A wonderfully inventive and philosophical novel, beautiful in both language and content. Ambitious and well executed!

Inventive and original, yes, but I just couldn’t get on with this meditation on the after-life, and what it means to lose everything that has made us who we are. A life-after-death novel, where the main character is losing bits of herself, quite literally, and her memory of what she held dear, including her name, is fading. Apparently, I’ve read, this book bends reality and the reader’s mind. Perhaps. But it just irritated this reader’s mind with its pretentiousness and pseudo-philosophical musings. I’ve never been attracted to zombie stories, even middle-class articulate ones, and in essence that is what this novel is. Not one for me, unfortunately.

The first paragraph is striking and I started reading thinking this will be interesting but unfortunately it didn’t really grab me. Set in an apparent apocalyptic wasteland and narrated by a zombie character who’s just lost her arm. There’s no explanation for what has happened and the novel doesn’t explain. It’s like a literary zombie novel or a meditation on life, death, memory and yearning, and quite beautifully written in mostly short paragraphs. When it finished I was like, ‘that’s it?’. Ultimately a disappointing yet quick read.

This novel is a wild romp through consciousness and life, in a way that has a dark but absurd humour at its core- the characters float through a world that feels unreal while being vividly portrayed.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fitzcarraldo for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy.

This was a very odd read. It’s an exploration of the afterlife in all of its grand doom and gloom. Not heaven. Not hell. Not even limbo. Some sort of in-between wasteland.
It’s written very skillfully, and it paints a visceral picture. It’s just that the picture’s so awfully weird.

This book felt like a fever dream in the best possible way. Quirky, pensive, emotional and thought-provoking - I found it a fascinating read. I was initially drawn to this book because of the intriguing description, even though it didn't sound like the sort of book I would ordinarily pick up, and the book was just as intriguing as the description promised. Anne de Marcken is such an interesting writer and the world she created both felt so real and yet so otherworldly. A fascinating book.

Many thanks to Fitzcarraldo of the ARC. I've been really enjoying discussing this title with customers in my shop.

In some ways more a poem than a story. It tells the story of our female protagonist, in a post apocalyptic world. It's hard to describe the book without spoiling it, but the essence is that people are now divided into two warring factions, with our protagonist belonging to one, as the book begins, and starts feeling alienated from both as the story progresses.

The story is not super clear, and is full of allegories and moments where the boundary between dream and reality is blurred. Our protagonist's depression and despondence evolves and grows, partly fuelled by her memories of pre-apocalypse traumas, and partly fuelled by her current condition, which further increases her alienation from herself.

In some ways I liked the book. The story of a person's lamentable spiralling into depression, against a background of almost mythical folklorist events, was well put together, and written interestingly enough to keep me at it, despite the lack of sufficient "hooks" in the plot. The worldbuilding was also interesting, and the perspective that the protagonist told the story of what was occurring to her was also refreshing (can't say more due to spoilers).

I struggled with this book (novelette?), though. Most important, it's still not super clear to me what it's about. Part of me feels it's a mental soliloquy by the author, with limited editing, and even less purpose. Its seeing publication might have more to do with the themes of the book and its form (post-modern, etc) that actually being a good book. It's that type of book an artsy hipster might think is important to like and will recommend to you, vs a story that has any inherent memorable value.

Overall, I struggle to recommend it. Its main saving grace was brevity. I might have wanted to see a more profound development of the theme of the storyteller (her "side" of the war between the factions). As it is, it's not worth the time really. It's not bad per se, but it's not good either.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early version of this publication in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Poetic writing as we follow the narrator on her journey through an apocalyptic world and her own grief. Literary fiction is always 50/50 for me but I was pulled into this story! Poignant moments that had me reflecting and pausing to sit with the questions/observations.

There isn’t much of a plot but the descriptions and inner thoughts of our narrator drove the story, making me not want to put it down!

I didn’t quite realize this book featured Zombies. The synopsis used the word “undead” but I think I skimmed over that or forgot before reading it because I was surprised. I don’t typically like zombie stories but I was so intrigued by the writing and the narrator that I actually kind of enjoyed this different type of zombie/undead story!

I’d recommend if you’re intrigued by zombie stories but don’t enjoy excessive blood/gore and want something different in this genre. Also for people who enjoy explorations of grief, lyrical prose, and reflections on human nature 💙

I wasn't expecting this to be a zombie horror story rather I was expecting an exploration of grief and loss but once I'd rearranged my thoughts I did quite enjoy the book and the fresh look it gave to a common topic.

Review CW: Minor references to body horror in the paragraph starting with “at multiple points”, skip if this is a no-go for you. This is also your reminder to always check CWs, I have added broad TW/CWs to my StoryGraph review.

"It Lasts Forever, and Then It’s Over" is a poetic, impactful, and very strange little book about mortality, love, loss, grief, and everything in between. These themes are explored in incredibly abstract, visceral, and at times, skin-crawling narratives. Yet, somehow, through all of that, Anne manages to retain a profound through line of coherence and depth.

I made the mistake, or wise decision depending on how you look at it, of starting this one when I couldn’t sleep late one night... which definitely added to it feeling like a fever dream because I’m still fairly sure I dreamt this book.

Did I mention how poetically written it is…!? I can guarantee that once I get my hands on a physical copy it will end up just being one long 132-page underlined quote. Anne is an exquisite writer and I cannot wait for what the future may hold.

Our story traces the protagonist's fragmented journey through the afterlife, where she encounters both familiar and unfamiliar acquaintances, navigates through unsettling situations, reflects on living memories, and contemplates profound existential questions.

I went into this one knowing almost nothing, and I would highly recommend you do the same, only if it is safe for you to do so, of course. I ended up re-reading this one immediately after finishing it and picked up on so much more the second time round! I will be reading this one again once I have my hands on a final copy.

At multiple points, I found myself asking questions I never thought I would, thoughts like, “surely it’d decompose in your chest even if you yourself are not decomposing?” and “why couldn’t you just stitch it back on if you were that desperate to keep it with you?”. Contrastingly, other thoughts included: “that’s so true, everything comes from death, we can’t have new life without death” and “hmm, true…what is the time between an end and beginning…?” If these thoughts, and the fact that they were only some of those that came to me while reading this 132-page book, don’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will…

I loved this one so much more than I expected to, especially upon reading it a second time and seeing the broader picture clearer. I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come.

This is definitely not a book for everyone, but if you are at all intrigued and are one to usually enjoy weird but reflective books (with a touch of gore), I’d recommend you give it a go!

Thanks to NetGalley and Fitzcarraldo Editions for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Great title, great narrative. Had a great time reading this. The characters do not dominate the story or drive the plot, but the setting and thematic intricacies, beauty, poetry embedded in the writing is nothing less than spectacular. Existential zombie story, I suppose? It's more than that, and less than, but somehow perfect in its own rugged way. Marcken needs to write more. Very addictive text. Lingering. Hard to forget. Strange how when one of the characters tossed her undead, zombie tits into the bonfire, I, as a reader felt both breathless and weightless. If anything, too short a read. Left me wanting so much more, which is sort of ironic considering how the main character kept contemplating about hunger on and off in the novel. Novella, more accurately? Lovely either way.

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"It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over" by Anne de Marcken is a forthcoming novel that introduces a fresh and captivating voice in literature. Published
in the UK by Fitzcarraldo Editions, known for their commitment to bold and daring literature, this book offers a unique reading experience.
Throughout my reading of this book, I found myself often navigating through a plot that was intentionally enigmatic. However, the true draw of this novel lies in its exquisite prose, marked by
its lyrical and powerful writing. The narrative is masterfully delivered by an unnamed protagonist who finds herself adrift in the afterlife, where a series of weird events unfold. This is a book that undoubtedly deserves a re-reading. It is relatively short, consisting primarily of short passages that make for a quick and immersive read. Anne de Marcken demonstrates her considerable talent as a writer, leaving me eager to read more of her work in the future.


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"Anne de Marcken's upcoming novel, 'It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over,' presents a fresh and captivating voice in literature. Published by Fitzcarraldo Editions in the UK, renowned for their commitment to bold literature, this book promises a unique reading experience. While navigating through intentionally enigmatic plot twists, the true allure lies in the novel's exquisite prose – marked by lyrical and powerful writing. The unnamed protagonist masterfully delivers a narrative set in the afterlife, where a series of peculiar events unfold. Deserving of a re-read, this relatively short book offers quick, immersive passages, showcasing de Marcken's considerable talent and leaving readers eager for more of her future work.

Philosophical literary fiction meets the zombie apocalypse in this strange and surreal novella. The unnamed (and undead) narrator expresses a powerful sense of loss for the life she has left behind even though she can remember little of it, apart from her lover whom she addresses throughout the book. Various other bizarre things happen - in the opening sections, she describes her arm falling off and trying to keep it inside a sleeve, and finding a dead crow which she then inserts into her chest. Later, she embarks on a journey across a post-apocalyptic landscape.

I think this book was a little bit too odd for my liking, but I am sure that Anne de Marcken's poetic, profound and often bitingly funny writing will find many admirers. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

"Or maybe, I say to the crow or myself, that the end, the end you can only see after it is too late, maybe the end is what makes a beginning what it is. What else is a beginning but the end of something else? The crow says nothing."

This was a breath of fresh air, an imaginative and evocative take on life after death in an oddly visceral and affecting short story about what it means to be alive.

It’s full of lyrical, poetic and deeply vivid prose that’s told like a train of thought, on tangents and observing the rich surroundings with curiosity as our narrator shares their thoughts with us in somehow rambling and coherent ways at the same time - there’s a lot of heavy text with no break but it felt like I was being pulled along with her with a quick, natural flow and the single-string storytelling style created a real sense of isolation but also intimacy with the narrator.

It was entirely dreamlike, feverish in the most delightful way and had that sense of something just being slightly wrong, an eeriness that was unshakeable as the most absurd and disturbing things happen but don’t feel absurd at the time. The strange purgatory we explore is unearthly, chilling but confusingly familiar, with striking scenes and a terrible kind of beauty — and we may never truly know if this really is a zombie uprising, a hell, or post-apocalypse, or a dream but despite the lack of solid answers when I reached that last page I felt some sense of connection, of warmth and happiness at my place in the world, knowing I may never fully understand it.

If you prefer your zombie stories to be all blood and guts with a clear linear narrative, this might not be for you. But if you’re looking for something new and exciting, you need to read this.

'It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over' is one of the most unique books I've read in a while, truly original and brilliantly weird. It opens in some kind of land of the dead (or undead), with our protagonist revealing that her arm has fallen off. It's an opening that immediately establishes the very deadpan humour that the novel does so well - lines like "since he lost his penis he's Mr Wisdom" had me instantly falling in love with de Marcken's witty prose. And then, just as you think you have a handle on what kind of book this will be, it becomes so much more than just witty knob jokes to be an incredibly moving portrayal of loss and grief. I'm no keen highlighter, but this had me constantly noting passages to come back to.

This won't be for everyone. I'm rarely so sure that a novel will be a cult classic, but that's very much a cult classic and not a universally agreed classic. It's weird, it's not massively plotty, and it's not perfect - but it's the kind of novel that I'll want to revisit and that I know is going to REALLY land with a lot of people. If you're in the market for 'The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida' crossed with Yorgos Lanthimos' 'The Lobster', I think you'll find a lot to like here.

Published 7 March 2024. The blurb describes this as one of 'sharpest and funniest novels of recent years' but I just found it dark and quite sad. The writing is poetic and - if this makes sense - unstructured which I think represents our narrator as she searches for meaning. Our narrator is in limbo; she is not alive but she is not dead. In old fashioned horror terms I suppose you could describe her as a zombie, but that term has so many connotations that do not fit here. She is losing body parts, she is losing some memories but she still retains fragments of memories relating to love, relating to the 'you' that she talks of and seems to be looking for. Within her, she has bound a dead crow that she talks to as she travels looking for meaning. In her alive but not dead state she observes everything around her and tries to accept this new state but the loss of this 'you' is something that she finds painful as she remembers this love even though she can no longer her own name. A book that makes you question life and death.

Huge thanks to Fitzcarraldo & Netgally for allowing me to read this eArc pre publication for my honest review.

This feels like a unique blend of Seven Moons Of Mali's 'undead' soul caught between worlds & Camilla Grudova's writing raw, graphic darkness, mixed with deeper religious references & a lyrical, rhythmic writing style.

Let your mind go, follow the undead mind & appreciate what this author has achieved. Totally understand why this is another Fitzcarraldo's fantastic publication.

I read & underlined paragraphs several times...

'Did you ever do something you never told anyone? Something shameful. Or something perfect...So you decided you would keep it in, to protect yourself. One way or another...You decided this is the one thing I will die with. I won't be alone because I will have this.'

'I notice that I am having an idea instead of hearing. And when I notice the idea, I instantly stop having it. Like when you are not deeply asleep and you become less deeply asleep because of a click in your brain and then you were suddenly aware that you were more deeply asleep than you knew but also aware that even now you not yet exactly awake.'

Appreciated the raw grief that poured through the pages, which provided an opportunity to pause & reflect on life & the deep traumatic impact of loss.

Uploaded review to Goodreads, Storygraph, Instagram & Amazon.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Fitzcarraldo for a digital ARC in exchange for a review.

This is a very dreamlike novella, taking the reader on a journey after death. There's little in the way of actual plot, but that didn't stop me enjoying the ride - the descriptive writing is beautiful and paints a very effective picture of the frequently bizarre (and slightly disturbing, in places) surroundings of the narrator. The title is perfect, summing up both the book's contents and the reading experience (not in a bad way, though - I read this over several days, but enjoyed picking it up and re-immersing myself every time). Fitzcarraldo always select unique and interesting reads for publication, and this title fits in nicely with their selection.

Unveiling the enigma of existence: Anne de Marcken's "It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over" is a remarkable exploration of life, death, and the spaces in between.

The protagonist is vividly alive in the afterlife, and navigates her existence with a voracious curiosity. Despite forgetting her name and much of her human connection, she is acutely aware, observing the peculiarities of her new reality. The narrative, both spare and haunting, follows her journey westward, accompanied by a dead crow nestled in her chest. In this surreal odyssey, she encounters the bizarre, the terrifying, the hilarious, and the heart-wrenching, losing and discovering fragments of herself along the way.

De Marcken's prose is a tour de force, a testament to her audacity and creative vigor, effortlessly bending reality and challenging the reader's mind with a throwaway assurance. De Marcken delves into mortality, exploring how it transforms everything, except, perhaps, love.

The writing itself is exemplary, skillfully weaving a plot that is simultaneously elusive and enthralling. The deliberate absence of a clear, linear trajectory invites readers to revel in the enigmatic allure of the narrative, provoking thoughtful reflection. De Marcken's adept use of metaphors enriches the story, infusing it with dark humor that serves both as amusement and a conduit for deeper contemplation. Throughout the narrative, De Marcken poses profound questions, eschewing easy answers and compelling readers to grapple with the uncertainties of existence. The deliberate cultivation of ambiguity becomes a virtue, enhancing the overall allure of the narrative. My only negative comment: certain sections towards the end appear unclear or less integral to the overarching narrative, offering a minor detraction from an otherwise cohesive and compelling journey.

Many thanks to NetGalley for this fantastic ARC!

"Which comes first, a believer or a religion?"

We are always in search of meaning, as if by knowing the cause, the origin, we have control, we can allocate blame, and say that if we had done that then we would have won, been safer.

But we live in a world that does not always have meaning. It might also be that 'meaning' is a social construct.

Anne de Marcken writes about someone, a dead someone, loosing body parts, with a haiku spouting crow in her chest, who is search of meaning, clinging to fragments of memories, fragments of love, that gave meaning to her previous life. All this in a crazy kind of limbo devoid of all meaning whatsoever.

An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley.