Title: The End, My Friend
Author: Kirby Wright
Genre: Dystopian
Review:
When I hear the word "dytopian", I automatically assume YA dystopian. This is not the case for The End, My Friend. This novel, although it firmly fits in the dystopian/apocalyptic genre (after all, this is the prelude to the apocalypse--says it right beneath the title), I believe this book will be most enjoyed by older teens and adults.
The whole set up was very intriguing. The country is in turmoil after economic depressions. Government has virtually no control and it's now survival of the fittest. Tony and Evo, a couple, are trying to escape the city they grew up in as violence quickly escalates. Street gangs and trigger happy people prowl the streets. So they set off to meet an old friend who lives in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, the friend also lives on a self-reliable ranch. Tony and Evo pack their bags into a car and take off, encountering some scary people along the way. They enjoy a week or two of peace and happiness on the ranch before they are forced to flee once more. Taking advice from their (now dead) friend, they decide to travel to Oregon where there is a supposedly safe lake to camp out at.
The characters were interesting enough...but I just couldn't seem to connect with Tony. I honestly don't know why I couldn't seem to get into his mind (haha, I know that sounds creepy--but I find that if I can get my thoughts into the mindset of the main character, it really enhances the reading experience.) He's very protective of Evo. He could also be suddenly violent at times at well. I think the thing about Tony that bothered me was that there was absolutely no explanation as to how he is so good at weaponry. I mean, okay, it's totally believable that he has a good shot with a gun. It's also plausible that he can wield a knife/dagger pretty well. But being able to handle a sword (well, technically it's a dagger but even Tony himself describes it as a sword) like a pro without having any prior experience? I find that a bit harder to believe.
There were some questions I would've liked answered while reading. For example, after Tony and Evo established a small camp in Oregon, how are they able to continue making pies and pastries? Where do they get the flour? The sugar? Unless they somehow bartered with others or there was a huge stash of basic cooking necessities, I don't see how they could've cooked up comfort food after living in the wilderness for months.
Nevertheless, this book was still interesting to read and kept my attention the whole way through. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a pre-apoplectic novel that depicts a scenario that could very well be in the near future.
Rating:
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