It Starts with Us Review

It Starts with Us

Author: Colleen Hoover

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover is an intense sequel to Hoover’s prior book that was It Ends with Us, and the novel narrates the complicated journey of love, suffering, and redemption all over again. This sequel brings us back to the lives of Lily Bloom and Atlas Corrigan, who are meant for each other and have several chapters that readers hoped to learn more about. Thus, it can be stated that the novel is a continuation and at the same time, it is a moving personal story of the process of healing, suffering, and coming to power in order to gain the right to choose a life one desires.

The Continuation of Lily’s Journey

This sequel begins where It Ends with Us ends and majorly revolves around Lily Bloom, who is now a single mother after escaping an abusive marriage with Ryle Kincaid. What is left is that Lily is now sharing the custody of their child, Emerson, and is attempts at reclaiming her new life after being traumatized by what happened to her. The reader sees that Lily changes over the course of the novel with great attention to detail – It Starts with Us focuses on the mother’s desire to be a good parent to her daughter. However, this novel effectively portrays the theme of healing and the process of self-growth in favor of Lily’s determination and resistance.

The Complexities of Love and Relationships

Another one of the book’s key attributes is its depiction of love and relationships being realistic and believable. In this, Hoover raises the theme of struggling between love and hatred for the person who provoked both in the subject. Lily is in a dilemma, she understands that Ryle is a threat to her and Mel, but she cannot also deny the fact that they once loved each other and share a daughter together. What makes her fight individualistic and believable is the fact that she is not just black but she is also complex. In this case therefore the novel is realistic as it does not provide a one stop solution to recovering from a toxic relationship.

Balanced Pacing and Emotional Depth

Atlas Corrigan, though he was a major yet somewhat shady character in the first book, is described more fully in this sequel. Thus, readers get to know more about him, including his past and the issues he has had to overcome, which makes the character more three-dimensional. Atlas’s character is also a great sensitive match to Lily’s character because Atlas supports her character throughout the narrative with so much kindheartedness besides being a victim of child abuse. They are loving toward each other which depicts a healthy relationship that is possible in a partnership. While establishing Carol and George’s relationship, Hoover ensures to point out that love is restorative in George’s case.

Criticisms of the Novel

However, as with most books, it does not escape criticism and the following are the criticisms of the book. It Starts with Us, like modern love has many positive attributes but it does suffer a few flaws. Some of the readers may even feel that ‘tying up’ some of these sub-plots is too clichéd or pedestrian given the themes depicted in the story. This desire to give readers a neat and hopeful ending to It Ends with Us may cause the particular instances at times to appear rushed or even slightly didactic. Secondly, although having two narrators effectively enriches the plot, some readers could complain that Atlas’s sections could have been expanded more to emotionally mature the novel up to Lily’s transformation.

Another potential criticism is the portrayal of Ryle. Though, Hoover does not fail to portray his character with much complexity, some readers could have felt that a further elaboration of the protagonist’s psychological background or his motives would have enriched the plot. This way, although it is possible to emphasize Ryle’s humane side, it is also true that the novel’s power in teaching people about the importance of establishing boundaries might be partially lost.

Broader Themes and Reflections

However, the book is not merely about love; it is also about forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the endless cycle of abuse. Indeed, Hoover expects readers to think about these themes, creating a story that is almost as much a coming-of-age as it is a love story. This is a narrative of one woman’s search to come to terms with the consequences of her decisions and is a testament to the power of hope and change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, It Starts with Us is a sensitive and profound work where the continuation of Lily and Atlas’s love is combined with a strong and topical story. I also liked how Colleen Hoover managed to present a realistic cast of characters with unique qualities that make them individuals, and the concept of dealing with one’s Fear of Death, based on the premise that people fear death but are not sure about the afterlife, can be considered profound. Thus, despite some flaws that might be observed in the novel, such as moments when the plot seems to be too methodical, and some characters could be developed more deeply, the novel deserves to be posited as an interesting and notable work that works with themes of healing, the power of love and the concept of self-identifying. It Starts with Us sets the Alzheimer’s story about herself while suggesting that it is us, decide on what kind of love we want to seek after what happened to us in our past.

If you're interested in learning more about "It Starts with Us," I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version on Audible. With a free 30-day trial, you can listen to the audiobook version and immerse yourself in Lily and Atlas’s journey as they navigate love, healing, and second chances. So take this opportunity today, and discover how their story can inspire you to embrace the power of resilience and the possibility of a fresh start.

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