Scan barcode
alexrobinsonsupergenius's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol and Death
misscatw's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This ended up being much different to what I expected. The expectation I had was that we would follow the characters of Lizzie and Evie, getting insight into their friendship, particularly as Evie goes missing and the ensuing investigation. We would see the fallout from the kidnapping and what happens if Evie returns. While we did get that, I did not expect the heavy focus on the relationships between young teenage girls - Lizzie and Evie are 13 - and older, grown men who are their fathers or at least old enough to be their fathers.
'The End of Everything' is told from Lizzie's perspective, as she is just about to graduate middle school and is dealing with being a 13-year-old girl with her best friend Evie by her side. She is really close to Evie's family - the Ververs - as they have been friends for years and live across the street from each other. However, in late May, Evie is kidnapped and Lizzie is the last person to see her. Lizzie becomes integral to the investigation into Evie's disappearance, with her providing clues to detectives and Evie's father that lead them towards a local man Mr. Shaw (he is only referred to as Mr. Shaw, maybe his first name is given at one point but I can't remember it right now). From there, Lizzie starts endlessly thinking about Evie and Mr. Shaw and about what might be happening to her. It also brings Lizzie and Mr. Verver, Evie's father, closer together as Lizzie starts spending all her time with him.
I found that I didn't enjoy it as much as the other Megan Abbott books I have read - 'Dare Me', 'You Will Know Me' and 'Give Me Your Hand' - and it didn't grab me as much as the other books did. It was actually quite disturbing, as Lizzie romanticises the relationship between Evie and Mr. Shaw and what could be happening to her (we don't find out what happened until near the end), when it is actually perverted and creepy. Mr. Shaw stalks Evie, standing watch outside her window at night, even leaving his cigarette butts there (which becomes evidence early in the investigation), and has been fixated on her for a few years even. Lizzie makes it seem like a great love story, a fairy tale - she references princesses and white knights several times - when it is definitely perverted and pretty paedophilic.
Also, while Lizzie is dreaming up this fairytale scenario about Evie and Mr. Shaw, she has her own fixation going on with Mr. Verver. She takes every opportunity she can to spend time with him and savours every touch, even something like their hands touching. Lizzie and Evie have this warped perception of love, and as 13-year-olds, they are still learning about the ways of the world, including love and what it means to love and be in love. It doesn't help that Evie has a middle-aged stalker.
I always love Megan Abbott's writing and particularly her writing of female characters and relationships between female characters that are complex and toe the line between closeness and toxic (as seen with the friendships between Beth and Cassidy in 'Dare Me' and Diane and Kit in 'Give Me Your Hand'). This is definitely present in 'The End of Everything' but is complicated with the addition of the relationships between young girls and grown men, particularly fathers. Also, this was on the shorter side, with around 250 pages. I'm glad that it was shorter, as kept the story concise and didn't drag it out for too long, as I would not have liked that with this particular story. I am going to have to say that this is my least favourite of Megan Abbott's books, since I didn't like the direction the plot took.
'The End of Everything' is told from Lizzie's perspective, as she is just about to graduate middle school and is dealing with being a 13-year-old girl with her best friend Evie by her side. She is really close to Evie's family - the Ververs - as they have been friends for years and live across the street from each other. However, in late May, Evie is kidnapped and Lizzie is the last person to see her. Lizzie becomes integral to the investigation into Evie's disappearance, with her providing clues to detectives and Evie's father that lead them towards a local man Mr. Shaw (he is only referred to as Mr. Shaw, maybe his first name is given at one point but I can't remember it right now). From there, Lizzie starts endlessly thinking about Evie and Mr. Shaw and about what might be happening to her. It also brings Lizzie and Mr. Verver, Evie's father, closer together as Lizzie starts spending all her time with him.
I found that I didn't enjoy it as much as the other Megan Abbott books I have read - 'Dare Me', 'You Will Know Me' and 'Give Me Your Hand' - and it didn't grab me as much as the other books did. It was actually quite disturbing, as Lizzie romanticises the relationship between Evie and Mr. Shaw and what could be happening to her (we don't find out what happened until near the end), when it is actually perverted and creepy. Mr. Shaw stalks Evie, standing watch outside her window at night, even leaving his cigarette butts there (which becomes evidence early in the investigation), and has been fixated on her for a few years even. Lizzie makes it seem like a great love story, a fairy tale - she references princesses and white knights several times - when it is definitely perverted and pretty paedophilic.
Also, while Lizzie is dreaming up this fairytale scenario about Evie and Mr. Shaw, she has her own fixation going on with Mr. Verver. She takes every opportunity she can to spend time with him and savours every touch, even something like their hands touching. Lizzie and Evie have this warped perception of love, and as 13-year-olds, they are still learning about the ways of the world, including love and what it means to love and be in love. It doesn't help that Evie has a middle-aged stalker.
I always love Megan Abbott's writing and particularly her writing of female characters and relationships between female characters that are complex and toe the line between closeness and toxic (as seen with the friendships between Beth and Cassidy in 'Dare Me' and Diane and Kit in 'Give Me Your Hand'). This is definitely present in 'The End of Everything' but is complicated with the addition of the relationships between young girls and grown men, particularly fathers. Also, this was on the shorter side, with around 250 pages. I'm glad that it was shorter, as kept the story concise and didn't drag it out for too long, as I would not have liked that with this particular story. I am going to have to say that this is my least favourite of Megan Abbott's books, since I didn't like the direction the plot took.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Stalking
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
alinwonderland's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcoholism, Stalking, Incest, Grief, and Toxic relationship
More...