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A review by keysmashhh
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Plot: 2.5/5
Character: 3/5
Relationships: 4/5
World-Building: 2/5
Genre: 4/5
Plot: I understand why everyone loves this book like it is deeply emotional and how it progresses is heartbreaking. In terms of themes, it is outstanding and profound but plot-wise it is simplistic with very few twists (other than the unexpected pregnancy) There were also some really random/uncomfortable moments that just didn't fit with the general vibe of the book. I think the fact that there are absolutely no content warnings/ trigger warnings comes with its own myriad of issues.
Character: All the characters were interesting but I didn't find I had a great deal of attachment to any of them, I sort of tolerated all of them but I don't think I have nice things to say about many of them. Allysa was probably my favourite character, she defiantly pulled through for Lily in the second half of the book and supported her through the pregnancy. Rhyle was just an obvious red flag but more than that, he just angered me. People like Atlas' work friends and Lily's friend from the beginning I thought were going to be main characters but only turned up for like a scene (which was pretty out of place in the book)
Relationships: Of course, the main focus of the books was the relationships and that was definitely where it flourished. It was fascinating to see the development of Rhyle's view of relationships and Lily's changing ideas of what marriage should be like. Atlas and Lily's past was definitely the best addition to the book and the use of the journals was a pretty simplistic but effective way of highlighting it. Another, less talked about, relationship in this book was Lily and her mother but for me, that was the most interesting one, especially the forgiveness each bestows upon the other by the end of the book.
World-Building: The setting of Boston was minimal and pretty unexplored. Lily's shop, the apartment and Atlas' restaurant were the only notable locations. I guess there wasn't much need for exposition on the world but it still felt a bit bland when reading it and I found it hard to visualise the scenes.
Genre: I think reading this book helped me realise that the genre of sad romance isn't my thing. I understand why people love this book but I just don't think I'm the target audience. In terms of writing style, there were definitely some nit-picky things I could go over. Some weird dialogue choices and some phrases were repeated A LOT throughout the book which just felt a bit sloppy to me but the overall effect was achieved. I'm pretty certain I don't want to read another Co-Ho book, I just think her style isn't for me.
Character: 3/5
Relationships: 4/5
World-Building: 2/5
Genre: 4/5
Plot: I understand why everyone loves this book like it is deeply emotional and how it progresses is heartbreaking. In terms of themes, it is outstanding and profound but plot-wise it is simplistic with very few twists (other than the unexpected pregnancy) There were also some really random/uncomfortable moments that just didn't fit with the general vibe of the book. I think the fact that there are absolutely no content warnings/ trigger warnings comes with its own myriad of issues.
Character: All the characters were interesting but I didn't find I had a great deal of attachment to any of them, I sort of tolerated all of them but I don't think I have nice things to say about many of them. Allysa was probably my favourite character, she defiantly pulled through for Lily in the second half of the book and supported her through the pregnancy. Rhyle was just an obvious red flag but more than that, he just angered me. People like Atlas' work friends and Lily's friend from the beginning I thought were going to be main characters but only turned up for like a scene (which was pretty out of place in the book)
Relationships: Of course, the main focus of the books was the relationships and that was definitely where it flourished. It was fascinating to see the development of Rhyle's view of relationships and Lily's changing ideas of what marriage should be like. Atlas and Lily's past was definitely the best addition to the book and the use of the journals was a pretty simplistic but effective way of highlighting it. Another, less talked about, relationship in this book was Lily and her mother but for me, that was the most interesting one, especially the forgiveness each bestows upon the other by the end of the book.
World-Building: The setting of Boston was minimal and pretty unexplored. Lily's shop, the apartment and Atlas' restaurant were the only notable locations. I guess there wasn't much need for exposition on the world but it still felt a bit bland when reading it and I found it hard to visualise the scenes.
Genre: I think reading this book helped me realise that the genre of sad romance isn't my thing. I understand why people love this book but I just don't think I'm the target audience. In terms of writing style, there were definitely some nit-picky things I could go over. Some weird dialogue choices and some phrases were repeated A LOT throughout the book which just felt a bit sloppy to me but the overall effect was achieved. I'm pretty certain I don't want to read another Co-Ho book, I just think her style isn't for me.