This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Published by Sourcebooks, Inc. on January 5th 2016
Genres: Action & Adventure, Bullying, Social Issues, Survival Stories, Violence, Young Adult
Source: ARC from Friend
Goodreads
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
10:00 a.m.The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.10:02 a.m.The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03The auditorium doors won't open.10:05Someone starts shooting.Told from four perspectives over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.
I really dislike writing negative reviews. It’s my least favorite thing EVER.
This is the third book I’ve read recently that the review is going to lean towards the negative side, and personally I’m over it. So I’m just going to make this short and to the point on what worked and didn’t work for me, because, well it’s my blog and I do what I want!
Writing: The writing was really on point for the most part. All the scenes flowed well, and it was a smooth read.
Multiple Point of Views:Â I’m a sucker for multiple point of views and think a story like this definitely needs them, so I was very satisfied with that.
Topic:Â I really like the topic of this book and how it displayed how things can escalate quickly for a teen, this is definitely a subject matter worth reading about it.
Characters:Â IÂ didn’t care for a single one honestly. This can sometimes be the downfall to switching point of views, sometimes they switch so often it’s hard to get attached to a character. I feel that this was one of the issues, but then also some of the views I just didn’t deem necessary and still don’t think they were needed. I would have preferred to see the shooter’s point of view in the place of another’s, I think that would have really helped the story.
Convenience:Â There were A LOT of scenes that just seemed so convenient and not at all realistic. Â A lot of me going BUT WHY and WTH?!! Some of the scenes just seemed to be written to do a certain scene but it seemed so forced and just didn’t make sense on why the characters would even do what they did.
I DIDN’T CRY: When I read the synopsis of a book and it tells me it’s about a school shooting I expect to be upset. I expect tears and my emotions to be completely torn apart. I expect to be in the fetal position when it’s all said and done dammit!! Well, I wasn’t. Actually, if I’m being honest, and of course I am, by about 60% through I was really hoping I would suddenly become the speediest reader in the entire world and be at the end. ð I just got bored.
So yea. This one just did not work for me. It had all the right components but they just didn’t piece together right.
About Marieke Nijkamp
Marieke Nijkamp a storyteller, dreamer, globe-trotter, and diversity advocate. She holds degrees in philosophy, history, and medieval studies.
Her debut YA novel THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS will be out from Sourcebooks Fire in 2016.
I currently have a giveaway running for this ARC and two other 2016 ARCs over on our IG until 12/31.
Enter here.
I’ve read this book and had a lot of the same problems you did but I found that these problems didn’t take away from my reading experience. I’m sorry you didn’t like the book but hopefully the next one you pick up is better!
I enjoyed this one a lot more than you did, but I definitely did feel like the first half was better than the second. Sorry you weren’t a fan!
Ugh, I’m so sorry that this book was so bad Crystal ð That is never any fun. Sigh. It sounds pretty awful :\ I’m sad you didn’t like it. But yay for not hating it either, lol ð Thank you for sharing about this one. <3 It is not a book for me at all. And ugh. It sounds like it was supposed to be heartbreaking. But it wasn't? Yeah, not okay. Heartbreaking books are pretty awesome, lol ð And being promised that, and it not happening, not cool. Sigh. Anyway. Your review is lovely sweet girl. <3
Oh no! I’m sorry this one didn’t work for you. ð I have it for review and plan to read it next… I’m a little nervous now. LOL