Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean

Pages: 244

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Fantasy / Biblical

Notes for Parents: Explores religious issues and contains some graphic scenes.

The Inside Cover

Everyone knows the story of the Flood: The man called on by God to build an ark. The animals that came on board two by two. The rain that fell for forty days and forty nights.

But what about the rest of the story? What about Noah’s wife and daughters-in-law? And what if there was a daughter as well? How would it feel to head into the unknown with only each other and all those animals? What would it be like to turn away friends and neighbors struggling in the water? Could all of it really be part of God’s Plan—the hunger and pain and fear?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a retelling of the Great Flood story from the view of the women on the Ark.

What’s good?

This is NOT the Bible’s version of Noah’s Ark! This is a brutal portrayal of the pandemonium that would have been found on Noah’s Ark. The beautifully detailed, and sometimes harshly graphic, writing depicts the sights, sounds and smells of the ship, as well as the tense emotions of the people and animals aboard it. Noah’s unrelenting faith in God’s plan blindly leads them into chaos and misery. The characters are well drawn, the pace is steady, and the premise is captivating and thought-provoking.

Best Part: The quexolan.

What isn’t good?

Some will dislike the deviation from the original Bible story. Some will dislike the many points of view from which this story is told. Some will dislike the many religious references or the unusual way of talking or the animals’ points of view… Many will find something to dislike about this book, but I enjoyed it.

Worst part: None.

Recommendation þþþþþ

I loved the premise, the characters, and the author’s writing style. Most of all, I loved how the author addressed what life would really be like if you consider everything the Bible tells us about Noah’s Ark. There would be frightened animals, drowning people begging to be saved, the constant, incessant sound of rain for forty days…such a clever book!

McCaughrean, Geraldine. Not the end of the world. New York: HarperTempest, 2005.