This is Where the World Ends

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 6, 2016

Review

A YA story for your upper grade readers. Told in alternating chapters, it's the story of a boy and a girl and a mysterious disappearance. The boy gets the "After" chapters, in which he desperately tries to remember what happened, and the girl gets "Before" chapters, bringing the reader into the story and, eventually, setting up the scene for the reveal. The book touches upon very mature themes including suicide, bullying, and rape, and weaves a thread of fractured fairy tales through the journal of the girl (these are artfully rendered and add some added depth and interest to the reading). The book could leave a weaker reader confused as he or she struggles to understand the perspective of the addled boy as he pieces the story together, but those sticking with it will be rewarded with a gripping story that captures the misdirected belief in fairy tale romance and the consequences of actions.

Overall Book Score: good