Jeanne’s Reviews > A Beginning at the End > Status Update

Wait. This guy is 31, has a 7 year old, in SAN FRANCISCO! And no one finds that odd? How on earth could he and his wife work enough while having a kid to afford SF in their 20s?

Also, the writing is still so ridiculous I’ve switched to audio, which is read by Emily Woo Zeller who is currently my favorite narrator.

“…her curiosity powered the words finally through.” Why is this written so strangely? And every page has some weirdness like this that takes me out of the “story” to try to figure out what the words mean, and then why it was written in this order. Is it to emphasize something?

I’ve complained a lot recently about the lack of editors in books I read, but this one may be the worst. It’s like the writing is translated by someone who doesn’t speak English.

“Although he’s known people that died, everyone he knew seem to escape unscathed.” Wait… what?!

This book is a good example of why passive voice is so infuriating. And, is it the cadence? Something just keeps making me so angry. WHY is this such bad writing? Like, other than passive voice and insane exposition and characters thinking things they would have stopped noticing months ago… there’s more that I can’t put a name to. 10 more pages and I’m giving up.

I do not understand how writing like this gets published without someone fixing it.

“Krista Deal, an impeccable combination of professionalism laced with sass, was speechless, perhaps for the first time since Moira and Frank hired her. Her grey eyes went wide. Then she inhaled sharply.”

My husband rated it four stars (!!!) so I cant give up on this so soon. But… ugh. So glad I’m not “laced with sass.”

Ugh. So much exposition from a 19 y o girl who thinks I’m her head like a 40 y o man. :(