Book Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Author Website Amazon (UK) Amazon.com I got a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. Sourcebooks Fire (ebook), expected publication January 2016
288 Pages

WHAT IT'S ABOUT
10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

OPENING PARAGRAPH
The starter gun shatters the silence, releasing the runners from their blocks.

WHAT I THOUGHT
This is the author's debut novel.

I really enjoyed This Is Where It Ends. I didn't really enjoy it at first, I thought the characters were a bit flat and couldn't really connect to anyone. Then after a few chapters, the book blossoms and I found myself caring about what was happening. I was even crying at the end so the book gave my heart strings a good old tug. It's not an easy thing to write about a school shooting. The best example I can think of is We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver. This Is Where It Ends isn't as good as Shriver's novel but it's still very good. The book is fast paced which works really well most of the time. There are a few moments when things get quite emotional and I wish the pace would have slowed down just a tad. I liked the fact events are shown from the perspective of different characters. This works really well. I also liked the fact there are extracts from people's blog scattered throughout with people sharing what is happening from inside the school and people leaving messages for loved ones. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the novel. This Is Where It Ends is packed with tension. I loved the title as well. This Is Where It Ends is not an easy book to read but it is really enjoyable.

I'd recommend This Is Where It Ends.