We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is a masterful and hauntingly beautiful novel that delves into the complexities of justice, redemption, and the enduring bonds of family. Set against the backdrop of a small Californian town, the story intertwines the lives of its deeply flawed yet profoundly human characters, creating a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and unforgettable.

At the heart of the novel are two central characters: Duchess Day Radley, a fierce and resilient thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed "outlaw," and Walk, the town's chief of police, burdened by past mistakes and a deep sense of duty. Whitaker's portrayal of Duchess is nothing short of remarkable—her toughness and vulnerability are rendered with such depth that she becomes a character readers will not soon forget. Walk, with his quiet determination and moral struggles, provides a poignant counterbalance.

Whitaker's writing is evocative and lyrical, painting a vivid picture of the town and its inhabitants. The novel's pacing is expertly managed, with each chapter revealing new layers of the characters and their intertwined fates. The plot is rich with suspense, twists, and revelations that keep readers on edge, yet it is the emotional core of the story that truly resonates.

Themes of loss, forgiveness, and the search for redemption are explored with a raw honesty that is both painful and cathartic. Whitaker does not shy away from the harsh realities of life, but he also infuses the narrative with moments of profound beauty and hope. The relationships in the book—between parents and children, friends and lovers—are depicted with a nuanced understanding of the human condition.

We Begin at the End is a novel that defies easy categorization. It is part crime thriller, part family drama, and part coming-of-age story, seamlessly blending these elements into a cohesive and powerful whole. Whitaker's ability to craft a story that is both deeply personal and universally relatable is a testament to his skill as a writer

I didn't get very far with this book as I found the writing style a little confusing and the different POVs and characters which seemed to switch mid-chapter. Story seemed good, just not for me.

This was a little too long. I enjoyed it but the end was almost too much. The story seemed to include the kitchen sink--everything and more than it needed.

While "We Begin at the End" is undeniably a gripping and thought-provoking read, some readers may find certain aspects of the plot to be overly familiar or predictable. The novel treads familiar ground in its exploration of themes such as guilt, justice, and the nature of heroism, which may detract from its impact for readers seeking a wholly original narrative.

However, despite these minor shortcomings, "We Begin at the End" remains a poignant and compelling work of fiction that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Whitaker's ability to craft complex characters and evoke a sense of time and place is commendable, and his exploration of themes such as resilience and the search for redemption is both timely and timeless.

Thank you @NetGalley @henryholtbooks for the #gifted copy. I have had this on my shelf for quite a while. It was a highly anticipated read. My book club picked it as the March read. I ended up deciding to listen to this one on audio.

It’s a story about a small town family who has suffered tragedy. Duchess Day Radley is an outlaw. She is a 13 year old who has had to grow up fast. Duchess has taken on adult responsibilities taking care of her 5 year old brother, Robin. Her mother Star has never fully recovered from her boyfriend, Vincent being sent to prison when she was 15. Now he is set to be released. Walk, his friend and now sheriff played a role in that. What happens now? Can they all recover?

This was a hyped book on IG. It missed the mark for me. I felt it was disjointed and just didn’t flow well in spots which made me have to reread/replay it. I loved the story. I loved Duchess. She is a badass!

Duchess is a "precocious" 13 year-old who has to take care of her 5 year-old brother and Star, their mother, who battles with addiction. Walk is the chief of police in a California coastal town who lives with the guilt of sending Vincent King to prison. A tragedy (after tragedy after tragedy) occurs and Duchess and Walk must navigate what life throws at them.
This absolutely dragged. I couldn't stand foul-mouthed Duchess though I understand she's supposed to be "older than her years," but she came off as not actually having a 13 year-old voice (which 13 y/o uses "smart" to describe clothing? Perhaps it's a regional thing as the author is not from CA). Actually, even 5 year-old Robin sounds older. Though the characters are flawed and have undergone traumas, I was unable to have sympathy for any of them as there was no true character depth and sounded like archetypes of who these characters were supposed to be. Finally, the names...jeez...even the names are indicators of who the characters are supposed to be.
Part of this took place in a coastal town in California? Where? Because the CA coast is long and varied...but the landscape in this book is completely unfamiliar. I read this about 3 times before I was finally ready to write this review.

This book was a little of a drag to get through. It didn't really excite me or make me look forward to reading it. I did think the characters were very well drawn out, I just couldn't seem to care about any of them.

Page-turning, compelling, thoughtful. It's hard to describe this book - somewhat of a mystery, somewhat a thriller, somewhat a story of lost souls coming together to find themselves. I would have given this five stars if the spunky character Duchess didn't always speak in a way that defied believability for someone her age. It was often charmingly quirky, but sometimes just felt like the author was trying too hard.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this murder mystery set in small town America. It’s somewhat of a slow burn, but I found it to be a well-written and satisfying story with a few twists and turns thrown in for good measure.

Duchess is the character that stands out in this novel. I’ve read other reviews and they are mixed— some love her, some think her voice is all wrong for a 13 year old. Personally I really liked Duchess. She does not talk or act like a thirteen year old, but she also has not lived the life of a normal thirteen year old. She tries so hard to be tough and fierce, and it’s like she is trying too hard to keep up the tough facade. She seems to be copying what she has seen and heard from other adults. But still she can’t quite hide all the sadness and brokenness life has given her. I loved her determination to protect her family and also the small moments when her vulnerable side peeked through the cracks.

This is more than just a mystery. It’s a story about seeking redemption and retribution. There are themes of both forgiveness and vengeance throughout, and it continually asks the question—how far will a person go to protect the ones they love.

This was a memorable story that will stick with me for a long while!

This novel had layers upon layers of character development. I absolutely loved Duchess and Robin. I absolutely did not predict the ending. I absolutely want this to become a movie.

Such a great, sometimes intense, heartwarming read!! Duchess Day Radley, the outlaw, was such a character- loved her spunk. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

WE BEGIN AT THE END by @chriswhitakerauthor Hands down the best book I’ve read this year. Probably the best book I’ve read in a few years. I won’t be shocked in the least if its voted Book of the Year.
The writing is emotionally gripping, the characters are complex and realistic, and the story is beyond poignant and heartrending. Chris Whitaker has written one of the most unputdownable and brilliant books that you are truly going to want to re-read over and over again. I can’t say much more than that, honestly, it’s just that good.

I read this book along with @kraysbookclub and @jordysbookclub for Kray’s THE WORLDS WORST BOOK CLUB THAT NO ONE ASKED FOR and I also sat in on the Zoom chat with Chris Whitaker that Kray and Jordan hosted. Chris is an amazing person with a fascinating story behind his writing of this novel, and he’s just so down to earth and real that I wish he was my next door neighbor. What an awesome zoom discussion.

I anxiously await what Chris is working on next. If you haven’t read this one, I beg you, drop what you are reading right now and pick this one up.
Screw the library list and hold, just buy it. You won’t regret it!
If I could give this one 10 stars I would.

Thank you so much for this ARC! I actually waited too long to download it, but saw the hardcover at my library and checked it out.

This is definitely not what I expected. This book is labeled as "Mystery/Thriller" but I think it reads more as literary fiction. It is not fast paced, it is not a gripping whodunnit and it will not have you on the edge of your seat.

However, it will make you sob, it will make your heart overflow and crush at the same time when reading and experiencing the love Duchess has for her little brother. Not easy to read about young children having such a hard life, but ironically, the writing is beautiful. How does this all make sense?! Read it and you will understand.

Who’s idea was it for me to read this?! Oh, mine. Sigh. What a thick, dense, muggy life for Duchess. Experiences no 13 year old should go through. I won’t spoil it, but I will say that that ending had me taking a pause to collect myself from the sobbing. Partially because she’s just a great character, but also because some of her isms remind me of my own daughter: incredibly smart, driven, sassy, hardheaded and pure of heart. If you want a heartbreaking story that will move you to tears, that is not the typical storyline and plot, pick this one up. It’s almost like the author mixed western with courtroom drama, super interesting. The only reason I docked it a star was because it did get stagnant in parts. I got bored, but the ending made it all worth it.

This is not a feel-good story. In fact, it's quite the opposite--sad and tragic. Duchess, the 13-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw, has done what it takes to survive and take care of herself and her 5-year-old brother since her mother doesn't appear to be in any shape to do so. Duchess' rage at her circumstances set off a chain of events that resulted in more tragedy and heartache.

Overall, though, this was a compelling read (or listen in my case) even though the "outlaw" was somewhat overdone and the long-standing friendship between Walk, Star, and Vincent seemed to be unlikely. Throw in a few shady characters such as Dark and the locals, as well as the ill-explained surveillance tape, and the story became a bit muddled.

Just stunning, beautiful, poetic and utterly heartbreaking. Slow moving crime and character driven novel about the ripple effects of a crime committed in a small community.

Read it just for Dutchess, the 13 year old self-proclaimed outlaw. Her love for her brother, determination, and grit are awe-inspiring.

this was the saddest book, for no reason. At first I was really hooked and loved the setting and Duchess is a great main character, but things just kept getting worse and I wasn't even sad because I knew nothing would end well. ultimately, this book will not stick with me.

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

DNF at 11%. I skipped to the end to see if this would go in an unexpected direction (ie-no, it's not going to be nothing but depressing all the way) and NOPE! So DNF. If I don't like the journey, I skip ahead to the destination. If the destination sucks too, then I change my travel plans.

Now, take the following, which will contain SPOILERS, with a grain of salt. Most of my GR friends 4-5 starred this book, so I am the one who read this wrong/differently than most. Which is fine, not every book is for every reader. Here is why it didn't work for me.

1) The names were like they were from a Morality Play from the Dark/Middle ages. Like, the names weren't even TRYING to be subtle and it was super annoying. I like coming to my own conclusions naturally, from how the characters act, what they say, etc. I don't appreciate being spoon fed/browbeat and it's lazy writing.

2) Duchess, the 13 year old girl, doesn't talk like a 13 year old girl. No, I'm not complaining about the foul language she uses, unfortunately, for what she went through, that is logical. No, it's the grand philosophy and self-awareness that comes out of her mouth that makes her sound like a 30-50 year old than a 13 year old. It doesn't ring true. If anything, more 30-50 years sound like 13 year olds than the other way around.

3) I just Googled "hit and run penalties in California" and it says up to four years in a state prison if it results in death and is a felony. So how did a minor get ten years when it was an accident and he wasn't even aware that he did it? Now, that is current, not for when the incident in this book took place, but it still seems kind of steep.

4) The writing was so pretentious I just couldn't even. Short. Choppy. Sentences. Unclear who was speaking or thinking half the time. Unclear what was happening half the time. Add to the fact that you have a British writer attempting to write characters who are American in America, and word choices become questionable, as does certain phrasing. It doesn't ring true to the time, place and characters. I wouldn't dream of writing British characters in England, having never been there for more than a vacation and not knowing the cadence of the language, I would appreciate it if others had the same respect for my home country as well.

5) This is just misery porn and honestly, after the past two years, I just can't handle it right now. If you aren't into "real" or "tragic" or "depressing", then steer clear from this book. If that's your thing, then this book will fit those descriptors to a T and you will most likely enjoy this book. There is enough real misery in the world, I read to escape it for a short period of time, not to wallow in it.

So, despite only having read 11% and the very end of the book, I can safely say that this book is 1) not for me and 2) only gets 1 star from me.

Again, I am in the extreme minority on this POV, so take what I've said with a grain of salt and if the book sounds interesting to you, then don't let this review stop you. Not telling anyone not to read it, just be aware, it's got some issues.

There has been so much hype about this book. I loved Duchess and her journey, but it is a tough and incredibly sad read so be prepared. These people had HARD lives.

What a wonderful experience. This was one of those novels that I found myself stopping time and time again at a sentence and marvelling over the beauty simple words can create once strung together.

I don’t run across any novels that just leave me feeling this way. I’m so going to have to read more by this author and look for more gems like this! Absolutely brilliant 💕