Flux
June 8, 2015
312 pages
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Miriam Feldman was always attracted to the artists, the musicians, the boys who wore broken-down cardigans. Boys like Elliot. Their relationship was intense, passionate, all consuming. When they were together, Miriam knew who she was, in the way you can only know when you're deeply in love. But then it ended, and Miriam had to move on. Even after Elliot started seeing someone else. Even after she impulsively destroyed a priceless work of art. Even after she was blackmailed by the mystery girl who saw her do it. After all this, Miriam had to go on with her life. If only she knew how.
The beginning of Where You End was a bit strange for me. I didn't like Miriam and was not sure I wanted to keep reading her story. Once I got farther into the book, though< I was glad I'd kept reading.
Miriam's heartbreaks is incredibly believable and very well done. It's clear that the end of her relationship with Elliot has left her in pain, lost and unsure. It has her doing things - like destroying the artwork - that before she never would have dreamed of doing.
As much as I could see her pain, her confusion, the 'why' was lacking. This epic relationship whose end has derailed Miriam so never felt that grand to me. There were instances - shown in flashbacks - that began to make me see some of why she was still so focused on Elliot, on what they were. It was never quite enough, though. What we see or know of Miriam and Elliot's relationship was the weakest part of Where You End.
All that she's working through, all of the questions Miriam asks of herself, the people it brings into her life, the discussions, thoughts and actions that come about were my favorite part of the novel. So, while I didn't love the 'why' of how Miriam presently was, 'what' it entailed was very good.
Miriam's interactions with her best friend, with the girl she meets, with her parents - her mother especially were nicely done. Those parts of the book were compelling, emotional and felt very realistic.
Miriam's story was not my favorite, but I did really like where the author took her relationships, the consequences of her actions and that it all felt very believable and real, even with a rather unbelievable start.
egalley received from publisher, via NetGalley, for honest review
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