It Ends with Us

tw// dv, abuse
This book made me feel emotions i didn't know i could feel.

My heart's broken and full at the same time < / 3
Like lily's heart tattoo, i feel like there's a hole at the top of my heart letting all the air out.
I've never been more upset and frustrated and in love with a book at the same time.

I always have a lot to say about books, but more often than not, most people (including me at times) forget that a book is simply fiction.
What somebody put out into this world - for a purpose, that could be entertainment, to tell ‘THEIR' story, ‘A' story or even just for the purpose of writing one, simply because they like doing so.
Yes, media and books affect and influence people but they're most definitely not an accurate representation of reality. (sigh fictional men.)

So with that extremely essay-esque passage, I would like to begin my review by saying: Yes, Atlas was not an important part of this book. And Yes, most DV victims do not have an Atlas in their lives.
Do i still like that there is an Atlas and essentially a happy ending? Also yes.
Because this! is! a book! I'm reading! and I like happy endings! (picture me slamming the table at every exclamation point.)
It is also important to understand that this is still Lilly's story and not Lilly & Atlas's.
And that every victim's story is different and that this is in no way, a representation of what any DV victim goes through.

The purpose of this book in my opinion was to explain how difficult it can be for people to cut strings and leave their abuser. It's easy for anybody to say “she/he/they should have just left.”, “why did they stay despite the abuse?”, etc. but nobody knows the entire picture, the emotions or anything that accompanies such a decision.
Did the book do a good job at that? absolutely.
Did it also tell us that despite how hard it might be, it's important to leave, important to break the cycle? yes.

“Cycles exist because they are excruciating to break. It takes an astronomical amount of pain and courage to disrupt a familiar pattern. Sometimes it seems easier to just keep running in familiar circles, rather than facing the fear of jumping and possibly not landing on your feet.”

shrugs

“It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us.”