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A review by chaotic_reading
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
dark
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"Fifteen seconds. That's all it takes to completely change everything about a person. Fifteen seconds that we'll never get back."
Not entirely sure what I want to say about this book. I can understand why people are giving it really high ratings - the book is incredibly consumable; the characters are physically attractive and at times emotionally attractive, too; there are moments of 'naked truths' or raw vulnerability displayed by the characters that can come across as very poignant.
Hoover has a way of writing that is so teasing. As a reader, you're constantly caught between "I have no idea what's about to happen" and "if the thing I think is about to happen, I need to know ASAP". It's a great method to convince readers to keep reading, but I think in the long run it negatively affects the overall impact her stories could have. 'It Ends With Us' could have been a really powerful story about breaking the cycle of domestic abuse, however the story feels slightly cheapened by the inclusion of Atlas' storyline. Additionally, the point of the tale - talking about the cycle of abuse, the importance of breaking it, etc. - was strongly made and strongly enforced long before Ryle assaulted Lily the night Rylee was born. I felt, reading everything from that moment forward, that things were now in the realm of 'overkill'.
Lastly, I believe this book would sit better if it were not marketed as a romance. Romance books have very mathematical 1+1=2 HEA endings, and this book was not that. I'm not sure where I would categorize it, but because Lily and Atlas only reconnect - and might I add, ever so briefly - at the very end of the epilogue, I'm not sure I feel comfortable accepting this as a romance. There is far too much pain, suffering, and "life lessons", and way too little romance for it to be considered one, in my opinion.
I want to be explicitly clear that in no way am I critiquing or judging Hoover for pulling from her personal experience; her personal story is hers alone and I would never share an opinion on that. Nor do I wish to invalidate the experiences of people who experience domestic abuse. My critiques and opinions are purely on the fictitious story that is 'It Ends With Us'.
As always, please check content warnings and summaries prior to picking up this book. Domestic abuse and attempted rape are very prevalent in this book.
Not entirely sure what I want to say about this book. I can understand why people are giving it really high ratings - the book is incredibly consumable; the characters are physically attractive and at times emotionally attractive, too; there are moments of 'naked truths' or raw vulnerability displayed by the characters that can come across as very poignant.
Hoover has a way of writing that is so teasing. As a reader, you're constantly caught between "I have no idea what's about to happen" and "if the thing I think is about to happen, I need to know ASAP". It's a great method to convince readers to keep reading, but I think in the long run it negatively affects the overall impact her stories could have. 'It Ends With Us' could have been a really powerful story about breaking the cycle of domestic abuse, however the story feels slightly cheapened by the inclusion of Atlas' storyline. Additionally, the point of the tale - talking about the cycle of abuse, the importance of breaking it, etc. - was strongly made and strongly enforced long before Ryle assaulted Lily the night Rylee was born. I felt, reading everything from that moment forward, that things were now in the realm of 'overkill'.
Lastly, I believe this book would sit better if it were not marketed as a romance. Romance books have very mathematical 1+1=2 HEA endings, and this book was not that. I'm not sure where I would categorize it, but because Lily and Atlas only reconnect - and might I add, ever so briefly - at the very end of the epilogue, I'm not sure I feel comfortable accepting this as a romance. There is far too much pain, suffering, and "life lessons", and way too little romance for it to be considered one, in my opinion.
I want to be explicitly clear that in no way am I critiquing or judging Hoover for pulling from her personal experience; her personal story is hers alone and I would never share an opinion on that. Nor do I wish to invalidate the experiences of people who experience domestic abuse. My critiques and opinions are purely on the fictitious story that is 'It Ends With Us'.
As always, please check content warnings and summaries prior to picking up this book. Domestic abuse and attempted rape are very prevalent in this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape