This is Where the World Ends

Janie and Micah, Micah and Janie. That's how it's been since they were children, when Janie Vivian moved next door. Janie says Micah is everything she is not. Where Micah is shy, Janie is outgoing. Where Micah loves music, Janie loves art. It's the perfect friendship-as long as no one finds out about it. - excerpt from book.

This is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang is a standalone book about two teenagers who are secret friends and nobody else knows. Something happened to them and Micah can't remember what because Janie is missing. I have heard many praises for the author's first book and I thought I gave this one a shot because I found it in the bookstore. At the start of the book it was quite slowed pace with two POVs. The chapters alternate between the point of views as well as past and present at the same time. This writing style sort of reminded me of Jandy Nelson's I'll give you the sun. I didn't mind the perspective change because that way I get to know both characters from each other's view. It's common that people view you differently from  how you view yourself sometimes. 

I'm okay with the character's personality it seems real enough for me but I don't quite like them as a person. They have behaviours that I can't agree with and their actions are just naive and nonsense most of the time. This is one of the points that I do not like about this book which is how those kids handled their problems. The premise of the plot was just okay as it's trying to highlight some problems but we do not get to those problems till later of the book. Most of the time it's more about the characters' activities and interactions with other kids. 

Sadly this was not a book I really enjoyed. It had a message but it was also too messed up at the same time. Things weren't handled well and I guess the author might be trying to show a different side of human when all things go wrong. I would not recommend this book to contemporary lovers because you're not missing out on anything. It was a quick read and an easy book to predict. I don't see the value in reading it again.