The End of the Day

The End of the Day by Claire North is a thoughtful exploration of life, death, and humanity. There's very little plot, but this story offers significant insight into modern political issues and the human race as a whole.

Charlie is the harbinger of Death. Sometimes he comes as a courtesy and sometimes he comes as a warning, though he's never really sure which.

I honestly don't think I've ever read a book with so little plot. This is not an action-heavy story. The best way I can describe the plot is that it's a collection of stories chronicling Charlie's experiences as the harbinger of death. His work takes him all over the world and allows him to meet people from every walk of life.

I almost hesitate to call this a “slice of life” book, since that typically means the plot is secondary to a cast of complex and compelling characters. I'd say this is better described as “slice of humanity.”

GIven the unique nature of this book, there are not many characters that are explored in depth. Other than Charlie, you will probably not find yourself wholeheartedly committed to most of the character encountered in this story. Even so, every character feels like a living person. Side characters that barely get any page time are well-written and pop of the page after only a couple of sentences.

One of the unique aspects of Claire North's writing is the dialogue. Very few authors can write dialogue in a way that sounds like characters are living, breathing people. North excels at this, crafting conversations that may not always feel linear or coherent, but always feel real.

This is not a quck-paced book. Each scene is loosely connected to the scene that came before, and the plot is almost nonexistent. This is a book that explores ideas and people.

I can say with some certainty that this is a book I will be thinking about for quite a while. It shines a spotlight on both the highs and lows of humanity and explores some powerful themes. Subjects like racism, poverty, and war were explored side by side with current events like Brexit, illegal immigration, and equal rights movements.

I enjoyed this book a lot, but I can easily see why others might dislike it. Ideas and character are the main focus, with plot left as an afterthought. Even so, I was never bored.