Today I am so excited to share my review for The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke. I was so intirgued by the concept of this story and the mystery around the pseudonym. Thank you so much to HQ Stories for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This review originally appeared on The Nerd Daily.
World famous author Arthur Fletch is dead. His final novel, the most anticipated book in history, remains unfinished. But the ending won’t write itself.
Fletch’s publisher, Merriweather Press, has invited six authors to Fletch’s private island in Scotland. Authors whose books have never had the big marketing budgets or publicity opportunities. In other words, midlist. And they’re about to be presented with the opportunity of a lifetime.
Whoever writes a worthy ending will receive one million dollars, and a further one million dollars for a new three-book contract.
They have just seventy-two hours, with no access to the outside world, just a typewriter and a blank page. All they have to do is write…
Starting is often the hardest part. But getting to the end could be murder.
CW: death, murder, violence, injury, sexism, misogny
My Thoughts:
The Ending Writes Itself is an intriguing story as layered as the mystery surrounding it.
This is such a brilliant satire on the publishing industry sprinkled with details and nods to the audience. It is so well-crafted in the way it speaks to these truths, offering readers a peek behind the curtain, but also tying them into the central mystery. This group of writers are all here to finish one of the most anticipated works in literature as the celebrated author has died before it can be completed. Even from that set-up, you can hear the echoes of certain unfinished series and anticipated releases. The echoes and references arrive in multitudes, delving into the horrible realities of the publishing industry and the effect it can have on writers and those working within it. This added a meta layer to proceedings and I have a particular weak spot for books about books, the writing process and the publishing industry. The comparison of And Then There Were None meets Yellowface rings true for combining that sharp satire of this industry with a classic closed-circle story.
For example, V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke delve into the genre snobbery that can exist within the writing sphere, the fixation on sales and awards and the general smothering competitiveness. There is a constant sense of comparison and imposter syndrome that is tangible here and will certainly resonate with readers. Some of the characters feel superior in their ability purely because of the genre others write in, which they diminish and look down. Of course, this speaks to their own insecurity rather than any truth, but it is biting. This is especially true when it is combined with sexism, as can often be the case when it comes to works that are seen as appealing more to a predominantly female-presenting audience. Each of the authors represents a different genre and you get a keen sense of the stereotypes and labels assigned to them purely based on this, before you start to dig beneath the surface and discover who they really are. You can feel the anger seeping off the pages and those within the industry and outside will share many of those feelings. There are hard truths in these pages and that is precisely why the satire is so skewering.
The central mystery is addictive reading and will keep the pages racing by until the early hours. Schwab and Clarke have woven a nuanced and brilliant mystery that plays with the closed-circle mystery archetypes in unexpected and thought-provoking ways. At once, it is a love letter to the genre and it is offering a new take on it altogether. It is extremely compelling as the authors slowly peel back the layers of this intricate story. These unlikeable people are all carrying their own secrets and as writers are all pretty well-equipped to devise a nefarious plot. There were a few surprises along the way that nearly made me drop my book in shock.
You simply cannot talk about this book without also acknowledging the stellar marketing and publicity campaign around it. It was nothing short of inspired and added yet another layer to this twisty, truth-telling mystery that already shatters the walls between reality and fiction. In the book world, the speculation around who Evelyn Clarke could be was rife and the teams that worked on this book crafted something spectacular. It was a masterclass and sets a new industry standard, furthering that meta nature of the book.
The Ending Writes Itself is bold and twisty with plenty of tricks up its sleeve.
A Short Book Lover 