The publisher says...

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 is the only option. A sumptuously written novel of love and grief; of sisterly affection and the ultimate sacrifice; of technological progress and climate catastrophe; of an enigmatic bear and a talking whale—The End of the World Is Bigger than Love is unlike anything you’ve read before. 

The CBCA judges say...

This book is magical realism at its finest — a story that is utterly unique and beautifully executed, filled with ethereal imagery and descriptive language. Bell’s skill lies in introducing two narrators, twins Summer and Winter, who each have unique voices but work to question the validity of each other’s stories — a masterclass in the unreliable narrator. The apocalyptic setting is frightening in its familiarity, brutal and shocking, but the world-building is such that no element feels too far-fetched. In contrast, the island oasis on which the girls live provides a romantic backdrop to the somewhat dreamlike existence they have created for themselves. The use of flashbacks and foreshadowing allows deep insight into the characters. Their motivations and personalities are well-rounded and genuine even as they descend further into fantasy and mental disturbance. This book is both strange and accessible, suitable for readers across the Older Readers age spectrum, especially those who need to be challenged.

The Reading Time reviewers say...

Click here to read the Reading Time review.

Teaching Notes for this book...

The publisher has generously made teaching notes available for this book. Click on the icon below to view these resources.

Shortlist Books 2021