Reviews with content warning for Classism - This Is the Way the World Ends

disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews, I feel like a peasant and don’t like leaving them and most often, I will only leave them if I vehemently despised a book. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial

*read via the Libby app through my library membership*

This book may be short but it packs a punch! I really enjoyed the first-person narration of Waverly — she felt like someone I would’ve wanted to be friends with in high school, and her motivations to attend the masquerade were so understandable. The desire to “fit in” doesn’t stop in high school, so yes, my 31-year-old ass still feels this sometimes 😅

I enjoy teenage main characters because so much of the underlying messaging is unabashedly to the point. There’s no guessing what systems of oppression are keeping the othered kids down, & there’s also clear, indisputable examples of the way these -isms operate in daily interactions.

Though this book takes place in the span of one night and there’s no panacea to essentially saving the world, I adored the choices Waverly & her friends made when it came down to who or what was worth fighting for.

This was the first book I’ve read by Jen & I’m so impressed by her😭 I will absolutely continue to read whatever they write!

Content Warnings

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I really enjoyed this book; it wasn't predictable for the most part. I never did trust Jack, but I doubt any reader would. I loved Max, Pari, Waverly, and Caroline. Ashley, I'm on the fence about her. I wish we'd gotten more of the book after the disaster. Maybe a sequel? Overall, a good and not super predictable edge-of-your-seat thriller.

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sarahsbookss's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

2.25

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sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious 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

3.25

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huntress's review

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bookcheshirecat's review

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challenging dark tense

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

“But when you spend every day being surrounded by people who have so much more than you, it’s easy to feel like you’re not good enough.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review! The quotes are taken from the Arc and are subject to changes!

➽ I loved our main character: Waverly. She’s only able to attend the prestigious Webber Academy because of a scholarship and the generous help of the founder. Waverly is determined to use her chance to get into a good college and become a doctor who helps anyone who needs care. She’s grown up with a chronically ill mother and in a loving, but poor family – some Waverly sees firsthand how the greed of corporations exploits and harms people like her. It was easy to emphasize with Waverly, as she’s trying to do her best to succeed, even when she’s surrounded by people who have more power and privilege than is good for them. She’s also autistic and a lesbian, so Waverly is aware how vicious society can be against her. When Caroline offers to switch with her, so she can attend the ball in her place, Waverly isn’t too sure about it. In the end, it’s her only chance to come, as she wasn’t formally invited!

➽ The secondary cast is amazing as well! Waverly’s best friends at school are Pari and Frank, some of the only people who don’t come across as arrogant and elitist. Pari is from a wealthy family, but she’s not like the other rich kids and a good friend to Waverly. She’s chronically ill and uses a cane as a mobility aid. Frank is another scholarship kid and a real genius, but he’s also super caring and always there for his friend. An unlikely ally comes in the form of Caroline, the daughter of Webber’s closest associate. You might expect her to be the typical mean girl, but Caroline is a nice person who Waverly thinks might even become a friend. And then there’s Ashley … Webber’s daughter and Waverly’s secret girlfriend who left without a word and broke her heart. When she appears at the party, Waverly is determined to get some closure, even though her heart is still hung up on her …

"This is why I don’t let myself get my hopes up about things. It always ends in disappointment.”

➽ The blend between Thriller and Apocalypse was amazing! Not only does the masquerade ball reveal sinister secrets about Webber Academy and its wealthy contributors, but there’s also a massive world-altering event! Not saying more because of spoilers, but there’s an apocalyptic atmosphere, as the world as we know it changes in an instant. There are also many great discussions about privilege, power and how the elites create a world that serves them and excludes everyone who is different. Waverly has first-hand experience with that as a lesbian, autistic teen whose family is barely scraping by. While the Academy serves her with opportunities she never could have gotten otherwise, she’s still an outsider and the elites will always protect their own power and preserve the skewed system because it serves them. I almost wish the book was longer/we had a sequel because I would love to see more of the fallout of the event that happens 👀

"The world isn’t ending with a bang or a whimper, but with the pop of champagne.”

IN CONCLUSION. ➽ This is the Way the World Ends is a fantastic blend between thriller, party and a truly apocalyptic event! The story was suspenseful and fast-paced from start to finish, so I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I loved the main character Waverly and her friends, as they race to make it out of the masquerade ball alive!

Content Warnings

womanwill's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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? No

3.75

Wow, this book was a ride! I didn't realize it was a thriller/science fiction-y until I started reading it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC.

Set mostly at an elite private school's fundraiser and private gala, Waverly and her friends stumble upon murder and a high-level power scheme after a dystopian event.

In this short and fast-paced novel, you'll find an amazing cast of characters and tropes:
- Waverly- our MC - a lesbian scholarship student with Autism
- MS & chronic pain rep in Waverly's mom & how disability impacts their family and income earning abilities
- Pari- Waverly's bad ass mized South Asian best friend who is bisexual and has EDS & chronic; she also often uses a cane & has quite the collection
- sapphic longing
- dark academia meets tech dystopian science fiction
- found family
- lots of death and murder
- mannequins
- a horror maze

My favorite thing about this book was the disability and queer rep. At its core is a queer and disabled centric core friend group/found family & love for blood family. Though the characters did face some discrimination and comments from the able bodied and minded and cisheternormative side characters. So CW for that.

I found the story to be a bit unbelievable at times and a bit uneven in plotting. But I think it's aimed for a relatively young YA age, and overall, I thought some of the twists on dark academia were quite fun.

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