WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker
In recent years two books stand out in my memory as books I knew were going to be lasting treasures in literature. The first was Lisa Wingate’s BEFORE WE WERE YOURS and the second was Delia Owens’ WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. Both of these books struck a chord in the hearts of readers and have been read and re-read by millions. Now comes Chris Whitaker’s WE BEGIN AT THE END, another novel for readers to discover and cherish.
The setting of this story is in a small California town. It is here a woman named Star lives with her two children, Duchess and Robin. Their life is not easy as Star has some problems with alcohol, drugs and men. At one point in her life Star was happy. That was during her early high school years when she had a sister, mother and father, and a boyfriend named Vincent. But one tragic night ended her happiness. Her sister was killed, her boyfriend went to prison, and her mother also died.
Now it is thirty years later and Vincent is being released from prison and back into Star’s life. His best friend from high school is a man named Walk and he is the chief of police. He believes in Vincent and always has. Now he just has to convince the town in which they live to give him a second chance. Walk figures he can get the town to forgive Vincent but he isn’t sure he can get Vincent to forgive himself.
That is a lot of plot for a book to have and I have only hit on a few points. The main character, and star of the story, is Star’s daughter Duchess. Duchess is in her early teens and is fiercely protective of her little brother Robin, and her mother, in that order. She is much too young for the burdens that have been placed on her young shoulders and almost falters beneath the load time and time again.
In Duchess we find the hope and the helplessness of the story. Whitaker gives us small rays of light in the darkness but the reader always knows a storm of trouble could come rolling in at any point. This storm could obliterate people, places and things; or it could just pass through causing fear but no damage. The potential provides the power of the plot.
Chris Whitaker is a bright rising star on the landscape of the literary world. His ability to provide complex characters in a most complex plot and still make it readable and understandable is a harbinger of more good books to come. He writes with a needed degree of control in order for the enjoyment of the story to be fulfilled in every way.
WE BEGIN AT THE END is a story of impact. Characters’ lives and acts impact each other while the brilliance of the writing will impact the reader. For me this is the book of the year. It is a rich, fully drawn story of quiet desperation.
WE BEGIN AT THE END is published by Henry Holt and Company. It contains 384 pages and sells for $27.99.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
