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flossiepalmer 's review for:
It Ends with Us
by Colleen Hoover
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think from the get-go I should acknowledge that this book is massively overhyped. Although it has blown up in both the BookTok and Bookstagram communities, earning a reputation for breaking readers hearts and causing crying fits throughout, this book didn't have that same effect on me.
Overall, the book was very poorly written; from cringey dialogue, to the creative writing crime of "stating not showing" and the overly predictable plot, the actual writing style of this book couldn't get any more amateur. However, I've given this book 3 stars. Why, you ask? Because it's absolutely addictive.
As much as I didn't want to like it, I just did. This book is an absolute page-turner, and despite the writing style being a little of an obstacle to me at first, I found myself glossing over it, as its simplicity made the book so much quicker to read.
I also grew very attached to the characters. On paper, Lily, the protagonist, is nothing special. In fact, why she has two attractive men fighting over her baffles me. However, because she becomes so entwined in complex relationships, both with her romantic interests, her family and her friends, you find yourself desperate to ensure her safety, rooting for her in her best moments and sympathising with her as a victim of extreme trauma.
I know that a lot of Hoover's fan-base found Ryle as very likeable character, which of course then makes trying to hate him for what he does to Lily very difficult. However, I didn't particularly like him at all - I found him cocky, cringey, and the mentions of how good he is in bed off-putting rather than appealing. Instead, I much preferred Atlas' soft and genuine character. What I appreciated in Hoover's exploration of these two male characters is that she didn't necessarily pit them against each other; they aren't each others opposites at all, and they don't compete for Lily's attention (with the exception of maybe Ryle here, but not in a direct way) like I expected them to. Instead, it is Lily at the centre of the narrative rather than the love triangle she is caught up in, and I especially value Hoover's decision to do this because of the impactful discussion of sexual assault throughout the novel.
After reading the book, Hoover's author's note at the end of the novel adds an extra layer of emotion and information to the book's important discussion of sexual assault. We learn that Hoover witnessed the abusive relationship between her mother and father, and how this lived experience informed her writing of It Ends With Us, more specifically her focus on placing female victims at the centre of the narrative, reclaiming it in a way. Although I didn't like Hoover's writing style at all, I value her effort to end the stigma surrounding the victim-blaming of women in cases of sexual assault, which perpetuates the problematic question of "why won't she leave him?" By allowing us to get invested in Ryle and Lily's relationship, Hoover shows how situations can be so much more complex than that. Therefore, another reason why this book gets a 3 star rating from me despite its poor writing style is because of the important message behind Hoover's craft, and how she has brought discussions of sexual assault down to an accessible level in a way in which readers are more likely to understand the complexities behind it.
Overall, the book was very poorly written; from cringey dialogue, to the creative writing crime of "stating not showing" and the overly predictable plot, the actual writing style of this book couldn't get any more amateur. However, I've given this book 3 stars. Why, you ask? Because it's absolutely addictive.
As much as I didn't want to like it, I just did. This book is an absolute page-turner, and despite the writing style being a little of an obstacle to me at first, I found myself glossing over it, as its simplicity made the book so much quicker to read.
I also grew very attached to the characters. On paper, Lily, the protagonist, is nothing special. In fact, why she has two attractive men fighting over her baffles me. However, because she becomes so entwined in complex relationships, both with her romantic interests, her family and her friends, you find yourself desperate to ensure her safety, rooting for her in her best moments and sympathising with her as a victim of extreme trauma.
I know that a lot of Hoover's fan-base found Ryle as very likeable character, which of course then makes trying to hate him for what he does to Lily very difficult. However, I didn't particularly like him at all - I found him cocky, cringey, and the mentions of how good he is in bed off-putting rather than appealing. Instead, I much preferred Atlas' soft and genuine character. What I appreciated in Hoover's exploration of these two male characters is that she didn't necessarily pit them against each other; they aren't each others opposites at all, and they don't compete for Lily's attention (with the exception of maybe Ryle here, but not in a direct way) like I expected them to. Instead, it is Lily at the centre of the narrative rather than the love triangle she is caught up in, and I especially value Hoover's decision to do this because of the impactful discussion of sexual assault throughout the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Rape