A World Without Summer

A volcanic eruption plunges the world into chaos, inspiring a legendary tale of creation and destruction.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 1,106 ratings

304 pages· 34,098 words· Est. 4 hour read

$19.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

On a quiet Indonesian island, the Tambora volcano erupts, casting the world into darkness and chaos. As the climate shifts unpredictably, a young Mary Shelley finds inspiration in the turmoil, crafting the iconic tale of Frankenstein. This gripping narrative explores the catastrophic impact of nature's fury and the unforeseen consequences of human actions. Can humanity learn from the past, or are we doomed to repeat it? Dive into a world where the sky rains ash and the sun refuses to shine, and discover the story of a disaster that reshaped history and literature.

From the publisher

The true story of how a massive catastrophic eruption plunged the world into darkness, altering the global climate and inspiring the likes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein–from the award-winning author of The Mona Lisa Vanishes and featuring black-and-white illustrations throughout.”A tour-de-force for our times . . . At once a heart-stopping tale of climate change and a profoundly hopeful call to action.”–Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal winner for The One and Only Ivan A ROBERT F. SIBERT HONOR BOOK - A YALSA EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION FINALIST - A SCBWI GOLDEN KITE AWARD FINALIST - ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Horn Book, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, The Boston Globe The world was upside-down. The wind was fire. The sky was ash. The rain was rock. A couple of hundred years ago, on a quiet Indonesian island, a volcano called Tambora erupted with a force and violence that changed history. It tore apart the island, and in the months and years that followed, its fallout tore apart the world. The sun refused to shine; the rain refused to stop. Everything that everyone assumed would always be there–a world that made sense, a climate that made sense–was suddenly gone. From this riot of thunder and lightning, a young woman named Mary Shelley conceived of a scientist and his cursed creature. From the nightmare of Tambora, she wrote a nightmare of a book: Frankenstein–a terrifying reminder of how much damage we humans might do, without even realizing it. This is the story of a volcano that changed the world and a creature that changed us. Once upon a time, everything was different. And no one knew if it would ever be the same. In this masterful work, Nicholas Day, author of the Sibert Award-winning The Mona Lisa Vanishes, brings us a story taken from the archives but seemingly scripted for us today: a tale of climate change and human folly and hope–and what happens when the world suddenly goes wrong.