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by Benedict Wells

Julesovo bezstarostné detstvo tragicky naruší náhla strata rodičov, ktorí zahynuli pri autonehode. Predtým sebavedomý chlapec je odrazu introvertný a bojazlivý. Spolu so svojimi dvoma súrodencami odchádza do internátnej školy, kde sa každý z nich s traumou vyrovnáva po svojom. Jules zostáva uzavretý vo svojom vnútornom svete, kým si vedľa neho do lavice nesadne Alva, dievčina s červenými vlasmi a okuliarmi s kosteným rámom. Aj ona má svoje ťaživé tajomstvá... Ich neobyčajná náklonnosť hraničí s láskou, no na prahu dospelosti sa ich cesty rozdelia. Jules sa s Alvou opäť stretáva až po rokoch. Zdá sa, že konečne prišiel čas naplniť vzájomnú lásku a vynahradiť si dlhé obdobie odlúčenia. No bolestná minulosť, neviditeľný nepriateľ kdesi v pozadí, čaká na svoju príležitosť...

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, German Literature, Romance, Roman, Novels

312 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2016

About the author

Benedict Wells was born in Munich in 1984. At the age of six he was sent to a state boarding school due to family and other problems at home. Following his graduation from high school in 2003, he decided not to go to university but instead moved to Berlin to pursue his writing. He made a living doing odd jobs. His fourth novel, ›The End of Loneliness‹, spent more than a year and a half on the Spiegel Bestseller list, was awarded the 2016 ›European Union Prize for Literature‹, among other awards, and has been published in 38 languages. After several years in Barcelona, Benedict Wells now lives in Zurich.

Three current book recommendations: "Girl, woman other" by Bernardine Evaristo. "Effingers" by Gabriele Tergit. "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin.

Homepage: https://www.benedictwells.de
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Benedict-Wel...
Readings: https://www.diogenes.ch/leser/autoren...

Reviews

[Angela M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story affords us the opportunity to feel what the characters are feeling even if their experience is not one that is totally familiar. I know what grief feels like over losing loved ones, but I don’t know what it’s like as a child to lose both parents and carry that grief throughout your life. This is a such a well written story that I found myself totally immersed in the grief of Jules, Marty and Liz Moreau, so much so that I cried at times with them and for them. This is such a profound story about loss and loneliness and the effect of losing their parents and the life they knew, but it’s at the same time about how life goes on, about love, about memories. Even with the pervasive grief that makes this heavy and dark at times, there is hope and there are moments of joy.

Jules is the narrator, so you might say it’s his story but it’s also Marty’s and Liz’s and Alva’s story, the woman who has been in Jules’ heart from when he was a child at the boarding school the siblings were sent to. I don’t want to say much about the plot, except that it depicts how they lose themselves and each other and this is the story of their journeys to move forward. Bottom line is that I loved it, the introspective nature of it, the characters’ self awareness as they try to cope. It’s very philosophical as well, raising big questions such as how much does an individual control control his or her feelings and shape their life moving forward. These are some of the most affecting characters I’ve encountered in a while.

I always feel as if I’m taking a risk when I read a translation of a book, because I think I might not fully get what the author is trying to convey in his or her native language. The beautiful translation of this book felt true to me and it felt like English was the language it was written in, so kudos to Charlotte Collins who translated this book. This will definitely be on my list of favorites for the year.


I read this with the Traveling Sisters and I received an advanced copy of this book from Penguin Books through Edelweiss.

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

nothing impresses me more than pure character-driven writing.

this...this was like a beautifully written soap opera.

i think this book is pretty dishonest — it depicts a protagonist who has suffered many losses and therefore chooses to live in a dream world, a lot of the time, except that's mostly used as a device to trick the reader for maximum tragedy.

too many bad and absurd things happen in this book. truly, some of the quote-unquote painful events are roughly as ridiculous as a love interest revealing himself as a murderous evil twin. 

i never felt like i got to know any characters besides our gloomy main character, jules. not his manic pixie dream girl, alva. not his flighty troubled sister liz. not his dorky brother marty. definitely not any of the other interchangeable women in his life.

there were moments that this did get to me, but they were outnumbered by the ones that made me let out an audible "really?"

forgive me, but spending hundreds of pages in the head of a fairly unsympathetic man who gets bogged down in all the bad he's seen without ever really caring for the good was too annoying.

bottom line: i know this is an unpopular opinion. it's unpopular for me too.

(picked this up for a substack post in which i let you guys choose my reads)

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘there were things i couldnt say; i could only write them. because when i spoke, i thought; and when i wrote, i felt.’

what a surprise this book is. the kind of quiet surprise that ever so quietly draws closer to you, step by step, until its staring right back at you, making you realise and say, ‘oh, there you are. i didnt know how much i needed you.’ a story so heartbreakingly tender, so human in its reflection on loneliness, family, love, loss, grief, and hope.

but while this story has a real loveliness to it, i do want to point out that the translation felt a bit off at some points. it makes me sad that im not fluent in every language and cant enjoy novels in their own language, because sometimes translations remove the natural charm of a story in its original form. and while the occasional hiccups of unnatural english werent a deal breaker, sometimes it disrupted the magic of the story, which is unfortunate.

but other than that, this story is so imperfectly perfect.

↠ 4 stars

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

My gosh.... the purity of this novel is beautiful. The storytelling MAGNIFICENT!

It’s a book you want to own - let some time pass - then read it again. A few novels are high on my ‘gift’ lists....
“Molokai” by Alan Brennert, “To The End of Your Life Book Club”, by Will Schwalbe, and “The History of Love”, by Nicole Krause are a few books. - just to name a few- I’ve given away to people many times. I like to bring a book - rather than a bottle of wine to dinner invitations.
I ‘already’ have a friend - Jamie - from Calgary who visits our AirBnB for a few days once a month when here on business), buying this novel for his wife.....( a valentines gift).

This is the type of book - that my long time close friend - Lisi- would call me up and say: READ IT!
I trust a “Lisi says read now” recommendation....NO MORE SAID... NO REVIEW....NO DETAILS...no consideration of cost...
JUST READ IT, Lisi says...and I do! I trusted my friend Peter, the same way.

I should really end my review here — simply invite EVERY FRIEND I KNOW - male and female - everyone who loves a great literary marvel....to READ THIS BOOK!
Friends can stop here - no need to read another word from me. Other than READ IT!

But for those who want more....
I’ll share a little - but it’s a book to experience yourself. This slim book captures the complexities of love, desire, and tragedy, brilliantly.

Here is a quote to THINK ABOUT while reading this novel — try it on. Does this ring true for you - or not:
A father tells his six year old son:
“It was important to have one true friend — a soulmate. Someone you’d never lose, who would always be there for you. He said that was much more important than love”.

Characters you’ll spend your most time with in this novel are: Jules, the narrator ....
Marty and Liz ( siblings of Jules), Toni, and Alva.
These are characters you come to know well. Alva’s character was the most challenging character for me to ‘deeply’ understand for awhile .... but after unraveling of her layers of who she was - I was richly rewarded with knowing her as I would a close friend.

Jules - and I share much in common. He was the youngest in his family - we both had a loss that we’d never wish for any child. We both sat in the backseat of the family car. We both felt that nobody really expected anything of us as kids.
Our adults and older siblings shared important conversations in the front seat of the car... but nobody thought we munchkins were listening intensely. We were - listening.

Alva asked Jules: “what it had been like for him and his siblings driving to a new home for the first time after his parents death?” I felt I knew what it was like for Jules. Jules was six when his parents died. I was 4 when my father died.

Forgive me - being soooo honest here: I just erased three paragraphs of a story about my life - relating closely with Jules ..... but I change my mind because I realize each reader… *YOU-I-HOPE*- are going to have many of your own stories - triggers - memories - and thoughts arise as you read this novel. It’s a treat to read this novel....
A WONDERFUL book club pick. Much to chat about each character.

I’m chatting with my daughter about this book - in Canada - ‘now’ - at the SAME TIME I’m trying to write a half way decent review - I’m nuts.....really nuts.
But I have so much passion for this book. ( and talking with my daughter while sharing about this amazing book is kinda fun and special)....
I’d be better at verbally chatting with others about this novel than writing.....but I’m giving this process my best effort. I look forward to verbal conversations with our friends.

So instead of too many more words from me .... I’ll share a little dialogue from this novel ...
BUT NO SPOILERS.....
...... just some thought provoking dialogue that either I resonated with, or I want to talk about it more, or I was just ‘moved’ by the beauty of such intelligent emotional writing.

Jules says:
“This constantly being alone is killing me”.
Alva says:
“Yes, but the antidote to loneliness isn’t just being around random people indiscriminately, the antidote to loneliness is emotional security”.
“Me, beckoning to the waiter: we’ll drink to that.......
and all this time I couldn’t stop staring at Alva’s beautiful ‘film noir’ face, looking into those big, luminous, pale green eyes; and another drink and we sank into blessed drunkenness, and to my astonishment I said, what I’d really like to do is leave my job, move away from Berlin and just write. And suddenly it was as if I found my inner voice again, and finally I admitted I missed Alva”.

I LOVED THIS EXCERPT .....( note: who hasn’t experienced the uncomfortableness of a formal controlled conversation with a person you ‘really’ know well- and they you?: awkward!)....
“For a moment I felt as if our real selves were far away, and we sent two negotiators to a bar who weren’t authorized to talk about the really important things”.

Another sweet gem:
“Alva’s hands, gesticulating as she spoke, or her teeth when she laughed, which she did a lot that evening, she had accepted her slightly crooked front tooth and didn’t hold up her hand in front of her mouth anymore”.

“Time isn’t linear; nor is memory. You always remember more clearly things you’re emotionally close to you at any given moment”.

Jules says:
“I hardly knew my father. I often wonder what our relationship would be like if he were alive. Would we have much to do with each other? Or perhaps even be friends? I’d like to sit in a bar and chat with him, too, as adults. I missed out on everything. Conversations, little moments, father-son stuff”.

Last.....I loved this quote by Jack Kerouac which was on the wall of Liz’s when she was a teenager:
“The only people for me are the mad one’s. The ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous at everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say commonplace things, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars”.


This novel is soooooooooo GOOD! Extraordinary depth and beauty!!!

A 2019 BIG TIME FAVORITE!!!

MANY THANKS TO MY BUDDY REFERRAL, *Peter*!

Many thanks to Penguin Press, Netgalley, and Benedict Wells

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first five star read of 2019. Five stars because it gave me a very good story, some great and memorable characters, as well as delivering all the feels. A complimentary side of marshmallow thrown in for good measure.

When the story opens we are introduced to Jules. He is lying in a hospital bed recovering from a motorcycle accident. The reason for the accident is in doubt. He then flashes back to his past, and the reader follows he and his siblings as they are delivered to a just barely serviceable boarding school. Jules is just ten, Marty and Liz, a little older. His parents killed in a car accident, the children barely given time to grieve. Here the siblings will grow apart, but it is also here that Jules will make a wonderful friend that will have a huge impact on his future. His relationship with Alva, also a lonely young woman with a huge grief in her life provide the nucleus of the novel.

Sometimes translated novels can be tricky, meanings changed due to word choices. To be honest, there were a few such incidents here, but it didn't change the meaning of the story, nor affect the way I felt. Early childhood trauma changes us, and this is brilliantly shown in the lives of the siblings. There is sadness, happiness, but also a longing for a reality they can call their own. Steps and missteps in relationships, career choices. Yet, these are well rounded, realistic characters that I came to cherish. Their pain, lonliness, times of happiness, so aptly displayed that these felt like actual people i had come to know. People I felt for and with, wanting them to overcome their loss early in life and find joy. What they go through and whether they accomplish this goal, is the story, one you will have to read yourself. I hope you do.

ARC from Penguin Books.

[İntellecta · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first i was curious about an unusual story by Benedict Wells, so i was excited to read. Benedict Wells has a great writing style. He usualy knows how to handle with words, but did not touch me with his style of writing. The destiny of the main character is directed by the arbitrariness of the autor without surprising moments and changes of tacks.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens with the line: I’ve known Death a long time, but now Death knows me.

Jules wakes in a hospital bed - he’s been in an accident, and he’s pretty beaten up. He tries to piece it together: a motorcycle accident, but there’s something before that, something his mind doesn’t want to recall. We’ll find out what that is… but not yet, not for quite some time.

We flash back to his childhood and learn that he lost his parents early in life, the result of a car crash. He, his brother Marty, and sister Liz were dispatched to a grim boarding school. The idyllic life they’d led to this point is gone, replaced by something else. At the school, Jules meets the red-haired Alva, a similarly introverted being; they strike up a friendship. Marty also finds a friend in Toni, who will eventually become a friend to all three siblings. Liz, on the other hand, is a bit of a loner, but wild too: she wants to live life to the full and to experiment. As the book unfolds, we will see how the lives of all five of them play out.

The focus, though, is on Jules, and it’s through him that we see what happens to each of them. It’s a truly multi-layered tale this: it’s predominantly melancholy in tone, as the siblings follow a hard road to their futures, and we really do witness the peaks and troughs a life can deliver. Not only is there the loss of their parents to deal with but also separation as the three of them are split up for the first time in their lives at the boarding school and again later after they’ve gotten together collectively or sometimes in pairings.

There is the agonising over unrequited love and the mistakes they make (that we all make) as they grow up, sometimes leading to longer-term problems or regrets that will continue to haunt them. There’s also a pervading sense of time running out, things left undone. And there’s a suspicion that lives can be poisoned from the start (the siblings lost their parents, and Alva lost a sister), stunting the ability to find happiness thereafter. But there are good times too, successes and moments of pure unadulterated happiness.

Apart from enjoying the unfolding of the tale itself, one of the great pleasures of this book for me was the way in which the group wrestle with some of the big philosophical questions in life, such as: do people really have free will and if a different path had been taken would some elements still be the same – would something still survive, the immutable part?

For Liz, life is about excitement and stimulation, but for Marty and Jules, I sense it’s more about finding security and contentment. Different strokes for different folks. Do each of them (or any of them) find what they’re looking for? Well, I’m not going to answer that, you’re going to have to read the book and find out for yourselves!

A five-star read, without doubt. This book has been a huge success since it’s release, winning the 2016 European Union Prize for Literature, and I can see why. Now translated into English it’s one that you’ll miss at your peril.

My sincere thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Persistence
The End of Loneliness is a story that affirms the power of love and the throbbing pain of loss and loneliness. How the heart can be nourished and torn apart, leaving us with an unforgettable and emotional journey.

At 11 years of age, the story's narrators, Jules, and his older brother and sister, Marty and Liz, lose their parents in a car accident. They are re-homed in a boarding school with each drifting apart and trying to adapt to this new alien world. For Jules, he despondently watches his older siblings “desert” him and he gradually starts to retreat into himself and his imagination. He makes friends with a girl, Alva, a little older than he, and she is also finding it difficult to socialise and engage with others. Over the years, their mutual loneliness and sadness are only abated as they spend more time together and strike up a close bond. These characters are subtly developed and it's intriguing watching how they share similar traits yet are different, how they are affected by their other relationships yet have a bond that they probably can't fully appreciate. During adolescence Jules starts to realise that his feelings are more intimate than just friendship, but will he risk losing what he has, to gain everything. He reflects that he,

“Never had the courage to win her, only ever the fear of losing her.”

The End of Loneliness takes us on a lifelong cyclic journey of love and loss for each of the characters. The issue of unrequited love is a hugely emotive aspect of the narrative and the writing style delivers this extremely delicately yet dramatically. How would life pan out if we had taken a different course?

“If you spend all your life running in the wrong direction, could it be the right one after all?”

If you spend most of your life chasing a dream, is it still a dream when you catch it, and what happens if you let the dream go? The last part of the book is genuinely emotional, especially if you have connected with the characters, which I’m absolutely sure the reader will. It’s not a dramatic romance story, but the emotional pull is much more powerful for it. Is life a zero-sum game or do some people just have more than their fair share of bad luck? The book is sad without being depressing, and it has its moments where it is inspiring and heartfelt.

I would highly recommend this book and I'd like to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very moving account of three siblings from Munich, Germany who tragically lost their parents in a car accident. The story is told from the perspective of the youngest son, Jules. As the story begins, a now adult Jules wakes up in hospital realizing he has survived a motorcycle accident. Both Jules' older brother Marty and the hospital psychologist question whether it was an accident or a suicide attempt. From here, the story rewinds to its beginning.

Jules is a carefree, brave and outgoing child of 7. He loves his apartment where he can look down into a pleasant courtyard. His pretty Mom plays a Beatles cassette in the car as they make their annual summer jaunt to visit Grandmother in her ivy-covered house in the south of France. Dad is an aspiring photographer, but in reality is an accountant. He is well thought of at work and has an engaging personality. The Moreau's family life seemed rather idyllic during this early period, and I was easily lured into the story.

As time progresses, the father doesn't seem as sound of spirit as he used to be. He comes home from work later than usual and seems agitated. The parents' marriage doesn't seem quite as loving as it used to be. To that end, the parents go away alone on a trip hoping for a restorative effect on their marriage. Instead, they wind up dying in a car accident. This results in Jules, Marty, and the oldest- sister Liz- being sent to a boarding school. Jules is separated from his older siblings in the building. Still in shock and mourning, Jules is not the same madcap, ebullient personality he used to be...especially in this new environment. Then he meets a girl named Alva.

Jules used to sit towards the back of the class, keeping to himself. Alva started sitting next to him. One rainy day, she came over to his room at the boarding school where he played her a Nick Drake album; one of his Mom's favorites. Alva's passion was reading, and she could always be found sitting in some improbable position atop various pieces of furniture, enthralled in a book. Jules used to have a passion too...for writing stories.

Jules never forgot something his father fervently told him: "The most important thing is that you find your true friend, Jules. Your true friend is someone who's always there, who walks beside you all your life. You have to find them; it's more important than anything, even love. Because love doesn't always last." Jules was certain that person was Alva.

This was a very rich story spanning decades in Jules' pursuit and devotion of Alva. His single-minded focus on her is unwavering. It also follows the interesting and unfolding lives of Jules' siblings, Marty and Liz. The character of Jules is very likeable and sympathetic. He has emotional issues to work on, to come to terms with the last moments he spent with his father before he was snatched by death. This is also a story of a family that is always there for each other, and it was a very touching read.

Thank you to the publisher Penguin Books who provided an advance reader copy via Edelweiss.

[Semjon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leck mich am Ärmel! Das Buch hat mich ja total mitgenommen. Rein von der Handlung über Verlust, Traumata, Zusammenhalt und Lebenssinn würde ich sagen, dass sich das Buch nicht wesentlich von anderen Familiengeschichten unterscheidet. Es liegt in erster Linie an der Art, wie Benedict Wells seinen Roman aufbaut und vor allem wie er erzählt. Da sitzt jedes Wort, da ist keine Methapher übertrieben und keine Episode überflüssig. Das Buch ist meines Erachtens einfach in sich stimmig.

Der Ich-Erzähler Jules ist der Jüngste von drei Geschwistern, die behütet in den 70er Jahren aufwachsen. Alle Kinder lieben die Mutter, während der Vater etwas unnahbar erscheint. Es hätte alles so schön werden, die Kindheit, die Pubertät, das Herauswachsen aus dem Elternhaus. Doch die Eltern verunglücken tödlich als Jules gerade mal 12 Jahre ist. Der Verlust der Eltern, bewirkt den Verlust eines Elternhauses, Verlust des Vertrauens in die Menschen, Verlust der geschwisterlichen Geborgenheit in den folgenden Jahren im Internat. Der Rückzug in die Einsamkeit läßt auch kaum Chancen zu, innige Freundschaften zu entwickeln und selbst die getreue Freundin aus Kindertagen kann nicht als feste Bezugsgröße in den Erwachsenenjahren gehalten werden. Das Leben entwickelt sich zu einem Kommen und Gehen, ständig muss Jules lernen, Menschen wieder loszulassen, an die er sein Herz bindet. Das zieht sich durch das ganze Buch, ohne dass es zu einem Ergötzen des Autors am Leid seiner Hauptfigur kommt (wie z.B. in Ein wenig Leben) oder dass es kitschig wirkt. Die Figuren des Romans wirken absolut authentisch und keineswegs stereotyp.

“Eine schwierige Kindheit ist wie ein unsichtbarer Feind, dachte ich. Man weiß nie, wann er zuschlagen wird.“

Es dauert lange, bis sich Jules dieser Schläge bewusst wird und sich auch von ihnen erholt. Und obwohl das Buch gegen Ende sehr traurig wird, schafft es der Autor mit dem letzten Satz Hoffnung der erschütterten Leserschaft zu geben. Ganz toll. Verlust von geliebten Menschen, intensive Geschwisterbeziehungen, fehlendes Selbstwertgefühl: es gibt viele Punkte, die mich ganz speziell getriggert haben und mich das Buch stärker spüren ließ als andere Lektüren. Aber selbst Leser/innen, die nicht so intensiv mit dem Protagonisten mitfühlen, kann ich das Buch empfehlen. Es ist eine große Familiengeschichte auf gerade mal knapp über 300 Seiten.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 and a yawn

This book is fine. Not fine like in fine china. Or fine like in mighty fine. This is more like the fine I utter when my salmon is a little overcooked. It’s fine, I tell the server, as in, I can still taste a bit of goodness but I definitely won’t rave about this meal later. It’s fine; it will do. So this isn’t a huge endorsement, obviously. And in the same way, I can’t give a huge endorsement to this book.

The story is about Jules, whose parents die when he’s young. He and his brother and sister end up at a boarding school. Jules is a sad sack for a while, not finding the right street to walk down, and he’s pining over the girl who got away. There is alienation and blues and happiness and grief. Occasional pieces of wisdom are given, but not thrilling or memorable.

One big item for the Complaint Board: The author got the kids all wrong! Seriously, an 11-year-old would not be kissing girls, which Jules admits to doing. We don’t see the kisses, but his sister ribs Jules about it:

“A friend of mine saw you. She said it was right here, outside our building, and you stuck your tongue down the girl’s throat. Like a pair of Labradors, she said.”

First of all, the sister is 14. Seriously—she’d know about French kissing? And a friend saw the tongues sticking down throats? Huh? One doesn’t really SEE tongues during a kiss—they’re enclosed in the mouths, wouldn’t you say? And I’m very sure that a 14-year-old would not make the comment about Labradors. What do kissing and tongues have to do with a pair of Labradors anyway?

In fact, while I was reading the chapters set in the boarding school, the kids’ actions and thoughts never seemed to match their age. I’d be surprised if the author had kids. In any case, he should have done his homework. I spent time going back to try to figure out ages, and I was definitely shaking my head no. It was jarring and annoying.

This book has lots of fans, so I had high hopes: I thought the book would knock my socks off but instead it made me yawn. This is a fine story and a decent character study, but so? I pretty much felt zippo about the main character, Jules, even though he was vivid and sympathetic. Same goes for his sibs and his love, Alva. This story was more than a meh, but not by much.

Thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy.

[daniella ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

tears are streaming down my face. good god

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This was a book about siblings Liz, Marty, and Jules.. who at young ages, lost both their parents in a traffic accident, and then were sent to boarding school for many years. They were separated from each other while there and for the youngest, Jules .. it was especially difficult.
This is their story, (mostly focusing on Jules life) and how the sadness of such an early loss affected their entire lives. There are also other great characters in this book to bring about a very meaningful and lovely book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books for the opportunity to read this!

[Dem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Described as a Tear Jerker in the magazine review I read but I am afraid this one didn't emotionally affect me in any way and not a tear was shed which may say more about me than the book....... but we do all react differently and as so many of friends found this one a powerful and emotional read, Unfortunately by the end of the novel I was left unmoved and unsatisfied and didn't connect with the characters and to be honest probably wont remember much about this novel a month from now. I do realise that I am in the minority on this one and respect and enjoyed my Goodread's friends 4 and 5 star reviews but I would be lying if I said I even liked it because I didn't and I think that is ok too.

"The story is the account of three siblings: Jules Moreau, the narrator, and his older siblings Liz and Marty. The trio lose their parents in a car accident when Jules is 11, and all move from Munich to boarding school. They grow apart, Marty throws himself into his studies, and Liz falls in with the wrong crowd. Jules retreats into himself until he meets Alva who is dealing with her own family troubles".
This is a quiet story with no great twists and turns just a story about loss and loneliness, family and love. Its quite an easy read and a short book but didn't quite pack the punch I was expecting. I didn't connect with the characters and am sure there is a depth to this book that I just didn't get. The one thing I really do enjoy upon finishing a book like this is reading my friends reviews and learning what about the book they enjoyed and connected with and my friends have been very passionate about this novel so perhaps take time to read their 5 and 4 star reviews before deciding whether the book is right for you.

An ok read, short but not going to be a memorable one for me.

[Renee Godding · Rating 1 out of 5]

Small rant incoming...

I’m proud to say that I made it until June this year before encountering a book I didn’t just dislike but actively hated. That book was The End of Loneliness. Obligatory disclaimer before you come for me: please know this is my opinion based on my experiences, and I'm not trying to insult anyone. If you love this book I'm happy for you, but I just have many problems with it...

I realise that it’s an unpopular opinion, and I honestly don’t think it’s just this book I dislike, but this entire subgenre which I’ve come to name “tragedy-porn”.
Most famous for its posterchild and most egregious offender A Little Life, this genre has one goal only: to make its reader cry. How, you ask? Oh simple: just by chugging as much tragedy and sadness the protagonists way possible. Death of a parent: awesome! Life threatening illness: sure! Abandonment by loved one: yes please! What more can we add to make sure the audience knows our protagonist has a SAD life…?
It’s tragedy for the sake of tragedy. For the sake of manipulating an emotional response out of the reader, and I for one don’t respond well to it.
I’m all for katharsis through stories: finding your way through your own grief and difficulties in life by way of living through them vicariously via fictional characters. I never feel that Tragedy Porn lends itself to that however. It falls in the same category as “sick lit”: written by able-bodied people, for able-bodied people, to feel sad for the poor characters in the book, only to realise their own lives aren’t so bad after all.
As someone who deals with disability and tragedy every day professionally, I know how real these kind of stories are. People with lives like this exist, and they deserve a better representation that a one-dimensional cardboard cut-out for readers to “awww” over.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Während ich seit einer guten Stunde immer und immer wieder mein Geschriebenes lösche, weil ich mir laufend die Frage stellen muss: „Wie rezensiere ich ein Buch, das mich sprachlos zurückgelassen hat?“, entscheide ich mich genau dafür als Anfang.

Dabei möchte ich festhalten, dass ganz gleich was ich schreiben werde, es wird diesem Roman nicht im Entferntesten gerecht werden.

„Das Leben ist kein Nullsummenspiel. Es schuldet einem nichts, und die Dinge passieren, wie sie passieren. Manchmal gerecht, so dass alles einen Sinn ergibt, manchmal so ungerecht, dass man an allem zweifelt. Ich zog dem Schicksal die Maske vom Gesicht und fand darunter nur den Zufall.“

Dieses Zitat war der Anstoß eines großartigen Leseerlebnisses. Es sorgte dafür, dass Benedict Wells neuer Roman meine volle, ungeteilte Aufmerksamkeit bekam. Wie man bisher unschwer erahnen kann, wurden meine Erwartungen nicht enttäuscht. Darüber hinaus möchte ich vorweg nehmen, dass es definitiv die Chance hat, dass beste Buch des Jahres zu werden. Es weckt in mir den Wunsch es jedem zu empfehlen, der bereit ist sein Herz für „Vom Ende der Einsamkeit“ zu öffnen.

Doch worauf lässt man sich bei dieser Geschichte ein?

Nun, wir lernen Jules und seine beiden Geschwister Marty und Liz kennen, als Jules elf Jahre alt ist und die Geschwister ihre Eltern durch einen Autounfall verlieren. Sie verlieren ihre Eltern, das gewohnte Umfeld, eigentlich sogar ihr eigenes Leben, denn als sie nach dem Tod ihrer Eltern auf ein staatliches Internat müssen, verändert sich alles. Die Geschwister verlieren sich immer mehr und versuchen auf ihre Art mit der neuen Situation fertig zu werden. Jules, der sich immer mehr zurückzieht, findet nur in Alva eine Freundin.

Nach den ersten Eindrücken über die Familie und das neue Leben im Internat, begleiten wir die Charaktere über die Jahre hinweg bis sie selbst Erwachsen sind. Jeder von uns wird sich in einem dieser Charaktere wiederfinden. Um ein paar Beispiele zu nennen: Jules ist auf der Suche. Liz ist wie eine rebellierende Reisende ohne Boden unter den Füßen. Und dann haben wir noch Alva, die alles mit sich selbst ausmacht.

Wir bekommen im weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte immer wieder einen Einblick in Jules Leben, aber es folgen auch Zeitsprünge. Diese Unterbrechungen in der Erzählung waren für mich während des Lesens sehr wichtig und willkommen, da sie einem die Zeit verschaffen um aufzuatmen und Revue passieren zu lassen. Sowieso habe ich immer wieder nachgedacht, reflektiert, genossen.

„Vom Ende der Einsamkeit“ birgt, neben einer grandiosen Handlung, eine ungeheure Melancholie. Wie sonst soll man einen Roman über Verlust, Einsamkeit, Familie und die Liebe schreiben?

Es ist wünschenswert, dass man dieser Geschichte sein Herz öffnet. Die Figuren sind so facettenreich gezeichnet, dass sie die Nähe zum Leser brauchen und verdient haben. Sie sind in ihrem ganzen Sein und Handeln einfach menschlich, nicht überzogen oder gar beschönigt.

Benedict Wells ist ein wahres Meisterwerk gelungen. Die Figuren sind absolut bemerkenswert, die Geschichte eindringlich und trotz der Schwere abwechslungsreich und der Erzählstil so mühelos und ausgereift, dass jede Zeile puren Lesegenuss darbietet.

Zusatz nach dem zweiten Mal lesen: Alles nochmal ganz anders wahrgenommen, anders lieben gelernt. Ein echtes Lese-Lebenshighlight.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this utterly wrecked me. What a beautiful book.

The End of Loneliness, translated from the German by Charlotte Collins, follows three siblings growing up in Munich, whose parents die in a car accident, leaving them orphaned and forced to attend boarding school. The focus is on Jules, the youngest sibling, who's more of an observer than a participant in his own life; after his parents' death he turns inward and fixates on a parallel narrative that he's crafted of what his life would have been like had they survived. At boarding school he meets Alva, another loner who he's able to connect with as he and his siblings grow apart, but after school they lose touch and Jules is once more on his own.

With a focus on the complex dynamics between the three siblings, Benedict Wells deftly explores the ripple effect of loss and grief. He also plays with the fallibility of memory in a way that recalls Kazuo Ishiguro, as Jules is recounting events from his childhood years later, and eventually certain cracks begin to form in his carefully curated narrative that suggest he may have chosen to remember certain events in a way that was convenient to him. This is a deeply melancholy book that gives little respite in its misery, but I found its emotional honesty refreshing. And with Jules' retrospective narration, the grief discussed feels more like a bruise than an open wound (it's a painful book to read, but not as visceral as something like A Little Life). It did bring me to tears at one point, but it wasn't the kind of painful that I lost sleep over; it's more of a quiet kind of haunting that slowly seeps under your skin.

My one criticism is that the end gets a bit twee and Wells insists on wrapping everything up a bit too neatly; maybe he's playing with the idea that one of the characters floats around, that life is a zero-sum game; maybe he thinks his characters have all suffered enough to have earned a neat ending. But as a reader I ironically feel less fulfilled with the more closure I get, so I would have preferred things to end on a slightly more somber note. 4.5 stars - rounded down for now but maybe I'll change it depending on how this stays with me.

Also - my advice going into this book is to avoid reading the Goodreads summary if possible (or maybe just read the first paragraph), as it essentially gives a paint by numbers account of the entire plot. It's not that I felt spoiled while reading - it's more driven by character than plot anyway - but it's just unnecessary to give that much away when the book is less than 300 pages to begin with.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Esil · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A difficult childhood is like an enemy. You never know when it will strike.”

This quote pretty much sums up what The End of Loneliness is all about. Jules is the youngest of three siblings. His parents die when he is 11 years old, and he and his siblings go live in a boarding school. Later in life, Jules looks back on different points in his life — how he and his siblings distanced themselves from each other and slowly came back together. But, always, for Jules and his siblings, the early loss of their parents affects their relationship to the world and to each other. Knowing young that terrible things can happen leaves lasting scars. And experiencing a terrible loss at a young age doesn’t immunize anyone from further terrible losses. The prose is simple and the story is narrated in a understated way, but this short novel packs a lot of emotions. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Jacqueline · Rating 1 out of 5]

What da heck did I just read? Why da heck does this book have such high reviews, and why did it win a prize?

There's a lot of thoughts I have about this book that I'll need to carefully gather and possibly elaborate more on later, but first of all: I could definitely tell this book was written by a man, even if I didn't know that already. The female characters are ridiculously flat and stereotyped--the damsel in distress who's ~damaged~ and needs ~saving~, the femme fatale who wants a man who doesn't respect her, both of them ~friend-zoning~ good men, the good men waiting for them to change their minds like the upstanding hopeless romantics they are.. not to mention the other ridiculous plot devices. This was marketed as a tearjerker. The only tears I shed are for my own precious time wasted when I could have been reading an honest, authentic piece of work by someone else.

The problematic-ness of it all! I can't *fans face*. I need a palate cleanser.

[Julezreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auch wenn "Vom Ende der Einsamkeit" sich einen Schritt weit außerhalb meiner Komfortzone befindet (sowohl inhaltlich als auch stilistisch), wurden meine Erwartungen in gewisser Hinsicht erfüllt. Es gab viele Aussagen und Gedanken, die ich wertschätzen konnte. Die Erinnerungen aus dem Leben des Protagonisten habe ich fasziniert verfolgt, bis sich die Bruchstücke zusammensetzten. Die Beschreibungen sind lebhaft, klug ausgeschmückt. Die Figuren werden subtil charakterisiert, sodass ich das Gefühl hatte, sie als Personen kennenzulernen und einschätzen zu können. Das Erzählen an sich gestaltete sich sprunghaft/ fragmentiert im Sinne von großen Zeitsprüngen. Bei mir sorgte das zum Teil für Verwirrung und eine emotionale Distanz. Von einigen Zitaten und Momenten konnte ich nichtsdestotrotz berührt werden. Ich empfehle es weiter, auch wenn es aufgrund von persönlichem Geschmack kein Lieblingsbuch für mich wird.

[Dalia Nourelden · Rating 5 out of 5]

"الطفولة الصعبة مثل عدو خفي. لن تعرف أبداً متى سيُباغتك بالهجوم."

حين نتعامل مع الفقد أو أي صدمة نمر بها خاصة في الطفولة يختلف رد فعل كل منا عن الآخر ، لكل منا شخصيته وافكاره ومشاعره فقد تظل طوال حياتك في متاهة ، تدور حول نفسك في دوائر مفرغة دون الوصول لشئ أو قد تلجأ للهروب بكل الطرق وقد تكون طرق الهروب مدمرة او قد تدفع نفسك دفعاً في الحياة لتحقق النجاح في حياتك . لكن اعتقد في كل الأحوال وبكل الطرق نحمل في الغالب بداخلنا فراغاً عميقاً نحاول ملئه بشتى الطرق ، ومنا من قد ينجح في ذلك ومنا من يظل طوال حياته يحاول ملء هذا الفراغ أو قد يستطيع خداع نفسه و يتجاهل وجوده .

تبدأ الرواية بتعرض البطل لحادث ليبدأ في إسترجاع شريط حياته منذ الطفولة لنعرف ماحدث معه وكيف وصل لهذا الحادث ؟!

" في هذا السكون سمعت كل أفكاري، وفجأة أستيقظت تماماً . بدأت في تذكر كل مراحل الماضي . تذكرت وجوهاً اعتقدت أنني نسيتها...
في البداية تكون الذكريات مشوشة، لكن خلال الساعات القليلة التي تليها تصبح أكثر دقة. ظلت أفكاري تجول عائدة بالزمن إلى الوراء قبل أن تستقر أخيراً عند الكارثة التي غيمت على طفولتي. "

في هذه الرواية نرى تأثير وفاة الأب والأم على كل من جول ومارتن وليز، رغم تقاربهم ومزاحهم الدائم في طفولتهم وتحت ظل والديهم إلا ان كثير من الأشياء ستتغير حين ينتقلون لمدرسة داخلية بعد فقدان والديهم .

" حتى تلك اللحظة كانت حياتي في أمان، لكن من الواضح ان هناك قوى وتيارات غير مرئية تستطيع تغيير كل شئ فجأة . لأنه يبدو أن هناك عائلات نجت من مصيرها وأخرى استأثرت بسوء الحظ لنفسها. في تلك الليلة تساءلت إن كانت عائلتي تنتمي إلى النوع الأخير. "

من خلال جول يقص علينا قصة حياته بعد حادث وفاة والديه الذي قلب حياتهم رأساً على عقب ، نتابع جول في مختلف أحداث حياته ونعرف من خلاله ما حدث مع اخوته . ليؤكد لنا ان لكل منا طريقته في التعامل مع الفقد . ونعرف تأثير فقدانهم لأبويهم عليهم وعلى اختياراتهم في الحياة وعلى علاقتهم مع بعضهم البعض .

"لم نبدأ أي محادثة حقيقية أثناء العشاء ، وفي النهاية صمتنا تماماً . تذكرت الأعشية الصاخبة السعيدة أثناء طفولتنا، عندما يتشاجر اشقائي أو عندما نضحك معاً على شئ مررنا به. وها نحن الآن نجلس حول الطاولة مثل ثلاثة ممثلين التقوا مجدداً بعد وقت طويل، ولم يعودوا يتذكروا نص مسرحيتهم الأكثر شهرة ."

الرواية مكتوبة بأسلوب جميل جدا وسلس ، ترجمة احمد صلاح كانت جميلة . الكاتب قدر يدخلني جوه الشخصيات وبرغم اننا بس بنسمع الأحداث والتفاصيل بصوت جول إلا انى حسيت بكل شخصية في الرواية ووصلتني شخصيتها ومخاوفها وافكارها ومشاعرها .

"إننا نعيش منذ ولادتنا على سفينة تيتانيك .
ما أريد قوله هو أننا نغرق ، ولن ننجو مما نحن فيه، هذا أمر محسوم . لا شئ يستطيع تغييره. لكن يمكننا الاختيار بين الركض بذعر والصراخ أو ان نكون مثل الموسيقيين الذين يواصلون العزف بشجاعة وكرامة رغم غرق السفينة ."


الرواية للاسف خدت مني وقت طويل اكتر من اللازم بس هو العيب فيا انا مش في الرواية خالص 😁 . كنت اتمنى طبعا أقرأها في وقت افضل من كده بس للاسف يعنى هو انا بقيت اغلب الوقت مشتته ومش مركزة فمش هتفرق كتير يعنى 😂.

الرواية في تفاصيل كتير حزينة وبائسة بس جواها مشاعر برضه جميلة ، جواها حب ودفا وصداقة وأخوة ، الجزء الاخير من الرواية كان فيه تفاصيل صعبة ومؤلمة وخلتتي افكر في حاجات كتير وتخوفاتي من حاجات تانية بس في نفس الوقت الكاتب كان بارع في وصف المشاعر اللى مر بيها البطل في المحنة دى .


طبعا بأه معروف ان تقييماتي بقت بائسة زى صاحبتها 😂 عشان كده طبيعى ان كان تفكيري ان أقصى تقييم ليا هيكون اربعة بس اما وصلت للنهاية لقتنى بفكر طب وليه ميبقوش خمسة 😁
ونحقق بكده معجزة نهاية السنة في ظهور خمس نجوم ليا بعد طول معاناة وبعد شهور طووويلة من الغياب 😁🎉🎉🎉🎉

ومتقلقوش التقييم الجاى هرجع لقواعدى البائسة سالمة 😁عشان محدش يتفائل بيا بس 😂



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[Scott Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pretty easily impacted by books. I have strong feelings and I also feel deeply… even hard and complicated feelings. It’s the Pisces in me (I’m told any way). That being said, it’s not often that a book impacts me so greatly that I sit with my feelings for long after I finish… but this one has done that. I laid in bed for an hour this morning just thinking about this book before I started to write this review. This is also, dare I say, the first book I finished where I wanted to immediately start it over and read it again… this time to annotate, which is something I never do.

The End of Loneliness is a character driven story that spans 4 decades. Told by Jules, the youngest of three siblings who’s narrating his life after the sudden and tragic death of his parents when he’s seven years old. He’s reflecting on his life from a hospital room after a near death experience of his own when he crashes his motorcycle in his forties.

This is a book about life, loss and love… it’s about memories and how they can haunt us, but also propel us forward, or maybe hold us back. This book is incredibly beautiful because it really does show how life can be so hard, so unfair, and so tragic. But I’m also a believer that life is a blessing, despite our hardships… and we get one. This is about making the choice to take it, and live it, despite the memories that haunt us.

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein absolutes Highlight, mir fehlen immer noch die Worte. Dies ist wirklich die Geschichte vom Ende der Einsamkeit, denn diese kann man nur gemeinsam bewältigen. Eine unglaublich ergreifende Geschichte über tiefe Wunden, über Schweigen und Selbstliebe, über die Liebe, das Leben und das Abschiednehmen,das unweigerlich auf uns alle wartet. Das Schicksal,dass manchmal zuschlägt und uns an den Rand des Erträglichen treibt....um das Alles geht es in diesem wunderbaren Roman. Ich konnte den Protagonisten, v.a. Jules, so nahe kommen und konnte die Gefühle so mitfühlen. Ganz grosses Kino❤️❤️❤️❤️

[taylor tippett · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a fucking sad, yet so profoundly beautiful, story. the choices we make, the friendships we keep (and sometimes ones we lose), growing up & trying to figure ourselves out; all the real things that happen in our one tiny life.

a beautiful look at how death, grief, and childhood shape us into who we are, the lives we live, and the people we become.

[deniz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,75 stars

The book felt pretty simple in its storytelling, but the writing was so beautiful. I think I’ve been reading a lot of books with similar themes lately, so this one didn’t really stand out to me as much as I hoped it would. I was expecting something a bit deeper, especially in terms of the background and emotional complexity, but it just didn’t quite deliver for me.

I really loved the overall vibe while I was reading it. There’s something quiet and comforting about the tone,it’s subtle but still hit me in certain moments. Even though it didn’t blow me away, it had this charm that kept me hooked. Maybe if I hadn’t already been into similar stories, it would’ve left a bigger impact.
All in all, it wasn’t life-changing for me, but I can still appreciate how thoughtfully it was written. It’s the kind of book that’s perfect if you’re in the mood for something low-key and reflective.

my playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2WM...

[am · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god this was beautiful

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book thoroughly absorbed me. I will remember it for a very long time. It took quite awhile to read as I did keep pausing so many times to reflect on the complex thoughts of the lonely Jules, his struggles with low self esteem and self examination, his attempts to understand the motives of others and especially the love of his life. I made personal notes and re-read sentences, paragraphs and often whole chapters for I felt the complexity of his loneliness so intensely. The book touched my heart over and over again. The theme of loneliness was there, implicit in all his thoughts and actions but not just in Jules himself.

The characters are so beautifully drawn and fascinating too. Loneliness was not the priority of Jules alone. It is there, implicit, in most of his characters,with their restlessness and personal struggles with life especially Alva of course.. They are so human and I felt drawn to them many times as I read their thoughts, words and actions. The love story between the two main characters is intriguing, complex, but really beautiful. I loved the ending too.

I do wish I was able to find the words to explain how this book touched me so deeply. The unpredictable, beautiful, mundane and often cruel way life treats us all...fate? It is all there in this unique book. It is said that "No man is an island" yet loneliness lives in all of us. It's all there in this book. I will always remember it and yes I will definitely re-read it. I'm not sure I have done it justice. Thank you so much to JV for recommending it.

[Amina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words that can accurately describe my love for this book. Gorgeous writing, a deeply moving plot, and characters that were flawed yet intriguing.

This is the story of three siblings who lose their parents suddenly and are sent to a boarding school. The narrative is told through the eyes of the youngest child, Jules. The three siblings Marty, Liz, and Jules are somewhat divided in their youth and grow up to all take very different directions in life. Liz is beautiful and seems to use her beauty to her advantage at every opportunity. Marty, a straightforward genius does tremendously well for himself. Jules focused on becoming a writer struggles to find a sense of self.

The End of Loneliness is a stunning saga of love, loss, and the will to go on. Jules meets and falls for a girl named Alva while at boarding school. Alva, who is also reeling from her grief finds a commonality with Jules. Their friendship is a solid foundation for which Jules sets himself steady.

However, when Jules and Alva are separated for many years, Jules tries to go on, wandering through life. He reconnects with his siblings but continues with a fractured understanding of what life is all about.

The Author Benedict Wells, (my first time reading his work) is magnificent and generous with his words. Wells perfectly crafts a story of survival and love between siblings: a story that you will want to savor. He can capture the characters' feelings so wonderfully, evoking every emotion possible.

I want to scream from the top of a building and bid everyone to read this book. It is stunningly written and much too gorgeous to ignore.

I am in love, for sure.

I will be reading this book again. Thank you, Benedict Wells! I can't wait to read more of your novels.

5/5 luminous stars for a work of art.

[Anka · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Sterne

Wieder mal so ein Buch, bei dem ich den Hype überhaupt nicht verstehen kann. Auf mich wirkte die Geschichte so, als hätte sich der Autor beim Schreiben ständig selbst auf die Schulter geklopft und zu seinem tollen Buch gratuliert.

Die Figuren sind laufende Klischees, zerfließen andauernd nur so in Selbstmitleid. Vor allem der Teil im Schweizer Chalet kam mir sehr aufgesetzt vor. Wer bitte würde jemals so ein Leben führen?

Bei der Handlung hat mich vieles irritiert. Die Figuren haben sich in meinen Augen seit ihrer Jugend nicht weiterentwickelt. Außerdem passt der Titel nicht wirklich zur Geschichte. Es war eher ein Suhlen in Einsamkeit, weil der Protagonist schlichtweg nicht glücklich sein wollte.

Meine doch relativ hohen Erwartungen wurden also herbe enttäuscht. Der Schreibstil war das einzige, was mich am Lesen gehalten hat.

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5

This is an unpopular opinion but I have a tough time reading books about characters that go through bad thing after bad thing and soley focus on those bad things instead of everything else in their life. This book reminded me of a little life (which I didn’t enjoy) in so many ways because the tragedy was so amplified that it felt like the only goal of the story was to make the reader cry.