If you knew the exact date that the world was going to end, what would you do with the remaining precious time that you had left? Would the reality of what you actually do live up to what you imagined you would do? Would R.E.M.’s It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine) have another re-emergence (as it did during COVID) as the soundtrack to our final days? Thankfully we are not on a final countdown to oblivion, but David Hatton has written an extremely thought-provoking novel based around six very good friends and their final months before the end of the world.
It’s the End of the World as We Know It by David Hatton is an apocalyptic drama and follows the lives of six very good friends (3 couples) who have months to live after it is announced that an extinction level threat in the form of a massive asteroid named Theodore will be crashing into the Earth and destroying life as we know it.
Six friends decide to come together to witness the end of the world. But as their lives intertwine, circumstances threaten to destroy the bonds which they once believed were unbreakable. If they don’t want to die alone, they need to work together to mend their ties of friendship. Perhaps it’s their last good deed in this world…
This is another excellent thought-provoking from David Hatton. This story follows the lives of Janine, Kristina, Liam, Marta, Neil, and Dawn in the run-up to the end of their lives, along with the rest of the world. It isn’t a story that focuses on trying to save the world, no last-ditch mission to plant bombs on the asteroid and blow it off course, but a pre-apocalyptic look at six very ordinary lives with everyday problems and examines how they live their lives before the big event. It raises questions of what you would do in the same situation, what choices and decisions you would make.
Overall, It’s the End of the World as We Know It is a mesmerising and fascinating look at the choices people make, especially when staring death in the face, knowing that you will be gone in a few months but still having to carrying on with daily life.
It is an excellent story of friendships, forgiveness, life and death. A story about the end of the world where the focus isn’t of the life-destroying asteroid but of the damage caused between friends and family through various life-changing issues and how they overcome them and the importance of being there for your friends.
The characters are all very different, all very authentic and all very relatable. These are characters that are just ordinary people trying to live their lives as best they can in the face of devastating news – whilst still having to cope with the pressures, problems and strains of everyday life. No planet-saving heroes to be found here, just people like you and me trying to get on with life.
It’s the End of the World as We Know It is a very well-written thought-provoking story. What would you do if faced with four months to live? I’m not sure I know. Would you give up work and spend all your time with friends and family or continue working to keep your mind busy? Would you try to carry on as normal to the very end or try to squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of life as possible?
This is a superb read that looks at the dynamics of friends, their personal and group issues and the knowledge that life is very short. With themes of death, infidelity, relationship problems and friendship it is a fascinating read and just gets better the further you get into it.
Whilst it is not my favourite book by this author, just because I personally found some of his others more exciting, but I found it to be an excellent read, one that will leave you asking lots of questions about your own life, your friends and what you would do when given the date of your demise.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £9.99 (Paperback) / £2.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit david-hatton.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.
Click here to read my interview with David Hatton
