Kim V. reviewed on + 54 more book reviews
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"When happily ever after fails
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales"
The End of Innocence by Don Henley
Who doesnt love a happy ending? And who hasn't told a "white lie" to spare a friend's feelings? But what if you had built a relationship on a foundation of well intentioned lies? How would you confess your deceptions to the person you love in a way that she would understand? In How It Ends by Laura Wiess, the terminally ill, Helen, wants to "come clean" with her surrogate granddaughter Hanna before it's too late.
Reading this elegantly written novel is like looking through a kaleidoscope with a different picture in every chapter. The novel seamlessly alternates between two perspectives: the teenager's (Hanna) and the senior citizen's (Helen). Both characters are grappling with major life events. Hanna is sharing a rollercoaster relationship with her boyfriend, Seth. She wonders why love is so difficult shouldn't it be happily ever after if you love someone? The dying Helen knows that love is a lot more complicated than in fairytales, but she fears that her secrets will destroy Hanna's love for her. When Helen finds a way to share her story with Hanna, by listening to an audiobook, the kaleidoscope twists again for an entirely new picture.
Each story individually in How It Ends: Hanna's; Helen's; and Louise's (from the audiobook), is compelling. Collectively, however, the triad is a symphony. This novel is a profound generational love story that will stay with you long after you have discovered How It Ends.
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales"
The End of Innocence by Don Henley
Who doesnt love a happy ending? And who hasn't told a "white lie" to spare a friend's feelings? But what if you had built a relationship on a foundation of well intentioned lies? How would you confess your deceptions to the person you love in a way that she would understand? In How It Ends by Laura Wiess, the terminally ill, Helen, wants to "come clean" with her surrogate granddaughter Hanna before it's too late.
Reading this elegantly written novel is like looking through a kaleidoscope with a different picture in every chapter. The novel seamlessly alternates between two perspectives: the teenager's (Hanna) and the senior citizen's (Helen). Both characters are grappling with major life events. Hanna is sharing a rollercoaster relationship with her boyfriend, Seth. She wonders why love is so difficult shouldn't it be happily ever after if you love someone? The dying Helen knows that love is a lot more complicated than in fairytales, but she fears that her secrets will destroy Hanna's love for her. When Helen finds a way to share her story with Hanna, by listening to an audiobook, the kaleidoscope twists again for an entirely new picture.
Each story individually in How It Ends: Hanna's; Helen's; and Louise's (from the audiobook), is compelling. Collectively, however, the triad is a symphony. This novel is a profound generational love story that will stay with you long after you have discovered How It Ends.
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