Never Ending

Reviewed by: Brooke Faulkner - McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 10, 2014

Review

An emotionally rich, at times almost grueling, novel about a British teen who blames herself for her brother Declan's death while they were on a holiday in Greece. Plagued by drastic personality changes and fits of rage that she doesn't later remember, 16 year old Shiv (Siobhan) agrees to inpatient therapy at a new treatment facility that employs unusual methods to help a group of teens who are each overwhelmed by guilt and grief surrounding the deaths of there respective loved ones. Chapter by chapter, the intense relationships formed between patients are juxtaposed against Shiv's memories of the vacation she and her family took during which Declan died. Bedford takes his time in revealing the details of what actually happened the night Declan died, effectively drawing out the suspense. Readers will be rapt by the drama, the remembered romance that brewed between Shiv and an older teen during the trip and her psychological turmoil. This is a gripping, poignant read filled with multilayered characters.

Overall Book Score: excellent