[BOOK REVIEW] This is Where it Ends

Title: This is Where it Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Pages: 285
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Slice of Life
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

“Everyone has a reason to fear the boy with the gun”

Specifically four people in particular. This young adult book follows four students who attend Opportunity high. During a speech in the auditorium, someone begins to shoot. But why?

This novel focuses on the back story of the shooter and attempts to give him a motive. This motive is explained through the four points of view that we follow. These four people will spend the next 284 pages fighting for their lives in more way than one.

Oh No’s

I hated the text/Twitter blurbs. They were so off-putting I felt it was too much just to try and appease the younger generation. There was already so much going on with the multiple viewpoints that it was just not needed.

It doesn’t make sense to me that Tyler would endanger his sister by shooting blindly into an auditorium. He would have made sure she was safe or something first. With her being the motive, it doesn’t make sense to put her life in danger like this.

Yay’s

The book is super fast paced. Everything happens so fast you just have to keep reading. Even in the regular boring middle, you had to keep reading with every tension filled sentence.

The relationships between all the characters were so well thought out. I loved their interactions and how they helped each other through these times. The history woven between the characters was intricate and I loved the back and forth as all of the characters eventually came together in their own ways to fight.

Slyvia and Autumn’s relationship was such a cute aspect of the book. It was one of the only solid things that kept me going throughout. I also loved the flashbacks to their blooming high school relationship. The two went though so much together that their dependence on each other was to be expected.

As I said before, this is a very emotional story with a sad end. Although the end was dragged out a little, the story is a very good read. It only took me 2 days to read this book so it’s very short (that page count tho). This is a good young adult read and it really shows how the people around you can affect you.

“Together, we’ll survive this. Together, we’ll be strong enough to face whatever comes our way.”

Pg. 205

See you on the next page.

-PM