VeganYANerds: All This Could End by Steph Bowe

All This Could End by Steph Bowe

Published February 27, 2013 by Text Publishing

Source: the publisher

Rating: 5 paws

From the blurb: What’s the craziest thing your mother has made you do?
Nina’s mother is hardly conventional. She’s got her family robbing banks. After yet another move and another new school, Nina is fed up. She’s made a friend she wants to keep: Spencer loves strange words and they can talk about almost anything – and laugh at the weird stuff.Spencer and Nina both need each other as their families fall apart, but when you've got a gun to your friend’s head, what comes next?

All This Could End is Aussie author, Steph Bowe’s, sophomore novel. Set on the north-east coast of Australia, the story revolves around sixteen year old Nina Pretty and seventeen year old Spencer Jack. Nina, her parents, and her younger brother, Tom, have moved house again, in the wake of their last bank robbery. Nina starts at a local private school, Evandale College, and it’s there she meets new friends Bridie and Spencer. Spencer’s biggest fear in life is that people will finally discover that he was born without a pinkie toe and the fact that his family is slowly falling apart. Both Nina and Spencer think themselves awkward, but they're actually really similar and a perfect match.

I've been so excited to read All This Could End by Steph Bowe, it’s no secret that I LOVE Australian contemporary YA. I’ve also been keen to see what Steph would come up with after Girl Saves Boy and I have to say I think All This Could End is streets ahead.

I felt for Nina so much. Her mother, Sophia, led a life of crime with her father when she was a little girl so it’s no surprise that once she was married to Paul and had kids, the couple would turn to robbing banks. They choose small banks and conduct very carefully planned robberies. Once Nina reached twelve years of age, Sophia told her it was time to help them and since then Nina has continued participating in her parents’ capers. Nina is lonely and just wants a more normal life. She wants to be able to stay in one place and not have to leave behind houses, friends, and memories. The one thing that keeps her sane is joining the local library of whichever suburb they move to, and immersing herself in books that allow her to forget her messy life. She’s a collector of random facts, they also act as a distraction for her.

Spencer was so endearing, he always feels awkward and his only friend is Bridie. Despite being quite a wordsmith he feels as though he never knows what to say to other people, until he meets Nina. When they spend time together, each of them find they’re able to talk openly and honestly, both revealing secrets and fears. They bother consider themselves awkward and weird so it was nice to see them strike up a bond and enjoy each other’s company.

From the very beginning I kept asking myself what sort of parents would force their children to rob banks? But, it really didn't seem that implausible, and Nina’s parents came across as realistic, particularly Sophia who was so loud and opinionated. She has plenty of reasons to justify why they live the lives they lead, Nina has heard them all a dozen times before, and all she wants to do is turn eighteen and walk away.

The book begins in December with Nina and her family robbing a bank and Nina discovers she is holding a gun to Spencer’s head. The story then skips back to April, when they first met, and it was intriguing to follow their story and find out how they get to the situation in the bank. I found the resolution surprising, I didn't see it coming at all, and I thought the ending was well done, it wasn't forced or too happily-ever-after.

I often find it hard to justify why I love contemporary YA, usually it’s just an emotional connection to the characters and their stories and that’s what I felt with this book. I found myself thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading and long after I finished the book.

All This Could End is a fantastic story about love, life, and learning it's ok to want more out for yourself. All fans of YA contemp should read this book!

Purchase: Angus & Robertson / Booktopia / Bookworld

Thank you to the amazing people at Text Publishing for my review copy.

This review is part of the Australian Women Writers 2013 Challenge

20 comments:

Braiden said...: Wow I'm extraordinarily impressed. I think I need to get All This Could End. I'm impressed with Steph at first since she's MY AGE! And she's getting all these great reviews and ratings such as yours. Ahhh!; 27 February 2013 8:33 am
YA Anonymous said...: I'm kind of obsessed with crime shows like Criminal Minds, Cold Case, and Without a Trace so this is right up my alley. Sophia seems like the mother from hell! Can't wait to read this one. Great review, Mands!; 27 February 2013 3:44 pm
Lauren said...: Wow what a unique premise! Finding yourself holding a gun to your friend's head when your parents make you rob a bank? I'm so curious to see how this gets resolved. The characters sound wonderful. I can totally relate to finding escape from your problems in a library, though I doubt I've ever had problems like Nina. Wonderful review!; 28 February 2013 2:41 am
Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings said...: I always enjoy those stories that show you an event in the future and then go back in time and build up to that moment it is always so interesting to see how the characters go from here to there. Aussie writers are definitely shining these days. Hopefully this will be imported over to the U.S.!; 28 February 2013 6:24 am
elena said...: ooh bank robberies? that is such an intriguing concept! I bet I would feel a lot for Nina too and Spencer sounds sweet. I like that he's a wordsmith. your paragraph about the end definitely has me interested in seeing what it is. great review!; 28 February 2013 6:49 am
Livvy said...: I'm glad you could enjoy this one so much. I don't think there needs to be justification if you enjoy something because it is the feelings you get from a book that justify whether it is good or not.

This certainly sounds like it has a lot to offer for YA contemporary novel. I like the idea of her having to rob banks and that you said it is not predictable.

Great review! :-); 28 February 2013 8:55 am
Candace said...: Oh wow! I hadn't heard of this before and it sounds amazing! I LOVE reading about crazy or quirky families too. :); 28 February 2013 10:03 am
Sana said...: Parents who force their children to rob banks? I'm sold! Also, I love when in some books the prologue is actually the later part of the story and then when the book begins, it's like 'This is where it all began.'

I love YA contemporary, too so yes it's just about the emotions it brings and the connection to the characters. I love all the feels! Great review, Mandee.

Sana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile; 28 February 2013 11:04 am
Belle said...: I'm really excited to read this one now. I'm loving comtemporary YA lately too. I think it is easier to connect with the characters in a lot of the stories, they are more realistic and stronger for it.; 28 February 2013 2:26 pm
Brandi Kosiner said...: I also enjoyed Girl Saves Boy and I didn't know there was another out by her. The characters sound great and I think I would really enjoy reading Bennett.
Thanks for the lovely reivew and putting on my radar.
Brandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog; 1 March 2013 5:02 am
Britt said...: :D:D:D So glad to 1. hear about this one and 2. hear that you loved it! I can't wait to read it. I really loved Girl Saves Boy, so if this one is even close...I'm in!; 2 March 2013 1:06 am
Maja (The Nocturnal Library) said...: Parents making their kids rob banks is interesting enough, but the fact that the author made it realistic is even more intriguing. That alone makes me want to read this book.
Great review!; 2 March 2013 5:06 am
Alexa Y. said...: I'd really like to read this! It sounds like such an interesting contemp, and I think it's pretty unique to see the whole parents-making-kids-rob-banks-with-them situation. I'm glad you enjoyed it!; 2 March 2013 7:01 am
Shooting Stars Mag said...: I haven't read anything byt Steph YET but I really need too. I love contemporay books and this one sounds fantastic and just unique enough to capture attention. Glad you loved it so much.; 2 March 2013 7:22 am
Ellen said...: Great review. This sounds like a really interesting book.; 2 March 2013 8:02 am
Maree said...: I can't believe it took me this long to read your review considering we put ours up at the same time. Lovely review - I'm so glad we both loved this one. Thanks for reading with me :); 2 March 2013 2:12 pm
Hannah @ So Obsessed With said...: I really love the sound of this - I don't think I've seen another book about a child being forced to rob banks! And I love that you said Nina and Spencer think they are awkward. I love books about characters who are quirky or different :) Really glad you loved this and definitely want to read it now!; 2 March 2013 2:24 pm
Andrea @The Bookish Babes said...: You know, I have read two Austrailian contemporary novels in the past year, Graffiti Moon and Raw Blue, and they were both brilliant. I must read more, and this looks like a great choice!; 2 March 2013 3:17 pm
TheBookSlayer said...: I never used to be too into the contemporary scene, but lately, especially when I visit this blog, I end up wanting to read more and more of them. :) It's hard not following in the footsteps of your parents. A bank robbing family sounds so intense, but I like how the author focuses more on the family dynamic and fleshing out the characters. Great review! Even the concept of this book gives you a lot to ponder.; 4 March 2013 12:21 pm
Atta Rehman said...: That was an great article had a great time while reading this article
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