Jane and Dan at the End of the World
Ratings1
Average rating3
15
Ratings1
Average rating3
Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise. A ZIBBY OWENS MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2025! Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce. But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar. Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.
Reviews with the most likes.
Publication date 3/11/25
Jane and Dan have been married for 19 years, and although they are on their way to a super swanky restaurant for their anniversary dinner, they are pretty much going through the motions. In fact, Jane is planning to tell Dan that she wants a divorce. She has barely broached the subject in the middle of the appetizer course when a group of masked, assault-weapon-wielding activists invade the restaurant, confiscate everyone's cell phones, and demand complete compliance with their orders. That's scary enough, but then the surprise identity of one of their captors raises the stakes exponentially. But even in her terror, Jane starts to notice that the situation feels familiar - because it's almost identical to the plot of the one (failed) novel she published six years ago.
Jane and Dan is a weird mash up of marriage-in-peril drama, suspense thriller, and wacky satire. I know it's just a novel, but I'm on edge these days and easily offended. In particular, the POV chapters from a bumbling police deputy who is excited to experience his first real crime (including a gunshot wound and everything!) made me see red. Similarly, without spoiling anything, the ultimate fate of the activists demonstrates either the author's naivete or her privilege.
If I were feeling more charitable towards the world, I would note that Oakley does an decent job of showing how Jane and Dan gradually remember why they love each other as they work together to avert the worst-case scenario. There's a heartfelt message about learning to trust that your kids will be okay even if you can't protect them 24/7 anymore. And the final reveal of why life is imitating Jane's art is undeniably clever (if incredibly far-fetched).
Maybe I should stick to non-fiction for a while. I'm not able to put aside my anger and fear long enough to get lost in someone else's story.
ARC received from Net Galley and publisher in exchange for review.
