Kelly's Review of "This Is Where It Ends" by Marieke Nijkamp
March 2, 2022
Review by Kelly
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
In the novel This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp, two characters, Sylv and Autumn, are held hostage by Autumn’s brother due to mental issues and violence at home. Meanwhile, Tomas and Clarie are outside trying to find ways to help rescue the hostages taken by Autumn’s brother, Tyler, in the gym. This book is a rollercoaster of emotions and tells the tale of a school shooting spun with grief, death, and raises questions on the negative consequences of school shootings. In addition to the tweets and blog posts between each chapter, the writing really absorbs the reader into thinking this type of situation could occur to them in their school.
Marieke Nijkamp’s novel This Is Where It Ends truly conveys the deeper meaning and issue of America’s gun laws and school shooting situation. Nijikamp includes what leads to school shootings as well as the shooter’s emotions. Moreover, she covers the motives of the school shooter and brings into perspective another issue: child abuse. This book raises the ongoing debate on gun law in America and makes the reader feel sympathy for the victims who never got to live out their lives. This story involves four perspectives, which at times can be confusing to navigate, and occasionally made me unsure of the plot. However, the multiple perspectives are effective in that they allow the readers to understand how the outside is responding towards the situation in the gym.
Overall, I would give This Is Where It Ends 4 out of 5 stars. It sends a wonderfully powerful message, which is saddening yet enjoyable to read.
teen blog, YA fiction, Teen Book Review, Thiss Where It Ends, Marie Nijkamp, School Shootings