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ripxw's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: War, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Genocide, Islamophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Racism, and Violence
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual assault
bookybadger's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Grief
Minor: Islamophobia and Xenophobia
telemachus's review against another edition
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The End of October is a book about a world thrown in chaos by the emergence of an extremely lethal virus. We follow Henry, a world-renown epidemiologist, to check on an outbreak in an Indonesian prison camp as his superiors are rightly suspicious of the official diagnosis. While this book is primarily Henry's story, we get the POVs of a variety of characters from an Indonesian taxi-driver on hajj to Mecca to a government official with a bone to pick with Putin. All of the POVs intersect with Henry's story at some point, whether they're the wife and kids he's trying to get home to or the Saudi prince he works with on trying to contain the virus. The question of where the virus came from looms over the story but whether the virus was man-made or natural, this book posits one truth: it's man's hubris that causes its downfall.
Other reviewers have remarked on the weakness of Wright's writing, and they're not wrong. Large chunks of information are dumped on the reader in nearly every chapter; these info-dumps slow the pace of the story and, while interesting, are rarely necessary information. Many can be skimmed with little loss to the reader.
Roxane Gay's review specifically questions the disable representation in this book. I too would be interested in hearing from reviewers who can better speak to the representation, but as a person with mild scoliosis, I was refreshed by reading about a character who shared something in common with me.
Also speaking of representation, I can't speak to the representation of Islam in this book. I was concerned at first where this book would go since so much of it takes place in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, but I thought it was mostly respectful. That said, I'm not Muslim so there could be details I'm not picking up on.
While the character's aren't the strongest - functional for getting you through the story being told - I was refreshed by the friendships Henry formed along his journey. I'd consider them my favorite part of the book.
Other reviewers have remarked on the weakness of Wright's writing, and they're not wrong. Large chunks of information are dumped on the reader in nearly every chapter; these info-dumps slow the pace of the story and, while interesting, are rarely necessary information. Many can be skimmed with little loss to the reader.
Roxane Gay's review specifically questions the disable representation in this book. I too would be interested in hearing from reviewers who can better speak to the representation, but as a person with mild scoliosis, I was refreshed by reading about a character who shared something in common with me.
Also speaking of representation, I can't speak to the representation of Islam in this book. I was concerned at first where this book would go since so much of it takes place in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, but I thought it was mostly respectful. That said, I'm not Muslim so there could be details I'm not picking up on.
While the character's aren't the strongest - functional for getting you through the story being told - I was refreshed by the friendships Henry formed along his journey. I'd consider them my favorite part of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Medical content, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Islamophobia, Homophobia, and Fatphobia
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