Review: The End of the World and Beyond

The End of the World and Beyond by Avi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not realize that this book was the sequel to The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts: Being an Absolutely Accurate Autobiographical Account of My Follies, Fortune, and Fate, which came out last year, until after I started reading it. While I would prefer to have read the first book before this one, it does work as a stand-alone since Oliver graciously gives the reader a quick summary of the events in the first book.

In this story, Oliver's misfortune contintues as he is sentenced to 7 years of indentured servitude, and sent to the American colonies, where after surviving attrocious conditions on the ship, he is eventually sold to a cruel master, who boasts of murdering another boy because he thought he was going to run away. Oliver is befriended by Bara, the slightly older black slave boy, and the two begin to plan an escape, but Oliver's recklessness causes them to have to leave immediately, escaping into the swamp. Can they evade both capture and the dangers of the swamp and find sanctuary in the legendary Maroons?

Part history lesson about the disparity between the haves and have-nots in 18th century Britain, the shockingly harsh laws of that time, and the great cruelties inflicted on people and children who were just trying to survive, and heart-stopping tale of survival, this story would appeal to middle-grade readers who are looking for adventure, stories of survival and facing adversity, and enjoy or are at least open to historical fiction. Some readers might be a little put-off by the language and writing style, but if they stick with it will soon be drawn into the story.

This book is fairly fast-paced with short chapters, with a satisfying, though somewhat contrived, ending. My biggest criticism is that the ending seemed a bit rushed, very convenient and contrived, without enough explanation. Based on the way the book ended, I would not be surprised to see a third book that reveals Bara's fate.

[I received this book as a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

View all my reviews