The End of All Thing by Lissa Bryan

[TJsmama]

I was looking for a post apocalyptic novel that was zombie, mutant, and gore free. I wanted something that dealt with human emotions, explored human nature, had a love story, and wasn't completely grim or depressing. I'm a reader who values character driven novels to the point where I'll look at my shelf and find myself unable to recall the plots and pretty much anything else other than the personalities of the heroines and heroes of the stories. A good storyline is important, don't get me wrong, because how else would you feel that tingle that tells you which book to choose when reading a book's blurb? That said, character development/growth and good dialogue are my main weaknesses.

The End of All Things was everything I was looking for, and so much more.

The main characters of this tale (Carly and Justin) were so well developed that by the 25% mark, I could've closed my eyes and envisioned not only their physical appearances, but how they'd talk and act. That's not to say that they're predictable cardboard cut outs, because they aren't at all. I guess what I'm trying to say is, they felt like old friends of mine by then already. Carly, who started out as a sheltered and naive city girl, continuously surprised me with her courage and perseverance. She never lost her faith and optimism but with each mile she, Justin, and the animals she adopted into their little family passed, Carly gained a little bit more of Justin's wary understanding of humanity. It was a little disconcerting to witness because like Justin, i was afraid Carly would lose the spark that made her her. I also watched as Justin, who was introduced to us as a kind but realistic alpha male/ex commando, learned to slowly accept and reciprocate feelings he was never shown or given before such as love. Little by little, Carly's warmth unknowingly slipped through Justin's impenetrable wall and it was such a beautiful thing to witness.

But this isn't just a story of two people who find love in the unlikeliest people and places. This story is also about survival and the difficult decisions people have to make to ensure it. The people Carly and Justin encountered along the way weren't all evil or opportunistic bastards, but there were enough to keep their trek interesting and the reader engaged.

That said, on a scale of 1-10, I'd give TEoAT a solid 9.