Holding the Lantern to: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

A friend suggested It Ends With Us earlier this year, and honestly I thought it’d be like every other book I’ve read in the past few years. Enjoyable. Maybe quotable for a while. And I’d take away something that’s going to be ingrained in my being, without the necessity of associating the book with it.
Little did I know it would become something so close to my heart.

There are a lot of stories out there that feature abusive partners, unfair situations, and what not. But in my tiny reach, I’ve found no other that speaks so strongly about this issue. Its always written off as “that’s what he’s like, it’s a part of his character” or the character disappears for plot convenience. This is the first book that, I think, really drew the line where it needed to be drawn.

It resonates with me personally to an extent from Lily’s standing point. It doesn’t matter how much she and Ryle loved each other. What matters is that everyone deserves to be happy and fearless in a union. And everyone has the right to know and love their elders for the good in them.

I admit that in Lily’s position, it would be extremely difficult to know what is for the best. From the outside looking in, it’s always easier to pass judgment. But under no circumstances is it okay to give in to the vain dreams of utopia.

Morals and controversies aside, I liked the style of writing. It was fast paced and quiet engaging. The first 1/3rd felt kind of like the numerous almost-well-written romance novels on wattpad.

A friend (different one) said Ryle and Lily falling in love so quickly is unnatural, and I agree. But for me the major takeaway far outweighs the almost-plotholes. And the explicit scenes.

Atlas, however, is a dream come true. But if I were Lily, I’d wait a little while longer. I think. Maybe. I don’t know.

Here’s a nice quote I found on Google. Please excuse me while I make some of my own images.

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This piece was written for the Book Club Bangladesh Facebook group.