120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 Auckland Bookstore • Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

The Stranding

AS SEEN ON BBC2'S BEHIND THE COVERS WITH SARA COX
4.19 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 5,367 ratings, 601 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Stranding by Kate Sawyer is a gripping tale of survival and hope set in a dystopian future. The story follows a woman's journey in the aftermath of a global disaster, as she navigates a world where life as she knew it no longer exists. Amidst the chaos, she seeks refuge with a stranger, forging unexpected bonds while confronting her past and contemplating the future.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Stranding. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to stories of survival and resilience set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop. It explores themes of hope, connection, and starting anew, focusing on a woman's struggle to find meaning and companionship in a changed world. If you appreciate character-driven narratives with a speculative twist, this tale offers a unique and thought-provoking journey.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

An award-winning novel of love, loss and hope about a woman who hides from the end of the world in the belly of a whale.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
WINNER OF THE FICTION PRIZE AT THE EAST ANGLIAN BOOK AWARDS

'A terrific debut. Brave, unexpected... transfixing and captivating... full of hope, resilience and love.' THE SUNDAY TIMES

"Holds the big within the small, the intimate within the epic" - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies

'A captivating read' THE SUN

'GORGEOUS and original and captivating' - Marian Keyes, international bestselling author of Grown Ups

'A story that is powerfully familiar and yet utterly original.' - Afua Hirsch

'A captivating read... (a) beautiful, surprising novel' FABULOUS

'A novel that has stayed with me for weeks afterwards . . . Perceptive and unflinching' - Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist

'A quiet, piercing contemplation on what really matters when it comes to the end of the world. Strange and beautiful' - Abigail Dean, author of Girl A

'Beautiful and harrowing but also optimistic and extremely moving . . . a truly arresting depiction of an unlikely relationship' - Clover Stroud, author of The Wild Other

'I didn't want this book to end. It blew me away, and moved me beyond belief' - Bryony Gordon, author of Mad Girl

EVERY ENDING IS A NEW BEGINNING.

Ruth is ignoring the news. Like most people, she has relationship problems, job stress, friends and family who need her. Ruth has a life.

But the news is about to catch up with Ruth, and her problems are going to be swept away...along with the rest of the world.

Only when the comforts and complications of her old existence are gone, does Ruth finally realise how she might be able to live to the fullest.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Stranding by Kate Sawyer has been praised for its beautiful writing and original storytelling, capturing the readers with its exploration of human relationships and resilience in an apocalyptic setting. Reviewers describe it as powerful, atmospheric, and moving, with dual timelines that enhance its compelling narrative. This debut has been noted for its thought-provoking themes and emotional depth, leaving a lasting impression on readers.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529340686

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 May 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Coronet Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Kate Sawyer worked as an actor and producer, and wrote several short films before turning her hand to fiction. Her debut novel, The Stranding, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, won the East Anglian fiction prize, was adapted for BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime and is being developed for TV by Fremantle and Afua Hirsch's production company Born In Me.

Kate is the host of Novel Experience, a weekly podcast where she talks to authors about their writing practices and the experiences that brought them to, through and beyond publication.

After twenty years living in London, she recently returned to her native East Anglia, where, as a solo mother by choice, she lives with her young daughter.

Also by Kate Sawyer

View all
  • Getting Away
    "Gripping - and profound... Kate Sawyer has a great gift for capturing the tiny details that tell us everything about a person or dynamic." -- Marian Keyes Margaret Smith is at the beach. It is a summer day unlike any other Margaret has ever known. The Smith family have left the town where they live and work and go to...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • This Family
    'Friendship, rivalry, infidelity and the love that binds them all together are unpacked in this ambitious, immersive and beautifully written story.' RED 'Every nuance of mothers and daughters and sister relationships is vividly explored. Beautifully written, it expertly weaves the past with the present, building the tension, so you have to turn the pages' GEORGINA MOORE 'Intriguing, gripping, moving -...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Sci-Fi & Fantasy

View all
  • The Sixth Nik
    New Release
    The Sixth Nik
    Daniel Kraus, 2026 Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Angel Down and soon-to-be-a-film Whalefall, returns with The Sixth Nik, a galaxy spanning, genre-blending scifi literary horror, for fans of Ursula K Le Guin and the Alien franchise. Deep into space, far past the triworld outposts, beyond range of the lethal trollbot internet, soars The Sickness: a ship woven from biomatter and capable...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Massif
    New Release
    Massif
    Caught me a mountain Rode it to the stars It's business as usual for Ship Leader Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the corvette Sassafras. Ride a Massif to a new system, fight the enemy, repeat. For more than two hundred years, humans have been hitching rides on these sentient, starfaring mountain ranges, colonising planets and exporting an on-again, off-again...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    New Release
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer Book Two in Shirtaloon's wildly popular LitRPG series. The path from retail middle management to interdimensional wizard adventurer wasn't easy, but Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone, competing for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Scion
    ‘Scion’ is an electrifying sci-fi thriller that follows a contract killer tasked with protecting a scientist from assassination, only to find himself in the crosshairs. My name’s Azure. I kill rich idiots for a living. All completely legal, of course, even if it does still make the old-fashioned crowd a bit uncomfortable. Once the ultra-wealthy realised they had a way...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    10% off
    The Strength of the Few
    The highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many—one of 2023's most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels. The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Crossroads of Ravens
    THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON RETURNS... Every legend has an origin - and Geralt of Rivia's begins here. In this brand-new chapter of Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series, follow Geralt in his earliest days as a Witcher, as he faces monsters and humans alike. Discover the untold stories and encounters that shaped the iconic character known today. Crossroads of Ravens brings readers into...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Ministry of Time
    One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times A book of the year for the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine 'A sparkling delight' Observer 'Make room on your bookshelves...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Assassin’s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • I Who Have Never Known Men
    A haunting, heartbreaking tale of female friendship and intimacy that evokes the chilling atmospheres of The Handmaid's Tale and the desolate landscapes of The Road, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman is a story that lingers long after the last page is turned. This gripping narrative takes us deep underground, where thirty-nine women are held in isolation...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Colour Illustrated Hobbit
    The Colour Illustrated Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is a timeless classic that has enchanted readers for generations. This beloved tale follows Bilbo Baggins, a peace-loving hobbit from the quaint and picturesque Shire, who finds himself thrust into an epic journey far from the comforts of his cosy home. Charming and lively illustrations by Jemima Catlin breathe new life...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!