Skip to content
Maria Takolander in Conversation episode artwork

Jul 10, 2026 29 min

Maria Takolander in Conversation

from The Readings Podcast Hosted by Readings Books

In this episode, a conversation with novelist and poet Maria Takolander, author of The End of Romance, a new work of dystopian fiction. It is the future, and the earth has seemingly refused to cooperate with humanity, producing only thorn-bearing plants and caustic fogs in abundance. Life is hard for those who still inhabit urban communities. For those who have chosen to live ‘off-grid’ it is subsistence at best, but at least there is some kind of independence. A woman and her son live alone, surviving as scavengers. Even so, the boy must attend military school like all the other boys. In time he will be shipped off with the rest of them to a distant planet – the Promised Land – to fight the colonising war that is touted as humanity’s only hope. By chance, the woman meets a young man who has avoided this fate, despite his lack of physical impairment. It appears that he comes from a place of sanctuary. Can he lead her back there – and help her to save her son? In taut, evocative prose, Maria Takolander has conjured an eerie and compelling story of desolation and hope that resonates in the imagination. Enjoyed what you heard? Click here to purchase the book: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781925355093/the-end-of-romance--maria-takolander--2026--9781925355093

Episode details come from the podcast's RSS feed.

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Maria Takolander in Conversation

0:00 29:32

No transcript yet.

Requests help us decide what to transcribe next.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this episode of The Readings Podcast?

This episode is 29 minutes long.

When was this The Readings Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on July 10, 2026.

Can I download this The Readings Podcast episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.