Today’s middle grade and young adult markets are overrun with dystopian novels, and it can often feel like if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all! I was pleasantly delighted to find that The Boy at the End of the World was refreshingly unique, with a compelling, honest voice, interesting characters, and a dystopian setting that wasn’t quite like anything I’d seen before. The book was written in an elegantly simple, easily readable style underlaid with thought-provoking and profound moments. I enjoyed Fisher’s development and moral evolution, and particularly loved the relationship between Fisher and his robot guardian, Click.

The Boy at the End of the World is a perfect read for preteen and young teenage girls and boys who like adventurous, interesting reads, and for adults who are interested in dystopian environments and moral dilemmas.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: No profanity is spelled out, although several references are made to a character using profanity.

Violence/Gore: Throughout the book, there are several battles with machines and “gadgets.” Characters are wounded in fights. The climax of the book is a major battle between several factions of humans, animals, and machines. All of the violence is sci-fi/fantasy type combat.

Sex/Nudity:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

Apocalyptic events, discussion of bad decisions made by prior generations

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None