It Ends With Us Book Review by Saanvi Kunisetty

 It Ends With Us Book Review

Saanvi Kunisetty

Every minute, nearly 20 people face some sort of physical abuse from their intimate partner. Domestic violence is an ongoing cycle, and It Ends With Us focuses on this very topic. Lily is a young woman who had a traumatic childhood because her mother was always abused by her father, but did nothing about it. When Lily falls in love with Ryle, a charming neurosurgeon, everything is going well until she begins to see signs of domestic violence (both mental and physical) in their relationship as well. The story narrates how she wages an internal battle between her passionate love for Ryle and her desperation to find a way out of this abusive relationship. 

It Ends with Us offers the perspective of a victim of domestic violence. Many times, we wonder, why doesn’t the victim simply leave the relationship if it inflicts pain? The book taps into the wide range of emotions that victims feel for their abusers. Many times, they are still in love, though it comes with pain and rage. They often formulate excuses, just like Lily begins to excuse Ryle for his behavior because of his busy schedule, his quick temper, and several other reasons as well. The book also provides hope that it is possible to break the cycle, and find someone who is truly right for you, just like Lily finds Atlas. In addition, the book teaches a plethora of life lessons completely unrelated to domestic violence. As Lily says, “Just because we didn’t end up on the same wave, doesn’t mean we aren’t still a part of the same ocean.” Though someone may not play a role in your life as you want them to, your connection and your past with them will not fade away. It Ends With Us is ultimately a book that is an emotional journey that helped me truly understand many issues I didn’t know much about before.