Glasgow, 2025. Dr Amanda Maclean is called to treat a young man with a mild fever. Within three hours he dies. The mysterious illness sweeps through the hospital with deadly speed. This is how it begins.
The victims are all men.
Dr Maclean raises the alarm, but the sickness spreads to every corner of the globe. Threatening families. Governments. Countries.
Can they find a cure before it’s too late? Will this be the story of the end of the world – or its salvation?
Compelling, confronting and devastating, The End of Men is the novel that everyone is talking about.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Wow! The End of Men was absolutely riveting! The current pandemic definitely impacted how I related to the story as there were lots of little impacts of the ‘Plague’ that cut very close to home. Even though the ‘plague’ in the story was unlikely to be scientifically possible this did not bother me at all. Mainly because it set up a storyline and multiple dilemmas that were fascinating to explore. I really enjoyed how the focus of the book started with more individual and personal stories and then fanned out as the book progressed, moving from personal to world-changing and then ultimately coming back to the personal again. To me, this is a perfect book for book clubs as there are infinite aspects and scenarios to discuss. This book was a page-turner that really resonated with me due to how it intersects with many of our current world events and challenges. It was definitely thought-provoking and will stay with me for some time to come. Virginia, NSW, 5 Stars
Thank you for the privilege of reviewing The End of Men. It was confronting and tragic. The author portrayed each character extremely well. I could almost feel their pain and anxiousness. This story will stay with me a long long time and one I shall recommend to my book club friends. Valerie, WA, 5 Stars
This is a book you cannot put down. Amanda and Elizabeth, two women from opposite sides of the world, have identified that the virus is a worldwide concern and are shocked by the lack of urgency from leading authorities. Every aspect of how such an event unfolds is covered from a personal and professional perspective, each one contributing in their respective areas of expertise. I loved this story. Ann, NSW, 5 Stars
The End of Men is an addictive apocalyptic story of a plague that affects men. It is gut-wrenching, shocking and an emotional roller coaster. You won’t want to put it down. Stacey, QLD, 5 Stars
Wow! This book is so eerie. In 2018, before any of us had even thought or heard about a pandemic like Covid-19, Christina Sweeney-Baird started writing The End Of Men, in which a virus sweeps the world killing only men. This book seems so close to home in this current world we live in. The hunt for a vaccine, death and having to stay home away from people is something relatable. I was impressed with this book and recommend it. Thanks Better Reading for this copy to read and review. Renee, QLD, 5 Stars
I absolutely loved this book. The first of the novels to come with Covid-19 as their influence. Loved that in this case, it was only the men affected by the virus… how will the women save the world. Petrina, QLD, 5 Stars
I was totally mesmerised by this book from the first to the very last page. The fact that it was written pre-Covid beggars belief. What an eerily accurate, insightful account of a pandemic and how those involved at its epicentre have been affected and cope. Had I read it before Covid, I suspect I would have perceived the plot as being a bit far-fetched, however having lived through a similar experience on a much smaller and less devastating scale, this novel thoroughly resonated with me. I love how the story was told from a range of different perspectives which held my interest right till the end. Highly recommend this well-written, thought-provoking book. Justine, NSW, 5 Stars
Nearly had a panic attack when reading the first few chapters of this book! Life imitating art or what! A little too similar to what we are all currently experiencing, namely the Covid Pandemic! But just imagine if it was to wipe out all the men and leave just the women! You’ve got to read this book and see the consequences of such a possibility. Melanie, VIC, 5 Stars
The End of Men is a pandemic thriller that is quite relatable considering the current pandemic the world finds itself in. The book is set in the not too distant future and a pandemic that has begun in Scotland that is killing only men. The book is written from a number of different perspectives and looks at what a world would look like without men. It is a face past, easy enjoyable read that holds your attention the whole way through. Meaghan, ACT, 4 Stars
The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird was extremely well-written and very thought-provoking. Being written in several voices was fantastic as the reader is able to view the thoughts and feelings of the pandemic on different levels. It was just a shame that it was released during a pandemic. Previously, I wouldn’t have questioned the medical and scientific side of the pandemic tearing men away from our lives, but living in a pandemic ourselves I began to question some scenarios and saw them as very far-fetched to what we’re experiencing now. This aside, it is a fantastic read even for a mum of three boys! Katrina, QLD, 4 Stars
Thank you to Better Reading and Harper Collins for an ARC of this debut novel by author, Christina Sweeney-Baird. I very much enjoyed reading this book which caused me, as the reader, to ask what our world would truly look like without men. It’s not a world I would want to be part of. It felt rather strange to be reading a book about a pandemic during a pandemic, (albeit the book was written before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold). This was a strange virus in that it only infected the male population. It was first realised in Glasgow that they were dealing with an unknown virus and not just another strain of flu. I was born in Glasgow and spent my childhood there so I felt a bit nostalgic whilst reading this novel. I was also intrigued on Day 63 to find Scotland now being referred to as The Independent Republic of Scotland. The book fits in the category of Speculative fiction. It could also be called Dystopian. It dealt with themes of loss and resilience, and how the loss of men brought changes to society and meant that women not only had to deal with the loss of husbands and sons but also had to get involved in occupations that before were chiefly the domain of men. I enjoyed the book and found it quite an addictive read, in spite of finding it hard towards the end to keep track of all the characters. Ruth, WA, 4 Stars
If Christina Sweeney-Baird’s book were written two years ago, it would probably be classed as Science Fiction and sit alongside John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids. But there is no extraterrestrial force here. The virus mysteriously killing off much of the male population is haunting, like the pandemic that preyed on the elderly in 2020. The End of Men tells a series of harrowing stories of grief. The mother of one child, Catherine, is desperate to have another child but loses her only son and husband. Similar stories of loss are played out across the world. Amanda, working in the A&E department of a major Glasgow hospital, is the first to discover the devastating impact of the virus. Despite an abundance of evidence, she has trouble getting anyone to take her seriously. Despite the individual tales of grief, the book has many heroes. The human characters seem all the more real as we feel we have read their stories in the media over the past year. With the benefit of hindsight, Sweeney-Baird gets some aspects of the pandemic ‘wrong’. For example, a vaccine is only considered worthwhile if it is 100 per cent effective. But this is a minor quibble! Roger, VIC, 4 Stars
This book was eerily prophetic and a great read. Set from 2025 until 2031 it begins in Scotland where there is a flu-like viral outbreak. Sound familiar? This virus is so similar to the current Covid-19 virus, except for one major difference, it only kills males. The author started the book in 2018 which is why it is eerie reading how similar the book is compared to the current pandemic. I liked the chapter lengths, not too long or short, and each chapter has a title about a different character set in a different country. There are quite a few characters, but at least you know which one you are reading about. I found it really interesting how women had to adapt to life without men. Most had to learn a new trade while coping with grief. The remaining men had to deal with being a rare, sought after species and, wait for it…. being pursued and sometimes sexually harassed by women. I found the book quite engrossing in places and hard to put down at times. Tracy, WA, 4 Stars
This was a quick and very interesting read. The time jumps and switching up of the narrators meant the story went quickly and it was easy to maintain interest. I highly recommend it! It’s just a shame the title is terrible. Belinda, NSW, 4 Stars
I was hesitant before reading this book – do I really want to read about a global pandemic when we are already in one? The difference with this pandemic is that it only targets men. I was curious so dove in. Initially, I felt a little disjointed as each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character and you discover their stories as you move through the book. Once I adjusted to this, I was drawn in by these very different perspectives. There is the Emergency doctor, Amanda, who is jumping up and down trying to warn the world of the impending pandemic but no one is listening. Catherine, an anthropologist, who is terrified for her husband and son. She also knows she has an obligation to record what is happening, to record and remember for those who come after. Lisa, a researcher working on a vaccine and accelerating her career on the shoulders of others. Euon, Patient Zero, the source of the pandemic and his story reveals how and why he caught the disease that is destroying half of the world’s population – the simplicity of this is unnerving and not too far from what we saw in 2020. Jamie – a young boy who spends the pandemic isolated from his family and the impact this has on him – does he make it? Toby, stuck on a ship off the coast of Iceland writes heartfelt letters to his wife Frances who is back in the UK – how long can he and the other passengers survive? There is also another narrative weaving through this book – what would this world look like if it was dominated by women? Would there be more collaboration, would the remaining men finally understand how women have been marginalised for centuries? Now that men do not have the dominant voice, how will women govern? So many questions and a different perspective to be considered – what would the world be like if women were in charge? A compelling read. Lee, NSW, 4 Stars
I enjoyed reading this book and found it interesting to keep wanting to read. It did make me wonder if this is what was happening in China at the beginning of Covid-19, with disbelief. I feel it would have been better to have fewer characters and spend more time with them to build rapport and experience their loss more greatly. Also, I feel it would be a benefit to change the title of the book. Virginia, NSW, 3 Stars
I enjoyed this book immensely. Thought-provoking and also a rather scary thought that a virus could hit that affects one sex only – and even scarier to think that those in charge weren’t listening when informed about it. Something for us all to think about, especially in the current state of play. Donna, VIC, 3 Stars
The latest statistics in the global fight against Covid-19 reached a terrifying and heartbreaking pinnacle of 3 million deaths just yesterday. As we continue to live through this worldwide pandemic and we work through issues such as vaccine rates and travel, we now have fictional representations of similar plague-like viruses hitting bookstores. The End of Men is Christina Sweeney-Baird’s debut speculative fiction piece. The End of Men is set in the very near future, in the year 2025. Within the pages of this thrilling book, the reader learns of the initial origins of this flu-like disease, which is first detected in Scotland, killing only males – of any age. As this terrifying disease travels across the globe, the author draws in a number of different perspectives to outline the various stages of this devastating pandemic. Despite the shifts in viewpoints and locations, the same messages are abundantly clear, this is a disease that will change the course of history, alter society as we know it and induce catastrophic loss. This one hit just a little too close to home for me to say I enjoyed it, but it is a veritable tale nonetheless. Amanda, WA, 3 Stars
It was fascinating to explore a scenario where 90% of the male population in the world died in less than two years because the consequences of only men dying are utterly different from the consequences of everyone dying indiscriminately. I also enjoyed how, weirdly enough, the author’s pandemic is quite similar to our own in many ways, making it effortless to relate to events in the novel. The author does a remarkable job at writing the pandemic experience from several points of view, allowing the reader to experience how different female characters cope with the loss of husbands, fathers, sons and friends. However, I must remark that an overwhelming number of perspectives also took a toll and made it hard to connect with certain characters, even though this structure favoured the omnipresent narration. Overall, The End of Men was an entertaining and thought-provoking take on a global pandemic somehow similar yet quite different from Covid-19. It is definitely food for thought, as it made me reflect and ponder about a world where the roles are reversed, and men are physically afraid of women. I would recommend it to readers curious enough about an interesting take on a pandemic. Camila, NSW, 3 Stars
Wow, this is so similar to real-life at the moment! A virus is spreading but it only affects men. This book is fast-paced and an easy read though I did feel at times it was very similar to real-life currently. An easy read, not to be missed. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in a short sitting. Claire, VIC, 3 Stars
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