Age Group:
Young Adult

Genre:
Canadian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Coming-of-age, Social Commentary

Summary:
Carson hates the world and everything in it. But he can’t really pinpoint why he’s so angry. He’s lived a better-than-average life with parents who genuinely care about him. He just can’t seem to find any reason to be happy. Then Carson meets Christine, a girl whose life couldn’t be more different than his own. She’s been practically abandoned by her parents, lives alone in a run down trailer home and has no future to look forward to. Christine forces Carson to confront his own privileged existence. And when he starts to care about someone other than himself, Carson begins to realize there’s a lot to be grateful for.

My Thoughts:
Choyce has constructed a thoughtful novel about personal discovery and growth. It was easy to relate to Carson’s frustration with modern life and the emotional disconnect that we have all felt at times. The world is not an easy place to live in for people who think outside the box. But when Carson meets Christine he finally stops hating and starts to see the bits and pieces of beauty and goodness in the world.

Borrow The End of the World as We Know It from your local VPL library today!

Update: I’m currently reading an excellent novel titled Annexed by Sharon Dogar. It tells the semi-non-fictional story of Peter van Pels, the 16-year-old boy who was trapped in the annex with Anne Frank. In this unique narration, Dogar re-imagines what life was like in the annex from Peter’s perspective. Review to follow soon.