THE END OF EVERYTHING (MEGAN ABBOTT)

Story Description: 

Thirteen-year old Lizzie Hood and her next door neighbour Evie Verver are inseparable. They are best friends who swap bathing suits and field-hockey sticks, and share everything that's happened to them. Together they live in the shadow of Evie's glamorous older sister Dusty, who provides a window on the exotic, intoxicating possibilities of their own teenage horizons. To Lizzie, the Verver household, presided over by Evie's big-hearted father, is the world's most perfect place. 

And then, one afternoon, Evie disappears. The only clue: a maroon sedan Lizzie spotted driving past the two girls earlier in the day. As a rabid, giddy panic spreads through the Midwestern suburban community, everyone looks to Lizzie for answers. Was Evie unhappy, troubled, upset? Had she mentioned being followed? Would she have gotten into the car of a stranger?

Lizzie takes up her own furtive pursuit of the truth, prowling nights through backyards, peering through windows, pushing herself to the dark center of Evie's world. Haunted by dreams of her lost friend and titillated by her own new power at the center of the disappearance, Lizzie uncovers secrets and lies that make her wonder if she knew her best friend at all.
My Review: 

I felt so badly for Lizzie throughout this story.  She missed her friend Evie so very much after she disappeared and talked to her regularly, got up in the middle of the night to go on these neighbourhood sojourn’s searching for clues as to her disappearance.  Lizze also has feelings of sadness and regret for Evie’s father, Mr. Verver who was always so kind to the two girls often playing games with them and taking them places.  I don’t think she can really understand his pain. 

Lizzie’s own pain is palpable and you can’t help but feel like transposing yourself into the pages of the story to help her look and walk the streets hand-in-hand.  Her focus on the one man she thinks took Evie almost becomes all consuming to her and she remembers the car and knows it is his. 

This was an enjoyable yet sad in a good way read and I would highly recommend it to anyone.  I wish I could tell you the ending of the story but you’d all scream at me if I did that!