The End of the World Is Bigger than Love

by Davina Bell

Twins Summer and Winter live alone on a remote island, sheltered from a destroyed world. Until a man arrives who will reshape their lives… She said we didn’t know what the world out there had become. We had been alone there so long on that tiny island, in that tiny church. But in the night, I couldn’t bear it. My chest beat like wings. Identical twin sisters Summer and Winter live alone on a remote island, sheltered from a destroyed world. They survive on rations stockpiled by their father and spend their days deep in their mother’s collection of classic literature – until a mysterious stranger upends their carefully constructed reality. At first, Edward is a welcome distraction. But who is he really, and why has he come? As love blooms and the world stops spinning, the secrets of the girls’ past begin to unravel and escape becomes the only option. The End of the World Is Bigger than Love is a sumptuously written novel of love and grief, affection and sacrifice, of technological progress and climate catastrophe, of an enigmatic bear and a talking whale. It is unlike anything you’ve read before…

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Post Apocalyptic

268 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2020

About the author

Davina Bell is a writer for young people of many ages, and a children’s book editor. Her award-winning and Notable picture books include All the Ways To Be Smart, All of the Factors of Why I Love Tractors, Under the Love Umbrella, The Underwater Fancy-dress Parade, Oh Albert! and Hattie Helps Out. She is also the author of the Alice books in Penguin’s best-selling Our Australian Girl series, the Lemonade Jones series of Junior Fiction, and the Corner Park Clubhouse series (Middle Grade). Her debut young-adult novel will be published in June 2020.

Having been a Senior Editor at Penguin Books, she now works on the children’s list at Affirm Press in Melbourne. A lover of words and ideas in many forms, Davina regularly travels the country, speaking to children and adults about books and writing. The magic of picture books continues to enchant her.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I... Wow. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

[Tehani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled with this. Unreliable narration is difficult to pull off and I don’t think the author succeeded here. Some plot elements also really bothered me, and it was just too odd. In the end, the characterisation for both girls sort of failed, and so many plot points seemed kind of purposeless, which didn’t help. I don’t think this will connect with it’s intended audience at all and I’m a bit disappointed in the national judging panels that seem to have been carried away by supposed “cleverness” in writing and not realised how few readers in the age group will engage with it. It is narratively unsatisfying at best, and obnoxiously condescending to the intelligence of the reader at worst.

If you’re looking for an excellent example of a long form YA story with an unreliable narrator, skip this and read Liar by Justine Larbalestier instead.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 250321 The words swirling around inside me have worked their way free, and now I have a review posted at Reading Time. Adding it in, so in years to come, hopefully I can find it again.

All the words are inside me, but they seem inadequate and temporary.

This book is long lasting and overflowing with energy, ideas and love.

Gah.

[Michael Earp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A post-pandemic, intriguingly elusive survival story where twin sisters fend for themselves and when history is written by teenagers, how much can you really believe? Supurb!

[Salem AL Ghafli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say it was a pain reading this one. It was intriguing in the beginning, so I kept going in hopes it will get better, but I got more confused as I read more, and then things seemed to become clear, but it got more confusing yet.

I can see that there was a lot work put into creating this book — the description of the world and distinctive voices of the two sisters were very good, but I just failed to enjoy it. There was a lot of detail, but somehow it was vague and this was carried through till the end.

[Katy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yet again I feel like I have wasted my time on a book. This is the second one this year. I chose to read this, as a friends husband wanted to hear another persons review before he read it. Two of his friends had read it and asked him to read it to see what he thought.

The story is written in two voices, two sisters, Winter & Summer. They are telling the story through their own eyes. Yes I get that we all interpret a scenario differently, but this wasn’t just different, it was completely obscure. It made absolutely no sense. Summer was the stronger more chatty storyteller, and from her input you could map out the events. Winter was just off with the pixies.

I really do not get what the whole point of this book is? Set In The future, a mother who spoke out too much and was killed for doing so, a father trying to bring down the equivalent of the internet. He did this, but caused distraction and was ultimately killed for doing so. The daughters are surviving on an island after all this happened.

I did not enjoy this book at all... and I am angry that I wasted my time on it !

[Kelly Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️ I found this book weird and confusing and yet I still felt that I had to finish it in the hope of understanding things better, which I didn’t. I have finished the book feeling dissatisfied and annoyed.

[Text Publishing]

The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of The End of the World is Bigger than Love

‘A young adult version of Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, with lashings of creativity and magic realism…This novel heralds the arrival of an ingenious new talent.’
Books+Publishing

'Bell has created a detailed and evocative universe.’
Australian Book Review

‘An exquisite, mesmerising, timely and brilliantly conceived ode to literature and humanity…A young-adult version of Station Eleven meets After the Lights Go Out meets Z for Zachariah meets something completely indescribable.’
Better Read Than Dead

'An audacious yet brilliantly balanced and sustained tale set on a remote island in an almost recognisable future.’
Joy Lawn

‘There is something tidal about Bell’s lyrical writing – it seems made up of currents that move you around the story in ways that are difficult to pin down. All reading is an act of trust, and Davina Bell’s highly original story is worth the investment.’
Sydney Morning Herald

'The most outstanding young adult novel I read in 2020…[Davina Bell] has ascended into another sphere with this intuitive, surreal and assured literary work. The End of the World is Bigger than Love invites multiple readings and will imprint the imagination.’
Australian

'I can barely put to words how I feel after reading The End of the World is Bigger Than Love. A masterful tapestry of brutality and poetry, this book magnifies the severity that a pandemic and global warming can cause on our planet. A survival story between two sisters that you will never forget.'
Readings Teen Advisory Board

'This book is magical realism at its finest—a story that is utterly unique and beautifully executed, filled with ethereal imagery and descriptive language...This book is both strange and accessible, suitable for readers across the Older Readers age spectrum, especially those who need to be challenged.’
CBCA judges's comments

'This novel is an ode to the love and connection of twin sisters, the coping mechanisms we create in order to deal with trauma and loss, and the ingenuity and strength two young girls find in their quest to survive a world that is 'greying’...This beguiling story leaves you with many unanswered questions and a distressing window into what may lie ahead, into the things that could make the world stop turning, and the things we are willing to sacrifice, in order to save ourselves and the people we love. The End of the World is Bigger than Love will linger in your mind, as you consider what becomes of Summer and Winter in the many layers of this magical tale.’
Judges’ comments, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2021 (shortlisted)

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really need to read this again to process properly

[Clare Snow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Content Warning: Suicide I really would have liked to know this before reading, so You're Welcome.

How was this short-listed for the CBCA Book of the Year? Well, I know exactly how. All that symbolism, literary allusion, unreliable narrators, imaginary narrators, general weirdness. Reels judges in every time.

Maybe not so many teenagers? They might want to read it - apocalyptic climate change induced dystopia with two girls stuck on an island, trying to stave off the end of the world. It convinced me. And then I read the book. Eye rolls every which way.

The writing is good and there's cleverness in the twists. The weirdness quotient is exponential, but the weird never goes anywhere except more of the same.

I went into the book, knowing there were unreliable narration. I wish I didn't and I might have enjoyed the reveals. The imaginary narrator was unexpected and clever, but I was so over that never ending mountain with miraculous survival of rockfalls and getting naked in the snow without frostbite and Mikey the fucking whale. I was ready to DNF at 23min to go. I kept listening and my life did not improve by getting to the end of the world.

"Oh, the end of the world is already here. Has been for a while. It's just not that evenly distributed yet."

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m confused

[~Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

i had no idea what was going on but it was beautiful and the ending... i didn't understand any of it and i'm not actually sure what happened but the writing had me holding back tears

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So. Many. Questions. Read it in less than 24 hours. Intriguing. Confusing. Looking forward to discussing with others.

[Kerri Jones]

[CBCA Winner for older readers 2021]

Reasonably confusing timelines of a set of twins story. Dystopia themes were interesting but not powerful enough to keep me involved.

[Kerran Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

His eyes were all of the world. I wanted to stand on the feeling they gave me, so no one could see it.

I'm not really sure how to review this book, because I'm not really sure what I just read. But in a good way. It's sort of two stories intertwined, or two versions of the same story with a lot of unreliable narration. Part post apocalyptic survival, part fairytale-esque attempt to hold onto innocence. To start with it felt like Summer's story because her voice is so sure, but I think in the end it was Winter's more than anything. I'm left with a lot of questions that will likely never be answered, but maybe that's the point? Definitely a unique story, but one that I enjoyed! I recommend leaving reality behind and just rolling with this one

[Gemma Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird. With a capital W. This book is so unusual. Post apocalyptic, some part fantasy and some part dystopian. So none of my common genres which is why I probably didn't rate it highly. I was so confused halfway through that I stopped and read reviews, which showed that all readers were just as confused. Twin sisters Summer and Winter are telling their own stories, which despite being identical, are different. They have been abandoned by their parents. Their father was a spy so the girls had a well travelled childhood. The relationship between the girls has been very close, but now fractured due to the arrival of a boy/bear character (never really explained) who steals Winter's heart. You have to let go of reality to enjoy this book.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely floored, I hope everyone reads this. A book for young people shouldn’t shy away from parts of the world adults deem too complex. Davina Bell has created a deeply cynical and loving portrayal of the world at a personal and global scale. The rolling and playful description is intercut with shockingly blunt admissions that ring true to the contemporary but also speak to universal fears. Beyond the broad themes it is also a close portrayal of personal relationships as one person stretches past the world of the home and the marks that they leave.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the better book references & family love but it was all just so confusing. Not only was it non linear and psychotic at times but the jumping perspective made it so difficult to follow. I tried reading just all of one perspective at a time. Read half then Ended up skipping to end then reading backwards.
Spoilers: I just didn’t understand most of it.
Was she not really a twin? Was she sick the while book? I just didn’t get it. Why a bear? Help?

[Christine Bernard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just a bit too disjointed for me and there were too many metaphors. However, Davina Bell knows how to write. She has a poetic way of getting her point across that I loved. I didn't love this book (although it was certainly interesting), but I'll still look out for more by her.

[Miffy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is odd. Two unreliable narratives to create an unsatisfying whole. Many plot twists that do not advance the story. Superfluous characters. Stream of consciousness that leads to nowhere. Definitely not to my taste, and I cannot see the appeal for its intended readership.

[ellie ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy shit

[The Nerd Daily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Ellie King

The End of the World is Bigger than Love is a unique young adult novel that will divide readers as it will not suit everyone’s tastes for several reasons, but it is truly an experience and journey to read. Identical twin sisters, Summer and Winter, live in a post-apocalyptic world that has been devastated by a virus and live alone on a remote island. They survive on the rations stockpiled by their father before he passed away and fill their days rereading their mother’s ample collection of classic literature. When a mysterious stranger appears on the island, both sisters are quite taken by him, but who is he and what is he doing on the island? What follows is the unravelling of the girls’ carefully constructed reality and the secrets of the past begin to make themselves known.

Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily

[Cheyenne Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cleverly written dystopian YA fiction with a great title. I was slow to get absorbed in the story--to the point where if I got to 60 pages and still wasn't feeling it, I intended not finishing. Luckily, that didn't happen. Very confusing to read though (on a par with Harrow the Ninth), and I ended the book with more questions than when I started. A book that lingers.

[Amelia]

This book was really interesting, and there were many unique features. It was very confusing at times and there are still many parts I am confused about, but it was really well written. I think there were a lot of important lessons and a lot of the lines in the book were very strong and meaningful, and I couldn’t put the book down. I read from page 62-end in one sitting. At the start of the book I was doubtful that I would enjoy it, but it got better and better. It was also a lot darker than I thought, and there were many thriller/mystery aspects to it. I absolutely love Mikie, even though he only has a minor part in the book I still love him. I also really appreciated The Outsiders references. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and while it is confusing, it is worth reading. (Thank you Tahlia for lending it to me :))

[michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tbh, it was rly confusing at times and I still don't completely understand it after reading the book. First person, split perspectives. It's also a pretty sad book.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deposited on an island, twins Summer and Winter try to survive and make sense of their world. Fast talking Summer's narration pulls you through the constantly shifting story, but perhaps it is Winter's tale all along.
Is it a treatise on love? Is it a Big Tech dystopia? Is it a survival story? Or is it an ode to the materially wealthy but terribly lonely child of professional parents? Definitely worth a read, make of it what you will.

[Kate Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

{received from NetGalley for review}

An alternative, post-apocalyptic novel told from the two perspectives of twin sisters Winter & Summer. Our narrators go back and forth describing their life in an abandoned church on a remote island, where they are sheltering with canned delicacies and their mother's entire collection of classic novels. It soon becomes obvious that all is not as it seems, and their unreliable account of the events leading to their abandonment on the island by their parents leaves the reader wondering.

The world they build is rich in detail, emotion and tension - I felt swept along with the girls as their relationship became more and more complex, and was threatened by the unavoidable truth. At times I was left very confused and had to read, and re-read certain passages very carefully. After the shockingly vague ending, and turned back a few chapters to try and work out what had happened!

I enjoyed this different style of dystopian YA, however it is heavier on the cerebral content rather than mindless survival action scenes that the genre often champions.

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Truth be Told!" This book is just as amazing as Mikie the whale! Magnificent, Amazing (capital A).
"Mate" said Mikie with emphasis, "If there's anyone who knows about environmental catastrophe, it's me."

[Read4Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous. But so many questions. I’m going to read everything I can find about this book... congratulations to the author!

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I spent the whole book confused and didn’t connect to either of the main characters.