I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, I was expecting a Lord of the Flies copy, but it was so much more than that.

This story is Lord of the Flies meets Hatchet survival of the fittest type story. The broken English in their conversation is hard to read and the writing takes a little bit to get into but for the most part, the story was engaging. I thought some parts were questionable, with the men making one of the children strip naked, but I do think this story was a bit darker than the usual YA story.

This was an well-crafted narrative based on true events. The reader feels like they are also cast away with the fowlers and McCaughrean gives each character their own voice and personality. This isn't my normal genre, but I am glad I read it.

A crew of boys and men leaves their North Atlantic island home for an even more isolated crag of rock to hunt seabirds for food. When the boat to bring them home does not arrive on schedule, at first they are annoyed--but as the days become weeks, and weeks become months, they are convinced the world has ended and left them behind. They struggle to survive as secrets are revealed. When the rescue boat finally comes, the survivors discover that their difficulties were minor compared to what happened at home. Based on a true story from the 1700s. A Printz Honor title and CILIP Carnegie winner.

This is sort of a Lord of the Flies for the late 18th century crowd, with a little more God and a lot more dead birds.

It’s an interesting book conceptually, made more interesting by that fact that it is loosely based on a true story. The plot and the writing are both good and the atmosphere is intriguing, if not quite as satisfyingly creepy as I had hoped. The characters are satisfactorily rendered, though they’re mostly archetypes.

I just wish the book had been more engaging. While it isn’t boring or flawed in execution or concept, it failed to grab me the way the best books in its genre tend to do. It conveys intensity and suspense, but not enough of it to evoke much feeling in me. In short, I was vaguely interested in what was happening, but I didn’t really care about any of it emotionally.

I found the religious fixation a bit off-putting, though I imagine it’s an accurate portrayal of how the persons involved would have thought and behaved. And while most of the aforementioned dead birds are just a food source for our marooned characters, the murder of one particular bird who played a greater role really diminished my enjoyment of the story.

To be honest, I’m not sure what I was supposed to get out of this book. The plot didn’t seem concrete to me, and for most of the book I wasn’t quite sure what was going on. This book is like Lord of the Flies except I just didn’t feel invested in the story or characters, and the stakes didn’t feel high enough. None of the characters, even Quill (who was my favorite) seemed anything more than two dimensional. I think I can chalk this up to there not being a lot of dialogue. I think the story suffered from that. And the dialogue that was there was in dialect so it was a little difficult to understand/believe. It was a bit weird to read, but I do appreciate the authenticity.
I’m just sorry to say that this book lost me early in the beginning and never got me back. The writing is beautiful, but very specific and a bit too flowery for me, so I found myself skimming quite a bit. It’s fast paced but doesn’t have even action to keep my focus.
Another thing is that I don’t know how I feel about John’s gender plot thing. I’m not quite sure what the point of it was, or why it was necessarily needed. I’m genuinely a little confused.
This is a small thing, but it bugged me throughout. I found it a bit odd that the narrator used both “Quill” and “Quilliam.” “Quill” is more of a nickname that others would call him, but the narrator should use “Quilliam” or at least keep the name consistent.
In general, it was good writing, but a bit too description-heavy for me. Also seems like more mature writing for a YA book. Not a bad book, but not for me.

This dark and haunting book about a group of young boys and their few adult leaders who become stranded on a island would be perfect to pair with Lord of the Flies. This story bears enough similarities to make comparisons, but stands apart in its setting and in the motivations of its characters. Quill is a beautiful main character, helping others work through their difficulties and worries even when he himself is struggling to make sense of what has happened to them. I found it interesting that the adults are the ones to fall apart first in this story and suspect young readers would have plenty to discuss around who was really in charge of this group. The story was made all the more compelling, intriguing, and sad when readers find out at the end that this novel is based on a true story. I would definitely tease students with that fact up front, as I'm sure they would be intrigued by this rough and rugged setting. There are some teen readers who may struggle with the tediousness and frustration that the boys from St. Kilda feel, but I will definitely be recommending this book to my high school students, as well as to their teachers.

This wasn't for me despite being a fan of the author descriptive writing style. I was left bored and disinterested in the story, and more often than not, found myself zoning out and not really paying attention to what was happening. Unfortunately this was a miss for me but I definitely consider giving this another try in the future.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again post-apocalyptic stories are my jam. I enjoy watching varied characters cope with the trauma and strife and uncertainty of drastically changing circumstances. Generally that leads to ingenuity and emotional triumphs that just make for great reading.

This story turned that trope on its head for sure. It focuses on a small group of men and boys from St Kilda, a remote island off of Scotland, go on a routine hunting trip to a smaller island and become stranded. The group quickly becomes frantic and delusional when no one comes to rescue them. Their time on the island quickly transitions from trying to be rescued to trying to survive to trying to manage how their “society” will live. The writing is easy but the twists and turns and delusions created by loneliness are very interesting. Without revealing any spoilers, religion plays a strong role in how the boys cope. It’s a very interesting and unique story unlike anything I’ve read since The Lord of the Flies.

This atmospheric, stark read is shaded with lyrical text, and a beautiful desolate setting.

Despite my fascination to understand the circumstances and outcome of the story, this wasn't a book for me.

A key plot element is the harvest of birds for meat, feathers, oil, and other reasons; and these processes were described in deep, violent detail. Because of the circumstances of the real people on whom this story was based, I would argue that these details were a key element in the story, but this made for a painful read for an animal lover.

I also struggled hard with the treatment of genders in this story. While the author took some liberties with the facts of the real exhibition, and while she does note at a midpoint that there were female fowlers, she does maintain an expedition of men and boys – which makes this a story with virtually no women and girls in it.

There was an opportunity for a trans character to emerge, and though the story started to lean in that direction, it shied away again, leaving me uncomfortable with the pronouns that the narrator employed.

Where there were female characters, I struggled with the gender dynamics. Both characters and the narrator alike described female crushes as being owned by the men attracted to them. An absent girl was pulled into the narrative as the object of a boy's imagination – leaving her a ghostly placeholder with no agency beyond supporting the needs and fancies of the boy who longed for her.

When they were briefly present, women were placed in the roles of nurturers and menders; they were described by the narrator as being emotionally volatile and prone to emotional displays. Women's "virtue" was used as a plot device, with the threat of rape employed to amplify tension. If these are the roles women and girls will play in the story, I would rather that they be absent entirely.

Readers who like a quiet, atmospheric read may fall for this book. There were several moments in this book in which I almost stopped reading, but I pressed on, out of respect for the poetry of language and the lingering questions about the fate of the people both on and off the isolated islands. Ultimately, I hoped that some element of the conclusion would change the lens for the early elements that troubled me; however this is not the type of resolution the author had in mind. The final chapter is stunning in its beauty, but it did not alter reads of earlier chapters.

This is a part of history I'd never really considered before. How did people live in less hospitable regions? What did they eat? That alone makes this an informative read. We're getting the ins and outs of the lives of these people. largely through its absence. We're told what these boys and men would normally do in contrast to what they are doing stranded on an island. Thematically its rather like Lord of the Flies though it's view on the nature of mankind is less leak. We see characters becoming more intense versions of themselves rather than all becoming primitive and violent. It's high level thinking and fairly contemplative so not a casual read.

"Every time a lad came fowling on the St Kilda stacs, he went home less of a boy and more of a man. If he went home at all, that is…”

In the summer of 1727, a group of men and boys were sent to a sea stac (only a few miles away from the shore - unbeknownst to any of them) to harvest birds for food – they are expected to stay there for about 1 week upwards to three weeks, but no one ever returns to collect them. Why? The men and the boys start speculating on the reasons why they were left there for months. Abandoned, they had to endure storms, starvation and terror.

Geraldine McCaughrean writes a triumphant story on the strength of human resolve, faith and strength in a time of survival and endurance of not just the body, but also the mind. For such a simple story, McCaughrean was able to write on the vulnerability of humans in the face of isolation and suffering.

McCaughrean was able to create an atmosphere that is dark and chilly. The book’s story was loosely based on true events that showed how people can survive and be changed through the harshness and bitterness of having to survive on a mass of rock in the middle of the sea.

What a beautiful and poignant story that I highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent Book!!

Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean is a bleak tale of survival involving eight kids and three adults stuck on an island made of black rock in the Wales. The story is based on a true story, with a lot of fictional license taken. The novel can't help but remind me of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, as young boy's are thrust in to adulthood but still have the pressures of fitting in. Where the World Ends is almost 2oo years before Lord of the Flies, where religious superstition is high and omens mean life or death. The language used took me a bit to get into with the old words and the accent. This novel is marked as Young Adult, and the younger audience can enjoy it like the Lord of the Flies but as an adult you will get meaning behind gestures, and will better understand the power struggle. Despite this novel being bleak there's is life to it and hidden joys as characters make choices for the betterment of others to survive. Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron for sending me an Advanced Readers Copy this book was published on December 3 2019.

The Plot: The town of St. Kilda is a small town living on the Wales in the summer of 1727. The town has horrendous winters and must prepare in the summer. There's an island 4 miles out to sea that is full of birds before they fly south for the winter. The island has been a sort of rite of passage for the boys of the village, to spend three weeks gathering eggs and bird meat. Quill is one of the older boys and the novels narrator, it doesn't give an age but if had to guess 14, he has just found love for the first time, and doesn't really want to leave for that matter. But he does and on his first outing on the island is named the leader of boys he finds and almost grabs the king bird. Everthing is going great they have more than enough supplies, but the boat is late picking them up. They continue a month over when doubt sets in and they believe this must be the end of the world, for they're parents not to save them.

What I Liked: The island setting I thought would get boring but I did not as a couple different caves were explored. The elements as the enemy really worked. It showed how religion can lead to hope but also be manipulated for power. Storytelling as a tool to motivate other from staying positive was used the best. I loved the character of John and the secret he hides, and how it can change everything for desperate men. quill was a good narrator that you follow in highs, lows, and madness. The cover was absolutely beautiful. The story as a whole was really good, there were a couple of lulls in pacing but they did not last long. The reason that the boat does not return was really good and made sense at the end.

What I Disliked: At first it was really hard keeping up with who was an adult who was a kid and the ages. The characters, physical descriptions were barely there, which was one of the reasons that age was so hard to determine. You got to differentiate the people through personality rather then physical traits. The birds were described better then the people.

Recommendations: I you love tales of survival, the obvious story to compare is Lord of the Flies but I saw a lot of 127 Hours in it as well. If you like historical fiction then this is a time a setting that I have never read before, the history aspect felt very real. I rated Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean 4 out of 5 stars.

As much as it pains me to say it, this book wasn't "it" for me. The visual descriptions were the best part of the book. But the rest of it was a bit drab. God, I hate saying that, since I rarely try to hate on a book. I wanted to like it. But I also don't really know what I was reading. Pick it up if you'd like. Maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did. I'll still give it two stars, mostly because I think I will try to reread it in the future. You know, sometimes you have to watch a movie a second time? That's how I am with books.

2/5 Stars

This book was received as an ARC from Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was not sure what to expect with this book. Based on the cover design, I thought this was going to be a sci-fi thriller novel but boy was I wrong in the best possible way. The book ended up being a survival of the fittest thriller focusing on the transition to manhood and going through a sacred ritual such as bird hunting in the sea stac to prove your worthiness of manhood. I did not want to stop reading this book because I was so wrongfully intrigued that I needed to know more about it all, everything from the plot to the characters to the climax and lastly the theme of it all and I was amazed all the way.

We will consider adding this title to our YFiction collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This book was difficult for me to read, The writing made it hard to follow at times, but the writer was trying to write from the characters point of view, which they did well, just harder for me to get into.
The concept of the book was fascinating, the visualization of the landscape and the birds was well done. I enjoyed the overall story. There were parts that dragged on for me and was a little to involved with the religious talk from the characters.
I liked how the author was creative with the story in a way that it was loosely based on actual events, but was able to use their own imagination to what the boys had gone through while stranded on the stacs.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC!

This book was utterly engrossing, from the evocative cover to the intriguing characters and the harrowing plot.

Based on a true story, Quill and his friends (along with a few adult chaperones) travel to the Stac every summer to hunt birds for their remote Scottish village. This year (1727), the ship that sent them doesn't return. What to make of this? Has the world ended, leaving this rag tag bunch the only survivors? Will they ever make it home, or is this struggle to survive once winter sets in all that's left for them?

I loved every minute of this book. It's such a great example of historical fiction and it doesn't need to rely on graphic content to make you feel every ache these boys feel and the emotional struggle they face as they long to see their families again. The ending is absolutely devastating, but also leaves you with a lovely note of hope. Quill's compassion and humility cements him as one of the best main characters in recent memory.

Perhaps the best part about this novel is the presentation of such a unique historical element. I'm eager to learn more about Hirta and this remote and dangerous location.

Many thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this review copy. It's on the highly recommended list for sure.

This was honestly the worst book I’ve read this year. This opinion may be completely based off the fact that I have Adhd and need more than one location in a book. BUT I f orced myself to finish it because I wanted to know what could possibly cause parents to leave their children stranded. This book is sad, that’s it. I wasn’t prepared for it and that may be my fault. On top of sad, it was just to slow for me.

In the books defense, the imagery was great and I could picture most things that were happening on the Stac.

One star. Simply terrible. I'm still trying to comprehend what I just read but I don't want to put too much thought into it because I don't think it's worth it.

Next book, PLEASE!

Reviewed via copy from netgalley.

This book is haunting, all the more so because it is based on a true story. It would be impossible not to compare this book to Lord of the Flies, but I find that despite the isolation and occasional despair of this story, it is much more hopeful. The characters take on distinct personalities, and the reader cannot help but hope for them to be able to cooperate and survive. The boys' attempts to recreate order, leadership, and meaning despite the harsh conditions force an older reader to think about the foundations of our own societies. A younger reader could enjoy the survival story without drawing larger conclusions.
I couldn't put the book down, and read it all in one evening, even past my bedtime. I highly recommend this book.