rxanne5's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Many people love this book, however, as much as I hate to say it, I didnt enjoy it so much.
It is very beautifully written and I do believe it's likeable. It was just a bit too 'less' for me. A lot happened in one location and that is something just not for me.
I did shed some tears at the end. This book also put me in a slump. But, I did finish it, and I do love other books by this author.
This was simply not for me, but I see many people connecting with it after lockdown.
There's a diverse cast (as I can recall, it has been quite a few months). I did like the characters way of thinking and it kept me curious how the book would continue. I think what makes people connect with this book is how there's this kind of lock down, and how these teenagers go about it in a beautiful way, and people connect with that. The characters try to survive. But I think for me, that is what threw me off, because I hate feeling like that. Still a solid three stars.
It is very beautifully written and I do believe it's likeable. It was just a bit too 'less' for me. A lot happened in one location and that is something just not for me.
I did shed some tears at the end. This book also put me in a slump. But, I did finish it, and I do love other books by this author.
This was simply not for me, but I see many people connecting with it after lockdown.
There's a diverse cast (as I can recall, it has been quite a few months). I did like the characters way of thinking and it kept me curious how the book would continue. I think what makes people connect with this book is how there's this kind of lock down, and how these teenagers go about it in a beautiful way, and people connect with that. The characters try to survive. But I think for me, that is what threw me off, because I hate feeling like that. Still a solid three stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Murder, Mental illness, Transphobia, and Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Gaslighting, Police brutality, and Abandonment
dreamingofreadingx's review
dark
emotional
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
I actually really enjoyed this book! At the End of Everything is about teenagers who are abandoned at Hope Juvenile Treatment Center. After a deadly plague takes over the world. Our group of teens has to figure out how to survive as food and supplies slowly dwindle and they realize no one is coming to help.
I was a bit worried that reading about a deadly disease would hit a little too close to home right now. But honestly it just felt relatable. Also this plague and their situation was just so much worse, that I felt a bit grateful. (Which I know sounds ridiculous to say).
I loved the representation in this book. We got to read from the POV of a non-binary character. Which I’m sad to say, I’ve never seen in any of the books I’ve ever read.
My favorite part about this book was watching all our characters grow so much. We got to see all our characters learning to work together and trust one another. Which is hard for a lot of them to do.
Overall, I would really recommend this book. Just please check trigger warnings first. At the End of Everything deals with a lot of dark themes.
Thank you so much Source Books Fire for the ARC!
*All opinions in this review are my own*
I was a bit worried that reading about a deadly disease would hit a little too close to home right now. But honestly it just felt relatable. Also this plague and their situation was just so much worse, that I felt a bit grateful. (Which I know sounds ridiculous to say).
I loved the representation in this book. We got to read from the POV of a non-binary character. Which I’m sad to say, I’ve never seen in any of the books I’ve ever read.
My favorite part about this book was watching all our characters grow so much. We got to see all our characters learning to work together and trust one another. Which is hard for a lot of them to do.
Overall, I would really recommend this book. Just please check trigger warnings first. At the End of Everything deals with a lot of dark themes.
Thank you so much Source Books Fire for the ARC!
*All opinions in this review are my own*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Racism, Blood, and Gun violence
anniereads221's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book now holds a special place in my heart
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Mental illness, Transphobia, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Ableism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Death, Deadnaming, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
Eugenics Imprisonmentsarahmreads's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As a avid middle school reader, I was obsessed with Marieke Nijkamp's story This is Where it Ends, a story about a school shooting. When I was sent her newest book, I knew I would fall in love with it.
The Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is home to a wide array of teens who have all been punished under criminal law. Their lives change when the guards suddenly disappear, and a deadly infectious plague threatens everything they know. Now the kids of Hope have to fight to survive in a world that doesn't want to remember them.
Nijkamp wrote this in the midst of them recovering from COVID, so a lot of the symptoms and causes of the plague in the story resembles a lot of what COVID did to our society, but on a much worse scale. This includes food rations, plague signs on doors, and even to the point where the hospitals have to eventually decide who to accept and who to let die. It's terrifying. So if you have been severely impacted by the pandemic and find it triggering, I'd steer clear of this book.
The plot very much reminded me of an apocalyptic dystopian story. The plot absolutely reflected that, and as a result a lot of things I expected but wasn't sure in what order to get them in. One thing that I wish there was a little bit more focus on was the whole thing of racial profiling. It was only ever dropped like once or twice. However, I am also glad that it wasn't a major focus. Nijkamp in her author's note explains that she made the main characters of the story white because she knew that, as a white author, she didn't want to take space away from an author of color who could talk about this more in depth and that it isn't her full story to tell. Instead, they recommended a bunch of books by authors of color to read as well as other books about incarceration, which I really loved!
The representation in the book was SOLID! Emerson is the nonbinary of the group and I loved them! You get a lot about their backstory and their relationship with their parents before their incarceration, and I really related to it. I myself have a rough relationship with religion and my identity and sexuality because of parents turning it against me, so I saw myself a lot in what Emerson did. I liked Grace, and I think it was mentioned she might be aroace (aromantic asexual), but I also liked she might have had a closer bond with Casey. However I do wish that was build upon more. There were a few lesbians and people of color as well.
At the End of Everything is a fast-paced look at how our pandemic could have gone much worse, with some great representation. Marieke Nijkamp does it again, and I highly recommend any of their books.
I received a physical ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Fire. Thank you to the publisher, and any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is home to a wide array of teens who have all been punished under criminal law. Their lives change when the guards suddenly disappear, and a deadly infectious plague threatens everything they know. Now the kids of Hope have to fight to survive in a world that doesn't want to remember them.
Nijkamp wrote this in the midst of them recovering from COVID, so a lot of the symptoms and causes of the plague in the story resembles a lot of what COVID did to our society, but on a much worse scale. This includes food rations, plague signs on doors, and even to the point where the hospitals have to eventually decide who to accept and who to let die. It's terrifying. So if you have been severely impacted by the pandemic and find it triggering, I'd steer clear of this book.
The plot very much reminded me of an apocalyptic dystopian story. The plot absolutely reflected that, and as a result a lot of things I expected but wasn't sure in what order to get them in. One thing that I wish there was a little bit more focus on was the whole thing of racial profiling. It was only ever dropped like once or twice. However, I am also glad that it wasn't a major focus. Nijkamp in her author's note explains that she made the main characters of the story white because she knew that, as a white author, she didn't want to take space away from an author of color who could talk about this more in depth and that it isn't her full story to tell. Instead, they recommended a bunch of books by authors of color to read as well as other books about incarceration, which I really loved!
The representation in the book was SOLID! Emerson is the nonbinary of the group and I loved them! You get a lot about their backstory and their relationship with their parents before their incarceration, and I really related to it. I myself have a rough relationship with religion and my identity and sexuality because of parents turning it against me, so I saw myself a lot in what Emerson did. I liked Grace, and I think it was mentioned she might be aroace (aromantic asexual), but I also liked she might have had a closer bond with Casey. However I do wish that was build upon more. There were a few lesbians and people of color as well.
At the End of Everything is a fast-paced look at how our pandemic could have gone much worse, with some great representation. Marieke Nijkamp does it again, and I highly recommend any of their books.
I received a physical ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Fire. Thank you to the publisher, and any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Transphobia, Police brutality, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, Animal death, Ableism, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual violence
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