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vacantbones's review against another edition
2.0
I've loved Megan Abbott's work for years, devouring each new release as it hits the shelves, but The End of Everything was my blindspot, a book that I hadn't even known existed until I stumbled upon it in the stacks. There's something electric about finding a book you've missed by an author you adore. Unfortunately, this one was a total crash and burn for me.
I can appreciate that Abbott is trying to tell a story here that really digs into the wound that is being a (barely) teenage girl. She truly captures the mind of a young girl, that sense of knowing everything and being desperate to fill a hole that you've always known existed. But Abbott's flowery, beautiful, polarizing way of writing just didn't mesh with the narrator, in my opinion. Lizzie is really, really tough to like, and while a likable narrator is far from important for a story to be good, it just greatly hindered my ability to sink into the narrative. It's typical of a 13 year-old girl to make something so large and awful about herself because she truly does not know better, sure, but Lizzie's way of framing the story was off-putting to me and I found myself tired of reading through the eyes of someone whose lies and deceit are met with no consequence.
I also found the way that the story is, at its heart, about the relationships between young women and the men they put at the center of their world, to be well-written and heartbreaking, but in many ways it was disturbing without delivering the things that make so many of us dive into books that we know will churn our stomachs. The way that The End of Everything is, essentially, about three girls in relation to Mr. Verver, just didn't click with me. Truthfully, I think that this has to do with Abbott's way of writing - it's haunting, and poetic, and I could read it for days straight, but the way in which she often leads us to read between the lines left this particular plot feeling empty at times.
I deeply wish that I loved this one, but I knew it was too good to be true that I hadn't found a book I didn't love by this author.
I can appreciate that Abbott is trying to tell a story here that really digs into the wound that is being a (barely) teenage girl. She truly captures the mind of a young girl, that sense of knowing everything and being desperate to fill a hole that you've always known existed. But Abbott's flowery, beautiful, polarizing way of writing just didn't mesh with the narrator, in my opinion. Lizzie is really, really tough to like, and while a likable narrator is far from important for a story to be good, it just greatly hindered my ability to sink into the narrative. It's typical of a 13 year-old girl to make something so large and awful about herself because she truly does not know better, sure, but Lizzie's way of framing the story was off-putting to me and I found myself tired of reading through the eyes of someone whose lies and deceit are met with no consequence.
I also found the way that the story is, at its heart, about the relationships between young women and the men they put at the center of their world, to be well-written and heartbreaking, but in many ways it was disturbing without delivering the things that make so many of us dive into books that we know will churn our stomachs. The way that The End of Everything is, essentially, about three girls in relation to Mr. Verver, just didn't click with me. Truthfully, I think that this has to do with Abbott's way of writing - it's haunting, and poetic, and I could read it for days straight, but the way in which she often leads us to read between the lines left this particular plot feeling empty at times.
I deeply wish that I loved this one, but I knew it was too good to be true that I hadn't found a book I didn't love by this author.
jenntucci2's review against another edition
2.0
Spoiler
Really conflicted about this book. I wanted to like it. It reels you in like a good mystery and promises drama between teen girls. The writing is beautiful. What we get instead is weird misplaced sexual tension between every male character and a female character of choice, often with overlaps. The story focuses on more of the “relationship” (which goes unexplained) between the protagonist and her missing best friend/neighbor’s father. They dance and there’s innuendos and touching and i’m confused what this has to do with plot? It’s about a missing girl and uncovering secrets about her. And the secrets are that she liked the attention from a creepy, perverted middle aged man because she’s a child and doesn’t understand the dangers?I can’t decide if this is supposed to disgust us because this is supposedly a 13 year old’s perspective on a situation and she’s vulnerable and doesn’t realize the consequences. If so, i don’t think it was written to show that. I think it would have been beneficial to have someone step in and show the girls this is not okay. Calling it love and treating it like it’s consensual is gross and impossible. Talking about how sick people like this exist, addressing the problem for what it is instead of leaving it hanging.
if that’s the intention, there needs to be some conclusion other than: i willingly went with him and he loved me and i gave him my virginity and it was consensual but it hurt. This is not okay.
For the pros, the writing is amazing. Pacing is good and suspenseful. Wish the story also focused on the protagonist and her inner thoughts, her family, memories maybe etc rather than her love of the girl’s father. Overall, I’m just conflicted.
leky_b's review against another edition
1.75
I read this quickly because I wanted to get it over and done with. It’s a thriller, which naturally draws you in, but I’m a little worried for Miss Abbott’s mind. I don’t want to include any spoilers but my first thought upon finishing was…. that was weird…
This book is a walk through the mind of a thirteen year old, which could explain the childishness and disturbing lack of grip on reality. It may be that our girl Meg expects her adult audience to draw their own conclusions at the end of the novel, however I am a little alarmed at how likely it seems that she may have just romanticised paedophilia… no kisses for you this time
This book is a walk through the mind of a thirteen year old, which could explain the childishness and disturbing lack of grip on reality. It may be that our girl Meg expects her adult audience to draw their own conclusions at the end of the novel, however I am a little alarmed at how likely it seems that she may have just romanticised paedophilia… no kisses for you this time
bookhoarder76's review against another edition
2.0
:sigh: I really thought this book was going to be so much better than it actually was. I am only giving it a 2 because it was so well written. I was totally sucked in due to the writing and finished the book otherwise I would have put it down. I'm never a fan of reading detailed things about pedophiles but then to make it out that the young girls are "into it" :shiver: it was just awful. I'm thoroughly disgusted now and need to read something to cleanse my brain.
verycoolgirl's review against another edition
Yea, I was not a fan of this one. I am not sure if it is because of the writing or the disturbing content or a combo of the two. I am a big fan of most of Megan Abbott's other work and I think you can tell this is the first book she wrote in this genre. The narrator being a 13-year-old girl just wasn't believable to me and that might've been what bothered me about the writing. It was just WEIRD and I like weird books but this was just a bit too weird for me I guess. I will note it is impressive how disturbing a book that never explicitly described anything could be. The cryptic tone was both a negative and positive aspect.
zoer03's review against another edition
4.0
This is such a powerful, disturbing novel of teenage girls passions, obsessions and how it can ultimately lead to tragic and strange consequences. How the adults can be more stranger and vulnerable than their children and that girls no matter their age are dangerous and fascinating creatures.
steppingthroughpages's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
samhoward's review against another edition
4.0
It is so impressive how much Megan Abbott fit into a short novel like this. It is equally impressive how well she writes about being a 13 year-old-girl in the midwest. But at this point it's common knowledge that Abbott does these things well, it just doesn't cease to amaze. Each page was dripping with a quiet suspense that I loved.
The bursting feelings of the platonic love of friendship, the draw of the one family in the neighborhood that seems perfect yet mysterious, how small and big the world can seem all at once, and the deep, deep yearning of wanted to be loved and paid attention to are all tended to lovingly and frighteningly in this book.
The bursting feelings of the platonic love of friendship, the draw of the one family in the neighborhood that seems perfect yet mysterious, how small and big the world can seem all at once, and the deep, deep yearning of wanted to be loved and paid attention to are all tended to lovingly and frighteningly in this book.
mollyfy's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ohsnaplez's review against another edition
2.0
I've loved everything else I've read so far by Megan Abbott, but this really missed the mark for me. Not because of the subject matter, which is relentlessly dark, but because I just didn't find her writing style translating well in this one. I frankly found it a little uninteresting. But I will be reading more by Ms. Abbott, I think she's fantastic and really unique.