The building is nearly empty, the inhabitants being forced out of their homes in a London neighborhood by property developers. Two women are giving it their all to save the building and the residents' homes. One, Ella, is a young, idealistic, impassioned blogger. The other is Molly, a seasoned campaigner/protester and photographer.
Both women know that they have very little chance of saving the building, but they refuse to give up-- hoping that their hard work now may save this building and others in the future. Then a body is discovered hidden in an elevator shaft, and that's going to have far-reaching consequences.
I chose this book because I enjoyed the first book in Dolan's Zigic and Ferreira police procedural series, but I have to come right out and say it: This Is How It Ends was just not my cup of tea although there is much good to be found within its pages.
The story is told from the points of view of both Ella and Molly. They are ardent protesters against property developers who destroy neighborhoods and throw long-time residents out on the street in order to put up pretty new buildings for rich people who will probably never even live in the properties they buy. No, these people are buying tax breaks or money laundering schemes, not homes. When Dolan wrote about this, I was fully engaged; she had my blood boiling, and I definitely wanted to join Ella's and Molly's fight to hold off the wrecking ball. There is also a plot twist at the end that I didn't see coming, and I always like it when an author can surprise me like that. These are the bits I liked. Now for what I didn't like.
I didn't like either of the main characters, and I could not have cared less what happened to them. I don't have to like the characters in the books I read, but I do want to care about the fate of at least one of them because it gives me a good reason to keep turning the pages. However, there was something even worse than my lack of feeling for the characters: the unrelenting doom and gloom tone of the entire book. Now, I can handle doom and gloom if I happen to care about one of the characters, but you already know what happened there.
No, This Is How It Ends just wasn't my cup of tea. But it may be yours, and I sincerely hope it is.
This Is How It Ends by Eva Dolan
ISBN: 9781635570526
Bloomsbury USA © 2018
Hardcover, 336 pages
Thriller, Standalone
Rating: D+
Source: Amazon Vine
Oh, I really am sorry hear you didn't care for this one, Cathy. In my opinion, Dolan has real talent, and I like her Zigic and Ferreira series. But if a book isn't one's cuppa, it isn't. No book is for everyone.
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not, but at least I know that her series books are. :-)
DeleteI absolutely agree with Margot. Though I haven't read any books by this author, not every author or even book in fav author's series works well for us. Like you, I really need to have someone I can root for - otherwise, meh...
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, "meh" is an even worse reaction to a book than coming out and saying you hated it.
DeleteOh, I'm shocked. A take-no-prisoners review.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Zigic and Ferreira series a lot. And I've been reading book reviews of this one and they have been favorable.
So what happened? I have this one on library hold (the first one of Dolan's they have ordered) and I'll read it. Can't wait to see what I think.
And, yes, it's all about personal taste in reading. Not everyone agrees, and as an esteemed blogger says, "not everyone reads the same book."
"Not everyone reads the same book." No truer words were ever spoken.
DeleteThat was Yvette Banak at Yvette Can Draw.
ReplyDeleteEdmund Wilson also said the very similar, "No two persons ever read the same book."
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