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The Stranding
Ruth lives in the heart of the city. Working, drinking, falling in love: the rhythm of her vivid and complicated life there is set against a background hum of darkening news reports from which she deliberately turns away.
As a new relationship becomes increasingly claustrophobic, and the discussions of impending political crisis are harder to avoid, she starts to dream of water; of escaping entwining tentacles through deep blue seas. She sets out to the other side of the globe to find that vision of freedom, and to decide who she wants to be when she returns.
But when she arrives at her destination, she finds instead that the world, and life, she left behind no longer exists.
Starting at the end and eventually returning there, with alternate chapters set Before and After, THE STRANDING is a story of how to make a life, what it is to be a woman, and what remains when everything we know is stripped away.
As a new relationship becomes increasingly claustrophobic, and the discussions of impending political crisis are harder to avoid, she starts to dream of water; of escaping entwining tentacles through deep blue seas. She sets out to the other side of the globe to find that vision of freedom, and to decide who she wants to be when she returns.
But when she arrives at her destination, she finds instead that the world, and life, she left behind no longer exists.
Starting at the end and eventually returning there, with alternate chapters set Before and After, THE STRANDING is a story of how to make a life, what it is to be a woman, and what remains when everything we know is stripped away.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 24, 2021
189 people are currently reading
5911 people want to read
About the author
Kate Sawyer
17 books179 followersKate was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK where she grew up in the countryside as the eldest of four siblings, after briefly living with her parents in Qatar and the Netherlands.
She has worked as an actor and producer on everything from film and theatre to festivals and weddings. She has previously written for theatre and short-film before turning her hand to fiction.
Having lived in South London for the best part of two decades, with brief stints in Australia and the USA, she recently returned to East Anglia to have her first child as a solo mother by choice.
She has worked as an actor and producer on everything from film and theatre to festivals and weddings. She has previously written for theatre and short-film before turning her hand to fiction.
Having lived in South London for the best part of two decades, with brief stints in Australia and the USA, she recently returned to East Anglia to have her first child as a solo mother by choice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 615 reviews
April 20, 2021
*3.5 stars *
The demise of a whale in the opening chapter of The Stranding, was really sad, but this beautiful creature is about to become Ruth, (and recently befriended Nik’s salvation), because the disaster that is heading humanity’s way is truly devastating!
The story of Ruth and Nik’s attempts at survival, in a bleak apocalyptic world, is both moving, and hopeful. We’re slowly given the backstory of Before and After, and what appears to be the annihilation of mankind. Are Ruth and Nik the only survivors?
Intelligently written, The Stranding is a scary, yet optimistic tale, of how the human spirit can adapt and survive against all the odds.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton, Coronet, for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
The demise of a whale in the opening chapter of The Stranding, was really sad, but this beautiful creature is about to become Ruth, (and recently befriended Nik’s salvation), because the disaster that is heading humanity’s way is truly devastating!
The story of Ruth and Nik’s attempts at survival, in a bleak apocalyptic world, is both moving, and hopeful. We’re slowly given the backstory of Before and After, and what appears to be the annihilation of mankind. Are Ruth and Nik the only survivors?
Intelligently written, The Stranding is a scary, yet optimistic tale, of how the human spirit can adapt and survive against all the odds.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton, Coronet, for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
November 19, 2022
How strange that this book has found such a relatively small audience. It's an absolutely brilliant work of dystopian and feminist literature, and one I'd heartily recommend to anybody.
April 9, 2024
Creative dual timeline story of before and after an apocalyptic event. Initially I found the Before story a bit pedestrian, but it did grow on me. The After story was a spirited look at the reality of trying to survive by going back to basics. There is always hope. (Apr 24, 3)
June 26, 2021
4.5/5 stars
"Everything needs an ending. We are the end.”
In the shadow of an ongoing pandemic, post-apocalyptic fiction seems to have undergone a rapid evolution: bleak apocalypses like The Road or The Stand are falling out of favour, to make room for more hopeful stories of humanity and resilience against all odds. My favourite has always been Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, but I’m happy to now be able to add The Stranding to that list as well.
The Stranding departs from, and repeatedly spirals back around towards “The End”. On a empty beach in New Zealand, two strangers take shelter in the carcass of a beached whale in a desperate attempt at survival, as an apocalyptic wave of light devours human life as we knew it. What follows is a deeply evocative and haunting story about the blossoming dynamic between the (possibly) only two survivors of a worldwide catastrophe and their tentative steps to adapt, start over, and turn “surviving” back into “living” again.
The novel is written in alternating chapters, jumping back and forth between two time lines: Before and After. In the Before, we follow Ruth’s life leading up to and towards the end. A claustrophobic relationship, an unstable political and environmental climate and many other relatable anxieties of modern day life lead her to the beach where she finds the stranded whale on that faithful day.
In the After, we follow Ruth and Nik as they emerge from whale and build a new life from the literal bones of their old world.
With so much skill in both narrative structure and prose, the fact that this is Kate Sawyers debut novel boggles my mind. Their were so many ways this novel could have stranded (pardon the pun) along the way: the transverse timelines could have been confusing, the story incohesive and the survival elements could have been at risk of being overly romanticized. Yet Sawyer navigated it all so skilfully that the end result is a debut novel very close to perfection. I deeply hope to see more of her work in the future.
Final Verdict:
The Stranding is a beautifully crafted allegorical tale of survival, perseverance and the acceptance of change that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
"Everything needs an ending. We are the end.”
In the shadow of an ongoing pandemic, post-apocalyptic fiction seems to have undergone a rapid evolution: bleak apocalypses like The Road or The Stand are falling out of favour, to make room for more hopeful stories of humanity and resilience against all odds. My favourite has always been Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, but I’m happy to now be able to add The Stranding to that list as well.
The Stranding departs from, and repeatedly spirals back around towards “The End”. On a empty beach in New Zealand, two strangers take shelter in the carcass of a beached whale in a desperate attempt at survival, as an apocalyptic wave of light devours human life as we knew it. What follows is a deeply evocative and haunting story about the blossoming dynamic between the (possibly) only two survivors of a worldwide catastrophe and their tentative steps to adapt, start over, and turn “surviving” back into “living” again.
The novel is written in alternating chapters, jumping back and forth between two time lines: Before and After. In the Before, we follow Ruth’s life leading up to and towards the end. A claustrophobic relationship, an unstable political and environmental climate and many other relatable anxieties of modern day life lead her to the beach where she finds the stranded whale on that faithful day.
In the After, we follow Ruth and Nik as they emerge from whale and build a new life from the literal bones of their old world.
With so much skill in both narrative structure and prose, the fact that this is Kate Sawyers debut novel boggles my mind. Their were so many ways this novel could have stranded (pardon the pun) along the way: the transverse timelines could have been confusing, the story incohesive and the survival elements could have been at risk of being overly romanticized. Yet Sawyer navigated it all so skilfully that the end result is a debut novel very close to perfection. I deeply hope to see more of her work in the future.
Final Verdict:
The Stranding is a beautifully crafted allegorical tale of survival, perseverance and the acceptance of change that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2021
This is an impressive debut novel.
I found the structure clever and original. There are two time-lines - the second one is in the past, and when you reach the end of the book this second time-line ends where the first timeline started at the beginning, if that makes sense. Almost like a circle, so very pleasing form-wise. I really liked this aspect.
There's some lovely writing, but I didn’t feel the need to rush it; there’s no urgency. I would probably describe it as a beautiful slow burner. It’s more about life observations and feelings than action and adventure.
I am interested to see what this author writes next.
I was lucky enough to receive this on Netgalley. Thank you.
I found the structure clever and original. There are two time-lines - the second one is in the past, and when you reach the end of the book this second time-line ends where the first timeline started at the beginning, if that makes sense. Almost like a circle, so very pleasing form-wise. I really liked this aspect.
There's some lovely writing, but I didn’t feel the need to rush it; there’s no urgency. I would probably describe it as a beautiful slow burner. It’s more about life observations and feelings than action and adventure.
I am interested to see what this author writes next.
I was lucky enough to receive this on Netgalley. Thank you.
January 9, 2022
I'm not quite sure why this has been shortlisted for the Costa; it's no way near as good as other Costa winners/shortlisted books I've read.
The most interesting part happens at the very beginning (Ruth taking shelter in a dead whale). After that, the narrative splits into two storylines: Ruth's unsatisfactory relationship which led to her travelling to New Zealand, and the aftermath of the generic/undisclosed apocalypse. Neither are satisfactory; there are no twists and turns, no revelations. I didn't understand the point of the past storyline at all (she got tired of her boyfriend, OK, whatever) and the present storyline featured mild peril once or twice, in a perfunctory sort of way.
If you're looking for heart-warming and hopeful post-apocalyptic fiction, you're much better off with something like Station Eleven.
The most interesting part happens at the very beginning (Ruth taking shelter in a dead whale). After that, the narrative splits into two storylines: Ruth's unsatisfactory relationship which led to her travelling to New Zealand, and the aftermath of the generic/undisclosed apocalypse. Neither are satisfactory; there are no twists and turns, no revelations. I didn't understand the point of the past storyline at all (she got tired of her boyfriend, OK, whatever) and the present storyline featured mild peril once or twice, in a perfunctory sort of way.
If you're looking for heart-warming and hopeful post-apocalyptic fiction, you're much better off with something like Station Eleven.
June 12, 2021
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book on @netgalley on 18 March, but for some reason, I put off reading it for ages.
A novel set in post-apocalyptic times about a woman who shelters in the mouth of a whale, not a book you’d typically be drawn to? Well, it turns out I was putting off reading what is an exquisite debut and my favourite fiction so far this year.
In alternating chapters set in the Before (before a catastrophic apocalyptic event) and After, we get to know Ruth, a woman who, dissatisfied with her life, heads to New Zealand from the UK, deciding to pursue a lifelong passion for whales.
What happens next (and before), I’d really rather not say, suffice to say that this is an unforgettable book.
An allegorical tale of darkness into light, survival against the odds, the resilience of humanity, the fragility of life and the planet, a love story for the ages? All of the above. It brought me back to Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera and it got under my skin pretty much from the first chapter. It’s bleak and hopeful and terrifying and promising and wonderful and cinematic, all at the same time. Suspend your disbelief and allow yourself to become submerged in it.
*The Stranding will be published on 24 June 2021 and is available to pre-order from all good bookshops. Thank you to @netgalley and the publishers @hodderbooks for an advance digital copy of this book. As always, this is an honest review. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy - as soon as I’d finished I ordered it. 5/5 ⭐️
A novel set in post-apocalyptic times about a woman who shelters in the mouth of a whale, not a book you’d typically be drawn to? Well, it turns out I was putting off reading what is an exquisite debut and my favourite fiction so far this year.
In alternating chapters set in the Before (before a catastrophic apocalyptic event) and After, we get to know Ruth, a woman who, dissatisfied with her life, heads to New Zealand from the UK, deciding to pursue a lifelong passion for whales.
What happens next (and before), I’d really rather not say, suffice to say that this is an unforgettable book.
An allegorical tale of darkness into light, survival against the odds, the resilience of humanity, the fragility of life and the planet, a love story for the ages? All of the above. It brought me back to Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera and it got under my skin pretty much from the first chapter. It’s bleak and hopeful and terrifying and promising and wonderful and cinematic, all at the same time. Suspend your disbelief and allow yourself to become submerged in it.
*The Stranding will be published on 24 June 2021 and is available to pre-order from all good bookshops. Thank you to @netgalley and the publishers @hodderbooks for an advance digital copy of this book. As always, this is an honest review. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy - as soon as I’d finished I ordered it. 5/5 ⭐️
September 21, 2021
Bereft.
That's the only word for it. I'm bereft.
I've finished 'The Stranding' and I'm overwhelmed with the emotions of this amazing novel.
I'm also wondering how and why it took me such a long time to get around to reading it from my Netgalley approvals. I'm kicking myself. There are multiple times in the past few months when I needed this book but had no idea how much. It's going to buzz around my mind for a long time.
Many people hate duel timelines. I'm not always a fan but in this case, the two stories of Ruth's life before and after 'the event' that changed everything forever, is handled very cleverly. We get to know her as a traveller who has flown to New Zealand to try to work with whales but it takes most of the book before we find out how she got there and what happened to her world, and everybody else's world. Actually, it's more true to say we don't ever find out what really happened but we can imagine.
Back in London, Ruth before the stranding is as 'beached' in her own life as the massive creature she finds on a New Zealand beach. She's a teacher, she's lost her mojo a bit, she has fabulous parents and a wonderful friend and a toxic relationship with a married man. In New Zealand, the end of the world is coming and she's on a beach, trying to comfort a massive whale for whom it's only a matter of time before nature takes its course. She meets Nik, a kiwi photographer, who stays with her and the whale and, through the freakiest survival story that you'll ever read, they survive something that seemingly nobody else has. I won't tell you how - you'll enjoy that for yourself.
Not everything makes sense. It seems that almost everybody the world over is dead but oddly other animals are still OK. Fish are swimming, mussels are spawning, rabbits and deer are running about the woods providing food for Nik and Ruth. That said, I didn't really care if the story wasn't 100% logical or rational. I loved it in spite of such things.
Ruth's life before and after is an extreme case of compare and contrast. The love she finds with Nik is an honest, wholesome contrast to the relationship with a controlling ex-married man, Alex. Nik and Ruth's adaptation to a lonely world of survival is deeply moving and will make most readers think hard about the things we take for granted. If you lost everything you can sit around and feel sad or you can get on with getting on with being alive. They are beautiful characters.
I am so grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for this wonderful book.
That's the only word for it. I'm bereft.
I've finished 'The Stranding' and I'm overwhelmed with the emotions of this amazing novel.
I'm also wondering how and why it took me such a long time to get around to reading it from my Netgalley approvals. I'm kicking myself. There are multiple times in the past few months when I needed this book but had no idea how much. It's going to buzz around my mind for a long time.
Many people hate duel timelines. I'm not always a fan but in this case, the two stories of Ruth's life before and after 'the event' that changed everything forever, is handled very cleverly. We get to know her as a traveller who has flown to New Zealand to try to work with whales but it takes most of the book before we find out how she got there and what happened to her world, and everybody else's world. Actually, it's more true to say we don't ever find out what really happened but we can imagine.
Back in London, Ruth before the stranding is as 'beached' in her own life as the massive creature she finds on a New Zealand beach. She's a teacher, she's lost her mojo a bit, she has fabulous parents and a wonderful friend and a toxic relationship with a married man. In New Zealand, the end of the world is coming and she's on a beach, trying to comfort a massive whale for whom it's only a matter of time before nature takes its course. She meets Nik, a kiwi photographer, who stays with her and the whale and, through the freakiest survival story that you'll ever read, they survive something that seemingly nobody else has. I won't tell you how - you'll enjoy that for yourself.
Not everything makes sense. It seems that almost everybody the world over is dead but oddly other animals are still OK. Fish are swimming, mussels are spawning, rabbits and deer are running about the woods providing food for Nik and Ruth. That said, I didn't really care if the story wasn't 100% logical or rational. I loved it in spite of such things.
Ruth's life before and after is an extreme case of compare and contrast. The love she finds with Nik is an honest, wholesome contrast to the relationship with a controlling ex-married man, Alex. Nik and Ruth's adaptation to a lonely world of survival is deeply moving and will make most readers think hard about the things we take for granted. If you lost everything you can sit around and feel sad or you can get on with getting on with being alive. They are beautiful characters.
I am so grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for this wonderful book.
June 23, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Where most dystopian stories are rife with the usual tensions of people murdering each other for resources, zombies, etc, this book takes a more quiet, meandering journey. The story is told in two timelines where we follow Ruth: Before the catastrophe and After the catastrophe. What the catastrophe is, exactly, we're never told. Ruth avoids news at all costs Before, and After all we really know is something happened and the whole world was flooded with...something. Fire? Radiation? Bombs? No idea.
Before is mostly concerned with Ruth's relationship with Alex. It becomes clear to the reader very early on that it's a pretty toxic relationship, but most of the Before timeline is spent following Ruth as she discovered that for herself.
In the After timeline, Ruth and Nik, the only two survivors in the area, try to survive by scavenging, fishing and farming--the usual post-apocalyptic stuff. But where you might expect something eventful happening, nothing much does. The story never moves beyond the area they start the After timeline in, and other than the catastrophe, the book is uneventful. It's all just glimpses of Ruth's life without ever delving deep enough for real character growth. It was a pleasant enough read, but I missed some meat to the story.
I will say that the beginning of this book, specifically the parts with the whale, definitely made me sit up and pay attention. It's also a fairly easy read.
There is one part in particular that really bothered me:
Where most dystopian stories are rife with the usual tensions of people murdering each other for resources, zombies, etc, this book takes a more quiet, meandering journey. The story is told in two timelines where we follow Ruth: Before the catastrophe and After the catastrophe. What the catastrophe is, exactly, we're never told. Ruth avoids news at all costs Before, and After all we really know is something happened and the whole world was flooded with...something. Fire? Radiation? Bombs? No idea.
Before is mostly concerned with Ruth's relationship with Alex. It becomes clear to the reader very early on that it's a pretty toxic relationship, but most of the Before timeline is spent following Ruth as she discovered that for herself.
In the After timeline, Ruth and Nik, the only two survivors in the area, try to survive by scavenging, fishing and farming--the usual post-apocalyptic stuff. But where you might expect something eventful happening, nothing much does. The story never moves beyond the area they start the After timeline in, and other than the catastrophe, the book is uneventful. It's all just glimpses of Ruth's life without ever delving deep enough for real character growth. It was a pleasant enough read, but I missed some meat to the story.
I will say that the beginning of this book, specifically the parts with the whale, definitely made me sit up and pay attention. It's also a fairly easy read.
There is one part in particular that really bothered me:
‘Hello? Can anybody hear me?’You'd expect something to come of this, but nothing does. It's never mentioned again and never explored, and feels very indicative of the rest of the book.
He heard that. They watch carefully for any movement among the mounds of rubble. They hold their breath, trying to listen, straining to hear beyond the high-pitched ringing in their ears. A few minutes pass and there is no response. No movement. No noise. Or, at least, none they can hear.
Ruth pulls up her mask and walks closer to the rubble, but Nik softly touches her upper arm. She turns back to him. He is shaking his head. She nods, and they turn from the rubble and start to walk into the town.
September 24, 2023
I really wanted to like this book but just wasn’t in the right frame of mind and just couldn’t warm to the protagonist. I will maybe try again with it in a few years time! Looking forward to discussing at book club though
August 16, 2022
Didn’t want this one to end, I grew very attached to the characters.
July 6, 2021
What a remarkable book! Primarily set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story is told between two narratives, the before and after. In the before, we meet Ruth struggling with her relationship with Alex and nothing to look forward to and in the after we follow Ruth in her struggle to begin her new life surviving a global disaster. The book is so well-written and the two narratives are so smart and I love how they connect in the end. This is an unforgettable story, of love, hope and survival. It's haunting, compelling, heartbreaking and beautiful, highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this copy.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this copy.
April 7, 2023
A beautiful debut worthy of 5 stars ⭐.
Thouroughly enjoyed this wonderfully written book.
A truly unforgettable story of love.. loss.. hope and survival.
Loved the alternating chapters of before and after.
A stunning book with beautiful prose..
Adored Ruth's character.
Sad I read it so quickly.. Would definitely recommend 💕
Thouroughly enjoyed this wonderfully written book.
A truly unforgettable story of love.. loss.. hope and survival.
Loved the alternating chapters of before and after.
A stunning book with beautiful prose..
Adored Ruth's character.
Sad I read it so quickly.. Would definitely recommend 💕
April 10, 2023
My first book set in a post apocalyptic world and I loved it! I found the alternating chapters such an interesting way to tell the story. Ruth was such a strong character and I found myself rooting for her the whole way through. I would have liked to know more about what apocalyptic event had occurred but this didn’t detract from Sawyer’s storytelling. I was captivated from beginning to end!
October 22, 2022
This book begins with an interesting concept, when two strangers take shelter from an apocalyptic event by hiding in the carcass of a beached whale in New Zealand. This is reminiscent of biblical Jonah in the whale.
The following story is divided into two narratives Before and After, the former I found a lot less interesting than the latter.
The Before section relates the chaotic love life of the female, Ruth, with her former lover Alex, her pathetically approval-seeking friendship with Fran, and her overly dependent relationship with her parents, Anne and Jim. In fact, she appeared to me to be possibly the least likely female on earth to be able to survive in a post apocalyptic world. I found it hard to believe that this spoilt British woman approaching her forties would become independent overnight, and manage the arduous tasks necessary to live in the After. Nik, the male stranger with whom she crawls into the whale, is a far more likely survivor.
Without giving away too much, the story follows Ruth’s life Before and After. I found her character intensely irritating. I also did not appreciate the fact that the beginning of the story is the only exciting part, for the remainder you are waiting for something to happen. And it doesn’t! The conclusion was a total anti climax.
Personally, I do not understand all the 4 and 5 star reviews for this book.
The following story is divided into two narratives Before and After, the former I found a lot less interesting than the latter.
The Before section relates the chaotic love life of the female, Ruth, with her former lover Alex, her pathetically approval-seeking friendship with Fran, and her overly dependent relationship with her parents, Anne and Jim. In fact, she appeared to me to be possibly the least likely female on earth to be able to survive in a post apocalyptic world. I found it hard to believe that this spoilt British woman approaching her forties would become independent overnight, and manage the arduous tasks necessary to live in the After. Nik, the male stranger with whom she crawls into the whale, is a far more likely survivor.
Without giving away too much, the story follows Ruth’s life Before and After. I found her character intensely irritating. I also did not appreciate the fact that the beginning of the story is the only exciting part, for the remainder you are waiting for something to happen. And it doesn’t! The conclusion was a total anti climax.
Personally, I do not understand all the 4 and 5 star reviews for this book.
February 28, 2021
The Stranding is a meditative examination of life and death. It's also a useful manual for surviving nuclear Armageddon - turns out you can hide under under the tongues of large mammals.
The plot unfolds over two time periods - one before and one after aforementioned apocalypse. I was initially interested in this book due to the dystopian element, but in fact the period before the bomb was more interesting, focusing on the main character's lovelife. However, tales of infidelity and dream-men turning out not to be so dreamy aren't really my thing, so the relative slowness of the post-apocalyptic sections was a disappointment.
The book is well-written and I liked the mature way death is addressed but I was never totally gripped. However, I think there will be a big market for the book and I'm sure it will do very well.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in return for an objective review.
The plot unfolds over two time periods - one before and one after aforementioned apocalypse. I was initially interested in this book due to the dystopian element, but in fact the period before the bomb was more interesting, focusing on the main character's lovelife. However, tales of infidelity and dream-men turning out not to be so dreamy aren't really my thing, so the relative slowness of the post-apocalyptic sections was a disappointment.
The book is well-written and I liked the mature way death is addressed but I was never totally gripped. However, I think there will be a big market for the book and I'm sure it will do very well.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in return for an objective review.
November 7, 2021
I didn't want this story to end, such a moving, beautifully written, intelligent tale that avoids all the common post-apocalyptic tropes. A story of immense loss, survival, love and hope, of finding yourself and connecting with nature and the planet. Told in dual timelines of before and after that worked perfectly as they drew together at the end. With our recent knowledge of the pandemic you could feel the fear and confusion as the catastrophe races around the globe, I will be thinking about this for a long time.
December 6, 2023
Как бросить негодного мужика и моментально все улучшить!
April 6, 2023
What a fantastic, but totally different, read!
I wouldn’t usually pick something like this up but wow I just loved this book.
I got so involved in the story and as you knew what was coming, the build up and suspense was amazing, I felt so sad for Ruth, her parents and friends but the story of her new life was just fascinating.
Alex on the other hand…. A very gross man. 👎🏼
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I wouldn’t usually pick something like this up but wow I just loved this book.
I got so involved in the story and as you knew what was coming, the build up and suspense was amazing, I felt so sad for Ruth, her parents and friends but the story of her new life was just fascinating.
Alex on the other hand…. A very gross man. 👎🏼
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2021
This book absolutely blew me away, I read it basically all in one (very unplanned) sitting after I had to try the prologue a few times before I really got hooked. It's so hard to sum up this book neatly without either making it sound grim or twee, but it's not really either: it's about life and death (before and) after the end of the world. I found it a really intense read, despite how hopeful it manages to be, and really gripping, despite how mundane a lot of it is.
I haven't ever really read anything that meshes together so well a longer-term post-apocalyptic storyline (think: The Road, Oryx and Crake, The Day of The Triffids,) with a melancholy slice of life type narrative that is only thematically tied to the former in a character driven way - a lot of dual narrative apocalyptic books focus on the pre-catastrophe and the events that lead up to that, but Ruth is just living her life, if anything she's actively avoiding the news cycle. The two stories are joined by Ruth's journey and growth and relationships, not the end of the world and how that came to be.
I really love the prose and Sawyer's writing style, I personally find present tense really engaging and readable, and I think it works very well for this book given there is so much *doing*. An awful lot of the story set in the 'After' is detailing the business of survival, but I never felt bored by it. I liked that the 'Before' stuck to this as well, rather than switching to past tense (which would've been my guess) because both narratives weave together much better like this, and it makes the past seem kind of dreamier, weirdly, having something you know is in the past (the Before) still being described as immediate has that effect. There's a really strange comparison that happens when you go from reading about people trying desperately to survive to reading about someone's parents disapproving of their boyfriend. It never makes the Before storyline feel trivial, exactly, but it does sort of nudge you in that direction.
The POV switching works quite nicely although it's much more rapid than I would normally prefer, but once I was used to it, it didn't take me out of the story at all. I definitely liked that Nik's POV was included, I think being stuck entirely in Ruth's head would've made the story too claustrophobic (and the ending a bit jarring.)
I found myself going back over all the little bits of information Sawyer gives about the nature of the disaster to try and figure out what happened - which is definitely not something you're supposed to be able to do. This book very deliberately withholds the details from you, and whilst I think that was a great choice, I couldn't help but keep trying, anyway. There are more and more clues dropped and you really do feel like you might find out - but you don't. On the one hand, I think that staying away from this is great - it doesn't become miserable or gruesome for the sake of it, and it's just more universal and character-driven when you're not concerned with the details. But on the other hand, I was desperate to know! I think this is me bringing more of my expectations of the genre than anything else, and I kind of liked that it denied me throughout.
That aside, the post-apocalypse storyline unfolds quite predictably but so beautifully I can't fault it at all. I sniffled my way through the last chapters despite seeing it coming a mile off, and I suppose that's where the dual storylines come together so well - the unravelling of Ruth's 'Before' life takes over when the 'After' life follows more predictable patterns.
I requested this e-ARC on NetGalley after seeing so many positive things on twitter, and it was a delight to read.
I haven't ever really read anything that meshes together so well a longer-term post-apocalyptic storyline (think: The Road, Oryx and Crake, The Day of The Triffids,) with a melancholy slice of life type narrative that is only thematically tied to the former in a character driven way - a lot of dual narrative apocalyptic books focus on the pre-catastrophe and the events that lead up to that, but Ruth is just living her life, if anything she's actively avoiding the news cycle. The two stories are joined by Ruth's journey and growth and relationships, not the end of the world and how that came to be.
I really love the prose and Sawyer's writing style, I personally find present tense really engaging and readable, and I think it works very well for this book given there is so much *doing*. An awful lot of the story set in the 'After' is detailing the business of survival, but I never felt bored by it. I liked that the 'Before' stuck to this as well, rather than switching to past tense (which would've been my guess) because both narratives weave together much better like this, and it makes the past seem kind of dreamier, weirdly, having something you know is in the past (the Before) still being described as immediate has that effect. There's a really strange comparison that happens when you go from reading about people trying desperately to survive to reading about someone's parents disapproving of their boyfriend. It never makes the Before storyline feel trivial, exactly, but it does sort of nudge you in that direction.
The POV switching works quite nicely although it's much more rapid than I would normally prefer, but once I was used to it, it didn't take me out of the story at all. I definitely liked that Nik's POV was included, I think being stuck entirely in Ruth's head would've made the story too claustrophobic (and the ending a bit jarring.)
I found myself going back over all the little bits of information Sawyer gives about the nature of the disaster to try and figure out what happened - which is definitely not something you're supposed to be able to do. This book very deliberately withholds the details from you, and whilst I think that was a great choice, I couldn't help but keep trying, anyway. There are more and more clues dropped and you really do feel like you might find out - but you don't. On the one hand, I think that staying away from this is great - it doesn't become miserable or gruesome for the sake of it, and it's just more universal and character-driven when you're not concerned with the details. But on the other hand, I was desperate to know! I think this is me bringing more of my expectations of the genre than anything else, and I kind of liked that it denied me throughout.
That aside, the post-apocalypse storyline unfolds quite predictably but so beautifully I can't fault it at all. I sniffled my way through the last chapters despite seeing it coming a mile off, and I suppose that's where the dual storylines come together so well - the unravelling of Ruth's 'Before' life takes over when the 'After' life follows more predictable patterns.
I requested this e-ARC on NetGalley after seeing so many positive things on twitter, and it was a delight to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
What an exceptional book.
The Stranding begins with the end: a Doomsday-type apocalypse that our protagonist, Ruth, survives by climbing inside the mouth of whale. Yep. I know. But read up on your whale facts, folks. FASCINATING.
As the novel begins to explore the effects of Now or After, each chapter is alternated by information from Before. Ruth is a teacher in her 30s living somewhat recklessly. She's hedonistic, favours avoidance as a tactic, is having an affair with a married man and father, and is allowing him to treat her in a way that fuels her self-critic. And her relationship with her best friend is changing. Simply put, she is lost.
Without giving too much of of the story away, I will say that The Stranding is more about the growth of Ruth as a woman than it is about the End of the World thing; although that's happening in the background and is described perfectly in concise, nuanced prose that is full of depth. The narrative is utterly gripping (and often terrifying, but subtly so) and it's impossible not to be swept up in this character's journey.
This is a book about love in its many forms. It is about hope and connection, memories and motherhood, home and self-acceptance, and about finding out who you are and what you need when you stop running and, instead, stand still. Of course, Ruth had no choice because the world literally stopped.
Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this beautifully layered, mesmerising tale. I took many a lesson from it and will return to it again, I'm sure.
The Stranding begins with the end: a Doomsday-type apocalypse that our protagonist, Ruth, survives by climbing inside the mouth of whale. Yep. I know. But read up on your whale facts, folks. FASCINATING.
As the novel begins to explore the effects of Now or After, each chapter is alternated by information from Before. Ruth is a teacher in her 30s living somewhat recklessly. She's hedonistic, favours avoidance as a tactic, is having an affair with a married man and father, and is allowing him to treat her in a way that fuels her self-critic. And her relationship with her best friend is changing. Simply put, she is lost.
Without giving too much of of the story away, I will say that The Stranding is more about the growth of Ruth as a woman than it is about the End of the World thing; although that's happening in the background and is described perfectly in concise, nuanced prose that is full of depth. The narrative is utterly gripping (and often terrifying, but subtly so) and it's impossible not to be swept up in this character's journey.
This is a book about love in its many forms. It is about hope and connection, memories and motherhood, home and self-acceptance, and about finding out who you are and what you need when you stop running and, instead, stand still. Of course, Ruth had no choice because the world literally stopped.
Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this beautifully layered, mesmerising tale. I took many a lesson from it and will return to it again, I'm sure.
May 14, 2022
Weirdly unsatisfying, story completely pointless. How can you write a book about the end of the world where everything just kind of goes well after the end? Everything seemed way too easy and peaceful with a tiny nod to trouble now and then but basically it's all fine and the characters just kind of...make it work? Come on. Yawn.
April 13, 2023
I loved this book, although I didn’t vote for it at Book and Pudding Club. Ruth’s journey was incredible. How brave of her to leave her life with Alex to embark upon a journey into the the distant unknown. So glad she left him, I did not like him at all! What an amazing life created by her with Nik and their daughters. I loved the format of the book taking us back and forth between Ruth’s former life and her new one in New Zealand. How resourceful and resilient she proved herself to be. I loved the thread of the whale which permeated the entire book, beginning with the stranded whale, and ending with a family of whales enjoying the freedom of the ocean. I would highly recommend this incredible book. The only caveat would be that I felt frustrated by not knowing what cataclysmic event had taken place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
What an incredible story. I don't want to give too much away but it's such a visceral exploration of female desire and love and survival. The story takes place across two times: Before and After. Both depictions of the woman's life are stunning; so true, and vivid, shot through with hope and love. It's just really brave and weird and beautiful and true and I loved it. DISCLAIMER: I heard about this story on twitter and made such a fuss about how much I wanted to read it the author sent me an advance copy, probably just to shut me up. Anyway why are you even wasting time reading this review when you could be pre-ordering it and doing yourself a favour.
April 4, 2021
A beautiful, heart-wrenching, moving novel. The depth of love, passion and authentic feeling amongst the backdrop of a bleak post-apocalyptic world is quite extraordinary.
May 18, 2021
I've never read a novel quite like The Stranding. Told primarily from the point of view of Ruth, who has a relatively ordinary life filled with the ordinary challenges of navigating family relationships, love and work, the chapters are structured around 'Before' and 'After'. Without giving too much away, there is a catastrophic event that will change the course of Ruth's life forever and we see what life on either side of the divide.
This novel is visceral, haunting and incredibly moving. As someone who takes climate change and looking after our planet seriously, this novel truly made me question and think about what life might be like in the future, what it means to survive, to begin again and to create societies. It tangibly brought to life an experience that seems so unlikely and yet, following the events of this past year (2020-21), seems more likely than ever.
The prose is beautiful, honest and raw just as this novel is beautiful and honest. If you're looking for a thought-provoking and unique book told through stunning writing, you've found it.
This novel is visceral, haunting and incredibly moving. As someone who takes climate change and looking after our planet seriously, this novel truly made me question and think about what life might be like in the future, what it means to survive, to begin again and to create societies. It tangibly brought to life an experience that seems so unlikely and yet, following the events of this past year (2020-21), seems more likely than ever.
The prose is beautiful, honest and raw just as this novel is beautiful and honest. If you're looking for a thought-provoking and unique book told through stunning writing, you've found it.
August 2, 2022
This is a stunning novel! One of the very best I’ve read this year and maybe ever. That it’s Sawyer’s debut novel makes it all the more astonishing. I don’t read many post-apocalyptic novels. I very much liked Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. But this one! This one I could not put down. It’s a great story, full of grit, hardship, perseverance, wonder, love, and wisdom. Beautifully written, expertly structured. I kept turning the pages faster and faster, even though I wanted it never to end. As one of the characters puts it, “Everything needs an ending. . . .” But the story and the characters are unforgettable.
February 21, 2021
I was hooked on this from the first page - absolutely loved the writing. Although to be honest, I was already committed thanks to the cover - I too have always loved whales.
This feels not like a dystopia, but the coming together of life post apocalypse - the joy and relationships that grow even after the worst has happened, as the two worlds, and the event that separates them, come together.
This feels not like a dystopia, but the coming together of life post apocalypse - the joy and relationships that grow even after the worst has happened, as the two worlds, and the event that separates them, come together.
October 27, 2024
Just wondering how such a depressing premise could ultimately be so uplifting? Please tell me tests have been done proving a human could survive a nuclear apocalypse by hiding in a whale???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2021
I couldn't wait to read The Stranding and although Sawyers debut turned out to be nothing like I was expecting, I was completely captivated by it's utterly unique storyline, losing myself in its beautiful words and a whole new post-apocalyptic world.
The novel focuses on two complete strangers who meet moments before the end of the world, which they miraculously survive by climbing into the mouth of a whale. Ruth and Nik couldn't be anymore different but come together to create the perfect team. We follow them on their journey of survival, witnessing their continuing hope and the inevitable love that blossoms between them as they build a new life despite their desolate circumstances.
With many atmospheric descriptions and a fully loaded, richly imagined plot, Sawyer truly delves into exploring the humanity of her characters and the strength that remains when life as they once knew, is savagely ripped away from them. I was transfixed by both characters, interested to see what move they'd make next.
The switching timeframes, with chapters alternating between before and after, made for an unsettling and harrowing read but one I just couldn't put down. It's an end of the world story, unlike any I have read before and in which, I was invested the whole way through. A timely reminder of just how precious our time is. I really, really enjoyed it!
🌊🐳
The novel focuses on two complete strangers who meet moments before the end of the world, which they miraculously survive by climbing into the mouth of a whale. Ruth and Nik couldn't be anymore different but come together to create the perfect team. We follow them on their journey of survival, witnessing their continuing hope and the inevitable love that blossoms between them as they build a new life despite their desolate circumstances.
With many atmospheric descriptions and a fully loaded, richly imagined plot, Sawyer truly delves into exploring the humanity of her characters and the strength that remains when life as they once knew, is savagely ripped away from them. I was transfixed by both characters, interested to see what move they'd make next.
The switching timeframes, with chapters alternating between before and after, made for an unsettling and harrowing read but one I just couldn't put down. It's an end of the world story, unlike any I have read before and in which, I was invested the whole way through. A timely reminder of just how precious our time is. I really, really enjoyed it!
🌊🐳
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