jnsa84's review against another edition
3.0
The first half of this book was so hard to put down. I was hooked from the very first line. This story is told from about 17 different perspectives, which towards the ending, got very repetitive for me. The ending seemed very disjointed. I was very disappointed when I finished, I thought I was going to absolutely love this book. Unfortunately, a let down.
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
I am always in awe of stories about troubled youths who went astray - especially those that revolve around suicide and massacres. It takes a certain kind of courage to delve into the mind of both the assailant and the victim. This is the story of how a loner of Middleborough High gunned down his fellow students at a pep rally before killing himself, leading to a chain of events with the people he was close to, and even people he barely had any connections with. The stories from various characters, ranging from his own sister, to the girl who rejected him, to the boy who bullied him and the boy who went to camp with him, juxtaposes the troubling effects of a chilling incident such as this. While it does not exactly carry the vein of suspense and heartbreak as Marieke Niijkamp's brilliant This is How it Ends, I was still impressed with the different stories in this novel, written by some brilliant YA authors. This is a truly wonderful reading experience.
scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
3.0
Miss Susie by Steve Brezenoff: 2.5
Violent Beginnings by Beth Revis: 4.5 One of the top stories following the aftermath and was just so interesting.
Survival Instinct by Tom Leveen: 3 A well done story.
The Greenest Grass by Delilah S. Dawson: 3 Such a great insight to Kirby but I didn't like the narrat0r.
First Feet by Maggie Gelbwasser: 2 Could not stand the narrator.
The Perfect Shot by Shaun David Hutchinson: 2.5 A little disappointing as this is one of my fave authors but I just can't emphasise with a stalker, though I really liked her dad.
The Girl Who Said No by Trish Doller: 2
Pop by Christine Johnson: 3
Presumed Destroyed by Neal and Brendan Shusterman: 3.5 Just bizzare, though nice to know what guns think lol.
The Second by Blythe Woolston: 3.5
Astroturf by E. M. Kokie: 3.5 I actually found this rather interesting.
Grooming Habits by Elisa Nader: 1.5 Why? Just why did this have to be in here?
Hypothetical Time Travel by Mindi Scott: 4.5 The best story of the collection following the family of the killer which I found
All's Well by Cynthia Leitich Smith: 3.5 I quite liked the narrator.
Burning Effigies by Kendare Blake: 2 This story just seemed pointless.
Holes by Hannah Moskowitz: 2.5
History Lessons by Courtney Summers: 2.5 So this follows a dick.
For a total of 2.73 so rounded up to 3.
Violent Beginnings by Beth Revis: 4.5 One of the top stories following the aftermath and was just so interesting.
Survival Instinct by Tom Leveen: 3 A well done story.
The Greenest Grass by Delilah S. Dawson: 3 Such a great insight to Kirby but I didn't like the narrat0r.
First Feet by Maggie Gelbwasser: 2 Could not stand the narrator.
The Perfect Shot by Shaun David Hutchinson: 2.5 A little disappointing as this is one of my fave authors but I just can't emphasise with a stalker, though I really liked her dad.
The Girl Who Said No by Trish Doller: 2
Pop by Christine Johnson: 3
Presumed Destroyed by Neal and Brendan Shusterman: 3.5 Just bizzare, though nice to know what guns think lol.
The Second by Blythe Woolston: 3.5
Astroturf by E. M. Kokie: 3.5 I actually found this rather interesting.
Grooming Habits by Elisa Nader: 1.5 Why? Just why did this have to be in here?
Hypothetical Time Travel by Mindi Scott: 4.5 The best story of the collection following the family of the killer which I found
All's Well by Cynthia Leitich Smith: 3.5 I quite liked the narrator.
Burning Effigies by Kendare Blake: 2 This story just seemed pointless.
Holes by Hannah Moskowitz: 2.5
History Lessons by Courtney Summers: 2.5 So this follows a dick.
For a total of 2.73 so rounded up to 3.
readabookorfive's review against another edition
4.0
Trigger warnings for school shooting, eating disorders, abuse, animal abuse, animal killed on page, grooming, drug misuse
Going into this book, I was so worried that they were going to humanise and give excuses for Kirby and what he did. For shooting up the school. But it didn't. Yes, it gave some backstory and context to Kirby as a character but really this book and the stories contained within weren't about Kirby at all. They were about the people surrounding it, they were about how it effects people. About the fact that you should think before you speak or you do something. It was such a hard read obviously considering the subject matter and I had to take a number of breaks because I just couldn't read anymore. I cried my eyes out at at least ten of the stories in Violent Ends and honestly I'm glad I read it. When you hear about these tragic events happening, you hear about the victims and the shooter, you never hear for example about the family of the shooter and what they go through, you don't hear about the people that have been around them in different points of their lives and this is what this book gives. The last story especially broke me.
So, despite four stars probably being lower than my average for the stories, I'm giving this book four stars because it made me feel so many things, I thought it was brilliantly put together and handled all of the subjects involved with respect.
Individual Ratings:
Miss Susie - 4/5
Violent Beginnings - 5/5
Survival Instinct - 4/5
The Greenest Grass - 4.5/5
Feet First - 4/5
The Perfect Shot - 2/5
The Girl Who Said No - 3.5/5
Pop - 3/5
Presumed Destroyed - 3/5
The Second - 2/5
Astroturf - 4/5
Grooming Habits - 3/5
Hypothetical time Travel - 5/5
All's Well - 3/5
Burning Effigies - 3/5
Holes - 3.5/5
History Lessons - 5/5
Going into this book, I was so worried that they were going to humanise and give excuses for Kirby and what he did. For shooting up the school. But it didn't. Yes, it gave some backstory and context to Kirby as a character but really this book and the stories contained within weren't about Kirby at all. They were about the people surrounding it, they were about how it effects people. About the fact that you should think before you speak or you do something. It was such a hard read obviously considering the subject matter and I had to take a number of breaks because I just couldn't read anymore. I cried my eyes out at at least ten of the stories in Violent Ends and honestly I'm glad I read it. When you hear about these tragic events happening, you hear about the victims and the shooter, you never hear for example about the family of the shooter and what they go through, you don't hear about the people that have been around them in different points of their lives and this is what this book gives. The last story especially broke me.
So, despite four stars probably being lower than my average for the stories, I'm giving this book four stars because it made me feel so many things, I thought it was brilliantly put together and handled all of the subjects involved with respect.
Individual Ratings:
Miss Susie - 4/5
Violent Beginnings - 5/5
Survival Instinct - 4/5
The Greenest Grass - 4.5/5
Feet First - 4/5
The Perfect Shot - 2/5
The Girl Who Said No - 3.5/5
Pop - 3/5
Presumed Destroyed - 3/5
The Second - 2/5
Astroturf - 4/5
Grooming Habits - 3/5
Hypothetical time Travel - 5/5
All's Well - 3/5
Burning Effigies - 3/5
Holes - 3.5/5
History Lessons - 5/5
ellanapton's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dsarbear's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Honestly, I felt like it was weird how sympathetic towards the shooter so many of the stories were. Definitely too many about someone in the school secretly admiring him. Also the one chapter relating gun control to keeping your dog from killing wildlife was really...not it. Overall I was expecting something more moving and impactful, something with more to say.
jamie_88's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
silvrlining's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hallecrider's review
4.0
it was an interesting novel. i didn't realize until the end that it was a novel written in seventeen points of view by SEVENTEEN DIFFERENT AUTHORS.
melissapalmer404's review
4.0
Book #21 Read in 2018
Violent Ends by many authors
A school shooting happens. This book is told by a different person each chapter. All relate to the school shooter and the shooting in some way. This is a powerful read and very timely. It shows that no one is all good or all bad. I would recommend this book to high school and adult readers.
Violent Ends by many authors
A school shooting happens. This book is told by a different person each chapter. All relate to the school shooter and the shooting in some way. This is a powerful read and very timely. It shows that no one is all good or all bad. I would recommend this book to high school and adult readers.