Name: The End of Men
ISBN: 9780008407940

Christina Sweeney-Baird

‘A FIERCELY INTELLIGENT PAGE-TURNER...AT ONCE THOUGHTFUL AND HIGHLY EMOTIVE’ PAULA HAWKINS ‘THE STUFF THAT CLASSICS ARE MADE OF’ AJ FINN ‘WRITTEN PRE-COVID, THE END OF MEN IS GRIPPING, SCARY AND PERSUASIVE’ IAN RANKIN ‘BRILLIANT, PRESCIENT, UNPUTDOWNABLE’ JENNY COLGAN

The End of Men

Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men? Only men are affected by the virus; only women have the power to save us all. The year is 2025, and a mysterious virus has broken out in Scotland--a lethal illness that seems to effect only men. When Dr. Amanda MacLean reports this phenomenon, she is dismissed as hysterical. By the time her warning is heeded, it is too late. The virus becomes a global pandemic--and a political one. The victims are all men. The world becomes alien--a women's world. What follows is the immersive account of the women who have been left to deal with the virus's consequences, told through first-person narratives. Dr. MacLean; Catherine, a social historian determined to document the human stories behind the "male plague"; intelligence analyst Dawn, tasked with helping the government forge a new society; and Elizabeth, one of many scientists desperately working to develop a vaccine. Through these women and others, we see the uncountable ways the absence of men has changed society, from the personal--the loss of husbands and sons--to the political--the changes in the workforce, fertility, and the meaning of family. In The End of Men, Christina Sweeney-Baird turns the unimaginable into the unforgettable.

Eva Ströberg

The end of men - Christina Sweeney-Baird
.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.
Imagine there’s another plague, but only men died of the virus this time, while women were only the carrier. Our world is created and designed by men, and also operated and run by mostly men and this would mean a near collapse of the society. Countries go on lockdown, there was shortage of food production, there were riots everywhere, men dying left and right, there were widows weeping after their lost husbands and sons
.
I like this book a lot, the author managed to paint a picture how a plague descended that killed 90% of men throughout the voices of many different women across the world, and how the remaining humans (females) began to rebuild the society after with whatever we had. It’s far from the naivete of Maren Uthaug’s 11% - women are capable of many things, we are just never given chance to. This book doesn’t have an agenda, nor push a certain propaganda, it just tells a story from many different perspectives, and I think it did a good job in that

Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men? Only men are affected by the virus; only women have the power to save us all. The year is 2025, and a mysterious virus has broken out in Scotland--a lethal illness that seems to affect only men. When Dr. Amanda MacLean reports this phenomenon, she is dismissed as hysterical. By the time her warning is heeded, it is too late. The virus becomes a global pandemic--and a political one. The victims are all men. The world becomes alien--a women's world. What follows is the immersive account of the women who have been left to deal with the virus's consequences, told through first-person narratives. Dr. MacLean; Catherine, a social historian determined to document the human stories behind the "male plague;" intelligence analyst Dawn, tasked with helping the government forge a new society; and Elizabeth, one of many scientists desperately working to develop a vaccine. Through these women and others, we see the uncountable ways the absence of men has changed society, from the personal--the loss of husbands and sons--to the political--the changes in the workforce, fertility and the meaning of family. In The End of Men, Christina Sweeney-Baird creates an unforgettable tale of loss, resilience and hope.

Ich hab schon lange ein Buch nicht mehr so schnell durchgelesen. Ich konnte es nicht aus den Händen legen. Es hat an meinen Nerven gezerrt, mich zum Hoffen gebracht und diese Hoffnung anschließend wieder zerschlagen und Verzweiflung fühlen lassen. Der Anfang ist hart, weil alle sterben, aber es muss ein gutes Buch sein, wenn ich die Panik und die Verzweiflung durch die Seiten hindurch spüre. Ich bin mir sicher, dass viel Arbeit in die Recherche gesteckt wurde, denn es war unfassbar facettenreich. Gesellschaftskritisch, politisch, biologisch und dabei außerordentlich menschlich und unfassbar spannend. Eigentlich war ich zu Beginn sogar skeptisch: „Ein Buch über eine Pandemie? Brauch ich nicht, kennen wir alle.“ Noch beeindruckender finde ich die Tatsache, dass die Autorin dieses Buch geschrieben hat, kurz bevor es zur Corona-Pandemie kam - und dabei erstaunlichen Realismus bewiesen hat. „Wie sähe eine Welt mit nahezu keinen Männern aus?“ gemischt mit erfrischenden Facetten von geldgierigen Frauen, willensstarken Männern, mordenen Ehefrauen, bezaubernden Liebesgeschichten zwischen allen Geschlechtern, Entbindungsstationsgeschichten, Isolation und überlebenden Transfrauen. Richtig schön, phasenweise richtig schmerzhaft und verrückt hoffnungsvoll. Ich bin sehr dankbar, dass die Männer, die ich liebe, alle in Sicherheit sind (auch wenn ich dann mit all den anderen Arschlöchern leben muss). Passt auf euch auf

Jack O‘Conner

Alexa M

"Nobody wins the wars men fight."

this was SO interesting. it really was the story of Women and human nature but the author brought up soo many interesting points i had never considered when picturing "the end of men." i liked the way this story was told throughout many different points of view over such a long period of time, i felt like this made the book so much more engaging. there were some passages in which the leftover men are finding it hard to live in a world in which they are a minority and LOLZ

Marloes

Nkemb Idam

It was a great build up, I think there was a lot of filling science parts that were kind of boring. But overall the plot was really good.

Lacey Feigl

A virus is sweeping the world and killing the majority of the male population. This thriller follows the story of the women throughout the world trying to protect and save as many men as they can.

The End of Men is 387 pages long and took me five days to read.

I’m giving this book a 4 out of 5! While it was hard to read while the coronavirus is still active BUT there is something hopeful in the pages and I loved it.

Thank you, Putnam Books, for the gifted book!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Imie Kent-Muller

The first thing I want to say is that I loved this book. I think I’d have loved it even if I read it at a different time, but reading it now was fascinating.

I should probably explain why I’m saying that...

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird looks at what happens when a virus killing only men sweeps the world. Some men are immune but no one knows why. All they know is that once you catch it you’re most likely to die in days. Sound familiar?

This book was written back in 2018 and is meant to be a speculative fiction/ dystopian style read. It’s surprisingly similar to what happened at the beginning of coronavirus. One person is patient zero, no one believes a doctor who says a virus is beginning, mass panic, borders locking down, etc. It was quite eerie to read something that is meant to be speculative but have lived through it. Of course her story is fictional, therefore things like death rates are more dramatic but the general feel of the pandemic was scarily similar.

Now focusing on the content rather than the topic. I loved how she explored different POVs - the doctor who discovered the virus, the health officials who ignored her, a social historian who begins to collate stories of the pandemic, the researchers desperately trying to find a cure, men who become victims of the virus, a man stuck on a boat in the middle of nowhere slowly running out of food. It’s fascinating to see all the different characters and their experiences, the world building to allow that is phenomenal. This is a brilliant story of humanity, and that really shines through.

I love books/shows that speculate on a ‘what-if’ universal level. Whether it’s things like building a society, or a world dealing with disaster I am here for it...which is probably why I absolutely loved this book. Although I did compare it to current events, it’s still fictional enough that you can enjoy it. It really looks at society from a high up government level, to the women who lost their whole families. I devoured this book due to the pace, fantastic writing, & thought provoking characters. Powerful and Fascinating!

Out in April 2021.
Thank you borough press for my copy.

Summer Cashmore

Rating - 4.5/5 ⭐️

I received an advanced copy of this book and, despite it not being my standard genre, I really enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it to others!

The story begins with the discovery of a lethal virus that only affects men and which results in their death within a matter of days. Over the course of the book (a period of 5 years) we discover that while a small portion of men are immune to the virus due to a gene variation, approximately 90% of the world’s male population is eradicated. 

The book traces the course of the virus via a number of sources - the Scottish doctor who treated “patient zero,” the men stranded for two years on a ship off the coast of Iceland, the Canadian doctor who ultimately discovered a vaccine and the family mandated to shelter hundreds of boys in the remote Scottish highlands, forcing them to isolate their only son in a shed for months to ensure his safety. 

The book is often harrowing and difficult to read. There are a number of characters who take desperate steps to save their husbands and sons and instead are forced to watch helplessly as they all die. 

Despite the grim nature of the book, the book ends on a very positive note. The author makes a point of showing not just the devastation caused by the virus, but also how the survivors forge a new way of life. It is inspiring. 

A year and a half ago, I likely wouldn’t have been interested in this book and, if I had read it, it would have fallen squarely within the science fiction realm. This is unfortunately not the case in 2021 and the book feels all too possible. 

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read an arc of The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird. This book is released on April 27, 2021 and is definitely worth buying. 👍📚

Summer Stanley

I’m trying something new. I am not into this, so I’m gonna stop reading it. The beginning was so intriguing, but there is now too much description of people wallowing in a pandemic. I don’t need to read this, I lived (am living it). I was hoping there would be more dystopian/sci-fi drama after the initial description. This is too “realistic”: countries trying to implement quarantines, vaccine research, genetic counseling, etc. I guess I was hoping for apocalyptic all out global warfare.

Cathie

I had never heard of this book before and I picked it up based on the title. And wow. It's definitely a 5 star book and I was hooked. I finished the entire book in less than 24 hours. I couldn't put it down.

Jeremy Anderberg

This was a very fun read. It's not quite "apocalypse," since half the people (plus some) are still alive and functioning. Read it in two days, if that says anything. (It does.)

90% of the male population has disappeared. This is the end of husbands. The end of brothers. The end of sons. The end of friends. The end of governments. The end of countries. THIS IS THE END OF MEN. A thought-provoking, poignant and heartbreaking debut, The End of Men is the most hotly anticipated book of 2021. Glasgow, 2025. Dr Amanda Maclean is called to treat a patient with flu-like symptoms. Within three hours he is dead. This is how it begins. The unknown virus sweeps through the hospital with deadly speed. The victims are all men. Dr Maclean raises the alarm. But by the time the authorities listen to her, the virus has spread to every corner of the world. Threatening families. Governments. Countries. Can they find a cure before it's too late? Can they stop THE END OF MEN?

Lewis John Fisher

Probably the wrong time to be reading this, in the midst of a new lockdown with the Delta Variant hitting Sydney, but a cracking read. Told with brilliant voice and poise, this is a fantastic debut!

"The End of Men is a fiercely intelligent page-turner, an eerily prescient novel, at once thoughtful and highly emotive." --Paula Hawkins, #1 internationally bestselling author of The Girl on the Train Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men? Only men carry the virus. Only women can save us all. The year is 2025, and a mysterious virus has broken out in Scotland--a lethal illness that seems to affect only men. When Dr. Amanda MacLean reports this phenomenon, she is dismissed as hysterical. By the time her warning is heeded, it is too late. The virus becomes a global pandemic--and a political one. The victims are all men. The world becomes alien--a women's world. What follows is the immersive account of the women who have been left to deal with the virus's consequences, told through first-person narratives. Dr. MacLean; Catherine, a social historian determined to document the human stories behind the "male plague"; intelligence analyst Dawn, tasked with helping the government forge a new society; and Elizabeth, one of many scientists desperately working to develop a vaccine. Through these women and others, we see the uncountable ways the absence of men has changed society, from the personal--the loss of husbands and sons--to the political--the changes in the workforce, fertility, and the meaning of family. In The End of Men, Christina Sweeney-Baird turns the unimaginable into the unforgettable.

Jess Kitching

Definitely a book to read when in a good headspace in a pandemic, but a really interesting one. With the virus only impacting men, this book raised so many questions about gender roles and society’s treatment of women. I really enjoyed reading it and the way it made me think about things afterwards. 

Anyaconda

I'm not sure why I requested to read this, but it was a good read all in all.

I still feel like it would make a better movie than a book.
At times it felt almost exhausting to read through and I didn't enjoy all the different characters and POVs. Too many POVs in my opinion and I desperately wanted to latch onto only a few characters instead of getting snippets of so many. It just felt like overload for me. However the writing is good and if you can stomach reading about pandemics, you should definitely give this a try.

Catalina Petre

I came across this book on Twitter and immediately pre-ordered it, however I also requested it on Netgalley and was lucky enough to be approved for an ARC. 
I must start by saying that this is hands down my favourite book this year, and most definitely top 10 ever. I read it in two days, and it only took me so long because I was trying to pace myself and not rush it. I got so absorbed by the story that I would not hear my husband talking to me. I went to bed thinking about the events taking place and woke up ready to read on and find out more. 
Reading a book about a global pandemic while we are living one might seem too depressing to consider, but this book had the opposite effect. No matter how bad things are now, they are not as terrifying and as world ending as the ones in this book. It helps with perspective. 
In this book a deadly virus is killing almost all the men in the world – with 97% fatality rate, while the women are asymptomatic carriers. The virus spreads quickly and lives outside hosts for a long time, thus becoming difficult to control. The book starts shortly before the outbreak of this virus in Scotland, but the situation quickly escalates and spirals out of control around the world. 
The book is written like a record of different people’s experiences throughout and after the four-year pandemic, in different countries around the globe. I absolutely loved the format. I became very attached to Catherine and was heartbroken to read about her loss; Amanda who was a force of nature to be reckoned with and she is someone I would like to have as a friend; Elizabeth was like a breath of fresh air trying to keep everyone positive and others.
The author thought very carefully about the geo-political implications of such a deadly virus and she made a fantastic job explaining why certain events happened the way they did and how the world moved on. The impact of this virus on women, the immune men, the trans men and the trans women, the gay and the straight people was discussed and analysed as well. This book reads like a record and in my opinion, this makes it even more powerful.

Lisa Beasley

This was an interesting read, it was a really solid idea for a dystopian novel and definitely certain parts hit close to home because of the current pandemic situation. I really enjoyed the different perspectives we got, that is something I really like in books and felt it was done very well in this one. I also liked how as we got further into the book the plotlines crossed paths. I didn't totally get the science of it, but it sounded legit enough for me to just accept it and move on.

The End of Men

Reviews

Highlights