mbonvino's review against another edition
4.0
A captivating novel about coming of age. The main character Lizzie spins a tale of misunderstanding her best friend, while Megan Abbott portrays many relationships forming, breaking, ending during the novel. Hard to put down
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
There is some good writing here, beautiful depictions of that strange time in your life when you're not yet a teenager, and no longer a child. I used to be a 13-year-old girl, so I know Abbott captures that ambivalence and confusion perfectly. Perhaps that is why I found the parts that I couldn't relate to so disturbing. The two girls in the novel both have unhealthy obsessions with grown men, and although there may be explanations for that (absent father/charismatic, overbearing father) I thought the whole thing was unconvincing and horrifying.
The revelation about the true nature of the relationships between the characters and what really happened to Evie wasn't really a revelation at all. I'm not sure whether Abbott intended it to be or not, but I was confused because the whole thing played out pretty much as I had suspected. I mean, from the second you meet these people there are red flags popping up all over the place!
Writing about pre-teens, sexuality and abuse is going be difficult to pull off no matter who does it. I suppose Abbott does it well, but her novel left me feeling a little queasy.
The revelation about the true nature of the relationships between the characters and what really happened to Evie wasn't really a revelation at all. I'm not sure whether Abbott intended it to be or not, but I was confused because the whole thing played out pretty much as I had suspected. I mean, from the second you meet these people there are red flags popping up all over the place!
Writing about pre-teens, sexuality and abuse is going be difficult to pull off no matter who does it. I suppose Abbott does it well, but her novel left me feeling a little queasy.
pandasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
The End of Everything by Megan Abbott.
A deeply unsettling and profound story of girlhood and family.
The story is narrated by 13 year Lizzie following the disappearance of her best friend and neighbor Evie.
This isn't your typical mystery story. What follows is a complex and at times uncomfortable story which focuses on the impacts of the disappearance and changing relationships as a result. I dont want to spoil the plot but the subject matter does deal with complex adult situations described from the perspective and with the naivety of a young girl. Trigger warning for themes around sexual abuse.
The lyrical prose and style took me a while to get used to but I am so glad I stuck with it. The flowing, exaggeration and repetitive prose reminds me of that time in adolescence where everything is larger than life and dramatic. I think the author really nails this feeling.
I'm keen to read more by this author.
This is the kind of story that will stay with you long after finishing the last page.
Overall, a wonderful, thought provoking contemporary story with a unique lyrical style.
A deeply unsettling and profound story of girlhood and family.
The story is narrated by 13 year Lizzie following the disappearance of her best friend and neighbor Evie.
This isn't your typical mystery story. What follows is a complex and at times uncomfortable story which focuses on the impacts of the disappearance and changing relationships as a result. I dont want to spoil the plot but the subject matter does deal with complex adult situations described from the perspective and with the naivety of a young girl. Trigger warning for themes around sexual abuse.
The lyrical prose and style took me a while to get used to but I am so glad I stuck with it. The flowing, exaggeration and repetitive prose reminds me of that time in adolescence where everything is larger than life and dramatic. I think the author really nails this feeling.
I'm keen to read more by this author.
This is the kind of story that will stay with you long after finishing the last page.
Overall, a wonderful, thought provoking contemporary story with a unique lyrical style.
meghanng's review against another edition
3.0
This was a weird one. I liked the disturbing factor but it seemed like the author was trying too hard at times to write something "beautiful". Several instances where vague feelings were referenced in the italicized parts which I found annoying. Some of the characters just seemed too off their rockers/in the throes of nervous breakdown (Lizzie's last conversation with Pete- what was that?) and just came off over the top. In the end the pieces more or less fit together but it didn't happen very organically which is really what makes for suspense.
sarahbrarian's review against another edition
1.0
Initially I gave this book two stars because while it’s problematic it’s at least well written. The more I thought about it though this book is a piece of trash and awarding it one star is generous. The idea that a 13 year old is a willing participant in her abduction and sexual assault is abhorrent. The 13 year old also alleges that her “relationship” with the older man is ok because her older sister allegedly has a sexual relationship with their father, and that is fucked up. Avoid this garbage book. See also My Absolute Darling, another piece of shit book that attempts to normalize rape and violence and older men desiring sex with children.
drrawsonreads's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting writing style, story kept me turning the pages.
books_and_planners's review against another edition
3.0
This book was just ok for me. The plot was good...but had a bunch of unusual aspects as well. Like it had potential to be a really good crime/mystery, but was too focused on something else.
The writing style was not for me. I can’t quite describe it, but it was almost like the author tried too hard to be too descriptive or something? I mean, this is supposed to be from the perspective of a thirteen year old, yet I don’t know what teenage girl talks or thinks like this. I know I didn’t at thirteen.
So Lizzie’s friend Evie disappears one afternoon & Lizzie is trying to put the puzzle pieces together to help find her. Great plot to a crime story. There was just so much twisted into the story about the things Lizzie is feeling about her own body & strange interactions with grown men - I don’t know, it was just weird at times. I had several different hunches on what was really happening, waiting on some big twist, but what I was expecting never really happened. But maybe it could have? Some questions were left unanswered which drove me nuts.
Then you throw Evie’s older sister, Dusty, into the mix so it really makes things complex.
The plus side is this was a shorter book, so it was a pretty quick read.
The writing style was not for me. I can’t quite describe it, but it was almost like the author tried too hard to be too descriptive or something? I mean, this is supposed to be from the perspective of a thirteen year old, yet I don’t know what teenage girl talks or thinks like this. I know I didn’t at thirteen.
So Lizzie’s friend Evie disappears one afternoon & Lizzie is trying to put the puzzle pieces together to help find her. Great plot to a crime story. There was just so much twisted into the story about the things Lizzie is feeling about her own body & strange interactions with grown men - I don’t know, it was just weird at times. I had several different hunches on what was really happening, waiting on some big twist, but what I was expecting never really happened. But maybe it could have? Some questions were left unanswered which drove me nuts.
Then you throw Evie’s older sister, Dusty, into the mix so it really makes things complex.
The plus side is this was a shorter book, so it was a pretty quick read.
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I feel like this odd the kind of book Hitchcock might’ve made into a movie because it’s full of innuendos, and when everything is revealed, there’sa sick feeling in your stomach, because you knew all along but didn’t want to say it yourself - at least that’s how it was for me.
Just shy of four stars because parts of it dragged on too long.
Just shy of four stars because parts of it dragged on too long.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
sabregirl's review against another edition
4.0
I was wary that this was touted as the next Lovely Bones, but thank god it is far from that. Now I never read the book, but if Lord of the Rings taught me anything Peter Jackson doesn't stray from the book. And this is nothing like Lovely Bones. I was surprised at how 'honest' this book was about the tween/teenage experience of middle school going to high school. With the sexual thoughts and actions and how all the girls think they know just about everything. The lingering sexual talk and actions. Though some of the actions of Lizzie, especially toward Pete Shaw by giving him a gift after she gave him information seemed a bit too bold for something a 13 year old would do. Actually a lot of the actions that Lizzie did didn't really seem like it was plausible for someone that age. Not really sure how I should express the feelings about the rest of the book, it's kinda hard to formulate something thoughts about every thing in the book. Evie, wasn't taken but went willingly. Which honestly you could see with the way she was acting in Lizzie's flashbacks and how she acted that day after seeing Mr. Shaw's car driving by a couple of times. The big shock, came however, when Lizzie realizes that all of this should've happened to her! Mr. Shaw, like everyone else, at the time he rescued Lizzie from the lake mistook her for Evie because they looked exactly alike. I would've liked to have seen how Lizzie dealt with this revelation. I did kinda see Dusty's storyline coming, as she had the same plot but with her father. Except she thinks that her love with her Father is truer. I enjoyed this book, though a lot of what Lizzie did left me scratching my head. It was a book that I never wanted to put down because I had no idea what was going on and I wanted to find out.
m4marya's review against another edition
3.0
I was thinking that this book would be a good bus read, however I finished it that night. It was an easy book to read despite it being overly sentimental at times. The author does a brilliant job at describing the best friend relationship of two girls. That magical time before boys enter in when friendship is the most important thing in the world. It is a sweet and sad read, filled with nostalgia and sentimentality.