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The End of Loneliness

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About the Author

About the Book

The End of Loneliness

written by Benedict Wells, translated by Charlotte Collins

March 2019

THE END OF LONELINESS, written by Benedict Wells and translated by Charlotte Collins, is one of those slim novels that you might overlook. I am so glad I picked it up. It has strong storytelling and characters who will stay with you. It’s a sibling story, a love story, and a story that bobs and weaves so very well.

Jules Moreau, his brother Marty and sister Liz are split up and sent to boarding school following the death of their parents in a car crash. While the siblings are estranged, Jules meets Alva, a young woman living in the same home and caught up in her own grief after losing her sister.

As the book opens, Jules is in the hospital recovering from a motorcycle accident, but there are questions about what happened. And then we are taken back to the beginning.

Their intertwined stories roll on through the years, as the siblings --- who very different people --- reunite. We also learn more about the accident that killed their parents. They share memories, though they have very divided lives. Readers will get inside the heads of the characters, and there are moments when you will pause as you see the next big thing hurtling their way --- and wait to see how they will reconcile with it.

This book is tightly written and is a brisk read. Also, translations can be tricky, but I found this one to be seamless, which is not something I often say. It would make for a great book group discussion.

The End of Loneliness
written by Benedict Wells, translated by Charlotte Collins

  • Publication Date: January 29, 2019
  • Genres: Fiction
  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Books
  • ISBN-10: 0143134000
  • ISBN-13: 9780143134008