Why you should read this book when it is released...
Megan Abbott's new title will not officially be released until July 7, 2011, but I managed to get an advanced reader's copy a few weeks ago, and let me just say that this story is seriously magnetic. I pretty much read the whole thing in one sitting, which happens when I read books that are this well-written.
The End of Everything is the story of two best friends - Lizzie and Evie. The girls are 13 and practically inseparable - until Evie disappears, that is. Lizzie, our narrator, becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened to Evie, and the story takes some pretty unexpected turns in the process.
This book is so much more than a mystery novel. Megan Abbott manages to capture the dreamlike, ethereal nature that the memories of our own pre-teen years eventually take on. At first, Lizzie's memories seem lucid and accurate, but the longer Evie stays away, the more unreliable our narrator becomes, and she eventually admits that her memories and perceptions may only be partially accurate.
The End of Everything is a spectacular book, not just because it is a quick-paced, entertaining read, but because it makes us remember how fragile our memories are - especially when under psychological or emotional strain. The books is classified as a mystery, but believe me, there is so much more to it than a "whodunit" story, which is why I encourage you to pick up a copy in July and find out for yourself! :)
