A review by deedoodah98
At The End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp

challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

✧ L E T M E S U M M A R I S E ✧

At the End of Everything follows several young adults at the end of the world as we know it. Plague has broken out, people are dying and there’s no medications that can beat the disease. Left unattended and without any aide other than that which was already existing, the teens of Hope Juvenile Treatment Centre have two options. Leave the centre in hopes of finding food and safety away from the plague, or staying put and attempting to survive while they can.


✧ W H A T W O R K E D W E L L ✧

Considering the whole Coronavirus pandemic, the book provided quite an honest portrayal of the fear and mass hysterics that follow the outbreak of a pandemic. I felt like I was reliving early 2020 memories at the start of the book, and the confusion and concern hits you quite quickly. It’s raw and honest – harrowing for those of us who did lose someone we love to the pandemic. I really enjoyed the plot and the idea that these teens who had already been rejected by society had been left to die by the establishment. I think they are referred to as ‘not worth the risk’ and that really made me feel for them.

The characters are incredibly likable. The books switches between the POVs of Logan, a non-verbal girl with autism and twin to Leah, the first to contract the plague; Emerson, a transgender Catholic who finds solace in burying the dead; and Grace, who is suddenly forced to take on the role of leader throughout the outbreak. Each individual character had such depth and my heart broke for them all. You quickly start to like the secondary characters as well, like Casey who becomes the doctor, or Josie who steals food in an attempt to save her friend who has caught the plague.

Although At the End of Everything is told through multiple POVs, the story is easy to follow and written quite well. Phone calls, news announcements and typed computed documentation from Isiah are placed throughout the book which also works well at breaking the story down into manageable parts. It was quite interesting to see how the secondary characters were feeling through their phone conversations with family and friends – and how little bits of information about the pandemic were trickled into the centre.

I liked how the teens of the centre are supposed to all be selfish and only out for themselves, but suddenly pull together and form a community which cares for each other. Everyone seemed to take on a crucial role and play their part. Where you would have expected anarchy and distress, they handled the situation quite well.

Just a little side note, but I also appreciated how there was a content warning at the start of the book. Whilst I don’t have many triggers, I appreciate that there will be a lot of people out there with specific triggers – so for the author to provide these before starting the book, it allows people to consider whether it is a suitable read for them.

✧ W H A T N E E D E D W O R K ✧

I think towards the end of At the End of Everything, the plot seems to slow down a little and loses some of its momentum. It wasn’t incredibly off-putting to me, as I had been gripped by the story line, but I do note that it may affect anyone who struggles to get into the story from the get-go.

✧ W H A T T H R E E W O R D S ✧

Covid inspired dystopia.

✧ T O C O N C L U D E ✧

I’ve had real issues with some of the authors previous works so I didn’t pick up this book expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. At the End of Everything is a harrowing pandemic tale of apocalypse, survival and pulling together. Providing such an honest account, the multiple POVs and characters really make you feel something for them. The book flows really well, is easy to read and can be enjoyed in one sitting. I’ll admit there are some slow moments, but this doesn’t take away from the story or the overall enjoyment.