We Begin At The End

I went into this book without knowing much about it except its huge hype on social media and that readers were comparing it to Where the Crawdads Sing (a book I loved). But I had a complicated relationship with this book. 

Let me start by saying that my feelings are in the minority because oodles of readers adored this book. And I did enjoy parts of it - descriptions of the small-town setting, its residents, the bond between Duchess and her little brother Robin and her complicated but burgeoning relationship with Hal. At times, these descriptions and insight into Duchess' life were hard to read, but vivid in their honesty. 

But this wasn't the emotional read I had anticipated. I have conflicting feelings because I felt oddly connected to the grief and inner struggles of Duchess and Walk, but at the same time, felt removed from their lives. I know, that sounds weird. I also found, particularly in the first third, that the writing had an awkward, choppy feel that was distracting, and I ended up rereading several passages because they initially didn't make sense to me. That choppiness was also influenced by the pivots between Duchess and Walk's POVs which weren't clearly noted. The cast of characters were a varied but an over-the-top bunch and even though Duchess' story was compelling, she was a little 'too much', making it hard for me to believe that she was a 13-year-old girl with the way she spoke and acted. 

We Begin At The End is a character-driven story about secrets, loyalty and the lingering effects of intergenerational emotional trauma. It is a unique mix of mystery, western and psychological drama, but this was an underwhelming read that didn't quite live up to its hype for me.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Chris Whitaker

Genre: Mystery, Western, Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Pages: 384

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

First Published: March 2, 2021

Opening Lines: Walk stood at the edge of a feverish crowd, 

some he'd known since his birth, some since theirs.

Book Description from GoodReads: There are two kinds of families: the ones we are born into and the ones we create.

Walk has never left the coastal California town where he grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released.

Duchess is a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Her mother, Star, grew up with Walk and Vincent. Walk is in overdrive trying to protect them, but Vincent and Star seem bent on sliding deeper into self-destruction. Star always burned bright, but recently that light has dimmed, leaving Duchess to parent not only her mother but her five-year-old brother. At school the other kids make fun of Duchess―her clothes are torn, her hair a mess. But let them throw their sticks, because she’ll throw stones. Rules are for other people. She’s just trying to survive and keep her family together.

A fortysomething-year-old sheriff and a thirteen-year-old girl may not seem to have a lot in common. But they both have come to expect that people will disappoint you, loved ones will leave you, and if you open your heart it will be broken. So when trouble arrives with Vincent King, Walk and Duchess find they will be unable to do anything but usher it in, arms wide closed.

Chris Whitaker has written an extraordinary novel about people who deserve so much more than life serves them. At times devastating, with flashes of humor and hope throughout, it is ultimately an inspiring tale of how the human spirit prevails and how, in the end, love―in all its different guises -- wins.