in 3rd person, which usually I don't like but for this story it worked well.

By Chapter 2, I would have expected to know what was going on, But I was left to guess. The story feels a bit rushed at the beginning —Harra’s cousin leaves, and she immediately has to go to but there’s no explanation What were the months of training for? The throwing up, injections? There are many other things that she could have learnt.

In my head Harra is 11. She’s portrayed as poor and I have to say that her demeanor sometimes feels quite posh, which creates a disconnect. The narrative also becomes repetitive at times, particularly with the focus on her stages.

Along her journey, Harra encounters many new people, and the central focus of the story is her journey to The Wall. The story could have had a much more exciting ending. The best part is definitely the start.

Thanks again for the ARC✨🎉

[Sara Spicer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I loved reading this book. It’s a dystopian fantasy set in England in 2049.
In this book, the decline of England started slowly around 2016 and then a wall was built in 2030 which surrounds all of England. Currently there is a toxic smog that covers the sky so much so that the sun is not visible. Not many things can survive in the smog so our MFC has never even heard of animals like cows and horses. She’s never seen a car or a train either. Her family saves up money to try and buy Harra’s freedom in the hopes of a better life for her outside of English. To do so Harra must travel north alone and under the cover of darkness to the wall that surrounds England while following very specific instructions. Our MFC, 16, meets many different type of people in her journey north all who have different view points and she slowly comes to understand the systematic lies told by the English government. I was intrigued the entire time. I wish there was a follow up or a novella regarding her life after the wall. I’d even settle for an epilogue.

The only part that confused me is why was one character randomly given the name John when he was never introduced? One second he was just a guy and next his name was John. Felt like that might have been an accident or maybe a missing line in the story.

[Mrs.Moose.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ "It Ends at the Wall" is a new dystopian journey set in a future England, engulfed by endless smog, devastating illness, and completely lost technology. It is a sharp commentary on the potential consequences of political decisions made over the past 15+ years around the world - and the ones yet to come - and feels terrifyingly relevant.

💪 Harra is the 17-year old main character and she truly shines as a resilient and determined young woman. I enjoyed watching her navigate the dangers of her world, setting out on her journey with only a mysterious list of instructions to guide her, defying the odds and meeting an odd-ball set of people along the way. It's easy to root for her, given her resourcefulness and general attitude.

🐕‍🦺 I can't forget Jessy, the dog! Harra finding Jessy just seemed to add a wee bit of warmth and hope to what is otherwise and incredibly bleak setting, and proves that even in the darkest moments, that companionship can lend some light.

While the story felt a bit heavy at time, given the topic, the tension and pacing made it a great read, and left me feeling quite reflective about the state of the world.

Definitely recommend this for fans of dystopian fiction!

**thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review**

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a slow burn suspense that permeates throughout the story. Our first encounter with this futuristic world is with a teenager who makes it to the Wall and leaves a very poor England. The next person, is Harra, whom her family decides to send out on this journey. There are specific locations and mile markers to make along the way. The reader wonders at each stop if these custodians who help will be good or bad people. Harra eventually has a dog companion, Jessy, which lends a warmth to the cold atmospheric story.
Although there are moments where you don’t know if Harra’s life in danger, there really isn’t much bad stuff that happens. Maybe since it’s a YA novel, events are kept mellow. I hoped for a little more chaos, but the suspense was well written and I was always wondering what would occur at each stop. A little more detail like an epilogue would’ve been nice let the reader have a glimpse into the new world. But for a standalone book, I enjoyed the journey and Harra was a good character.

[Sannasue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the main character well enough. Harra was determined and courageous. The plot was a little muddled and at the end of the book I felt like there wasn’t much that happened. The characters Harra meets along her journey weren’t around long, but offered conflicting stories that were solved too quickly. The danger of the road never materialized or was resolved too quickly to ever feel dangerous.

I think many readers will like this book more than I did, I was just looking for a deeper story.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

[Dianoudine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for sharing a free copy of this book.
I finished the book a few months ago. A distopian tale set post-brexit England, it feels at the same time very far and very close. The real world news kept creeping into my mind and the way the USA have been upsetting the fragile world order since January kept me from writing a review. It would be so easy for this book to come true, not only in the UK but any other country turning towards itself and building walls around its borders. Great story, good storytelling. Let's not let it come true!

[Brian Spence · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of hard to understand. But the story had me glued for a bit