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No Parking at the End Times
Abigail’s parents have made mistake after mistake, and now they've lost everything. She’s left to decide: Does she still believe in them? Or is it time to believe in herself? Fans of Sara Zarr, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell will connect with this moving debut.
Abigail doesn't know how her dad found Brother John. Maybe it was the billboards. Or the radio. What she does know is that he never should have made that first donation. Or the next, or the next. Her parents shouldn't have sold their house. Or packed Abigail and her twin brother, Aaron, into their old van to drive across the country to San Francisco, to be there with Brother John for the "end of the world." Because of course the end didn't come. And now they're living in their van. And Aaron’s disappearing to who-knows-where every night. Their family is falling apart. All Abigail wants is to hold them together, to get them back to the place where things were right. But maybe it’s too big a task for one teenage girl. Bryan Bliss’s thoughtful, literary debut novel is about losing everything—and about what you will do for the people you love.
Abigail doesn't know how her dad found Brother John. Maybe it was the billboards. Or the radio. What she does know is that he never should have made that first donation. Or the next, or the next. Her parents shouldn't have sold their house. Or packed Abigail and her twin brother, Aaron, into their old van to drive across the country to San Francisco, to be there with Brother John for the "end of the world." Because of course the end didn't come. And now they're living in their van. And Aaron’s disappearing to who-knows-where every night. Their family is falling apart. All Abigail wants is to hold them together, to get them back to the place where things were right. But maybe it’s too big a task for one teenage girl. Bryan Bliss’s thoughtful, literary debut novel is about losing everything—and about what you will do for the people you love.
267 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2015
35 people are currently reading
3914 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Bliss
13 books130 followersBryan Bliss is the author of No Parking at the End Times, Meet Me Here, and We’ll Fly Away, which was longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award. He lives in Saint Paul, MN with his family.
You can visit him online at www.bryanbliss.com and on Facebook and Twitter.
You can visit him online at www.bryanbliss.com and on Facebook and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
April 21, 2015
Disclosure up front: I am a pastor of an Evangelical Church.
In my opinion this book fairly represents the delusional misplaced zeal that characterizes a portion of the American Church.
History not included in the Book (no spoilers)- The "end of the world scenario" that is conveyed in this book is fairly new as far as the last 2000 years of Christian History go. No Christians fathomed this craziness until the 1800's, where a deluded soul named John Darby started a cult around this belief in Scotland. America is a haven for newly minted esoteric mystery religions like Scientology, Jehovahs Witnesses, Children of God, Moonies, etc.
I actually know of families that have bought into this stuff, and destroyed their lives in the process.
I read the book in one sitting and found myself praying for all such children who have had their lives harmed by their parents mental illness (disguised as religious fervor).
The book is well written, quite the page turner. I look forward to having my kids read it.
In my opinion this book fairly represents the delusional misplaced zeal that characterizes a portion of the American Church.
History not included in the Book (no spoilers)- The "end of the world scenario" that is conveyed in this book is fairly new as far as the last 2000 years of Christian History go. No Christians fathomed this craziness until the 1800's, where a deluded soul named John Darby started a cult around this belief in Scotland. America is a haven for newly minted esoteric mystery religions like Scientology, Jehovahs Witnesses, Children of God, Moonies, etc.
I actually know of families that have bought into this stuff, and destroyed their lives in the process.
I read the book in one sitting and found myself praying for all such children who have had their lives harmed by their parents mental illness (disguised as religious fervor).
The book is well written, quite the page turner. I look forward to having my kids read it.
March 3, 2015
This... wasn't the book for me. But I can appreciate that other people are going to love it. I read it quickly, maybe because I was determined to finish a book after so many comics. I'm not sure. But I personally did not love this. And I'm kind of sad about that. I've had pretty rotten luck with new release books this year.
So here's the thing: The blurb literally tells you pretty much everything you need to know. There is not a big mystery to figure out here. There is not some deep, emotional problem to be solved. Instead we are dealing with a family who used to be wonderful in many, many ways. And suddenly one day the family was split down the middle, with the kids on one side and the parents on the other. The father, Dale, loses his job and decides that his mediocre faith needs to be kicked into overdrive. Luckily, a mysterious "Brother John" is waiting in California for the chosen ones to come and watch the world end. All you have to do is send him all of your money and the money you get for selling all of your earthly possessions! It's all pretty standard cult happenstances, and this is NOT the first cult book I've read or heard about that have 2015 release dates, so apparently this has become a seriously hot topic. Anywho. The end of the world comes on (or around) Christmastime. ONLY IT DOESN'T COME! And thus begins our story.
***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! I have said all that I can say about this book without them, and this is where they enter***
I had a lot of problems with this book. And most of them stem from the relationships in this dysfunctional family. Starting with Aaron and Abigail. They're twins, I get it. But Abigail's attachment to Aaron felt almost incestuous at times (bring on the pitch forks, I'm prepared). I am probably the only one with this opinion, and that's fine. But I'm sorry, when someone comments on how attractive MY brother is, I don't immediately look at them like a monster. And seriously, as a teenager, if you're weirded out by your brother having his HUNDREDTH girlfriend, maybe you need to back off just a tad. Abigail also has flashback chapters, to show how life was "before" Brother John. And in these chapters she never mentions one friend of hers, and always focuses on her relationship and emotions towards her brother. She even gets angry with him when, whilst at a party, he tells her he's going to get a drink, and she becomes angry that he had the nerve to "leave her". This girl needs to CHILLAX. I know she's in a really tough, dark time during this book. But instead of clinging to her brother, getting angry at him for having a girlfriend, getting pissed that he is doing something without her, maybe she just needs to go with the flow a bit more.
My biggest concern, though, were their parents. Their mother's undying love for Dale surpasses anything found in a normal relationship, at least in my eyes. Throughout the entire book she goes along with whatever Dale says, which is ultimately what Brother John says as well. She does offer up blankets for the children instead of keeping them for herself, but that's where her parenting stops. She defends Dale's decisions at every turn. "Your father got us two day old croissants for breakfast for free! What a provider! He's trying so hard to take care of us!" "I know that we're living in our van, and the reason we are is because we voluntarily sold our house, but boy is your dad keeping us together as a family!" "The van was TOWED?! That's cool, you're dad says we'll be a-okay, kiddos!" And then, when she finds out that Abigail and Aaron are leaving, she admits that she wants to leave, too. What is her reason for not doing so? "Listen, Abs. I love your father for reals. He's such a good man even if he's just A LITTLE confused right now. He just loves God so much and I love him so much that I have to stay with him. But you kids go jump on a bus, ride across country to your Uncle Jake, and ask him to take care of you because your father and I are too busy living in a cult even though I see exactly what is going on while your father is blind. Oh, and CALL ME SWEETHEART!" WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING FUCK?! I cannot continue on this particular subject. Because I originally thought that Dale would be my biggest problem in this book. But it turned out to be their mother. Even after the conclusion of the story, I think that she's a selfish bitch who wants to be with the guy she loves more than she wants to take care of the children she SELFISHLY brought into the world. And I say selfishly because if she can give them up this easily, it's clear that she never loved them enough.
I am really mad now. I didn't realize how much I hated that bitch until I started writing about it.
Other problems? There is an unnecessary bad guy. He's basically there to ensure that Aaron ends up in the hospital and thus give their parents and ultimatum. Not to mention Aaron's girlfriend who seriously serves no purpose. And their friends, E and Silas, he was just along for the homeless ride. The only parts of this book that were even remotely well done were the parts surrounding the church. But even those were iffy. Because this "church" is never called a cult. Not once, by anyone. And that's CLEARLY what this is, and these are not unintelligent kids. Ugh. On top of that, how did Brother John become a name in their house when there are only thirty something members? How much money could those people possibly provide when there are billboards and radio broadcast and rent for the church and not to mention Brother John's fast food and muffins (BECAUSE THE GODLY MAN CANNOT GO HUNGRY EVEN THOUGH THE CHILDREN ARE!) How did a family in North Carolina say "Screw being Methodist! There's this guy, BROTHER JOHN in CALIFORNIA who says THE END IS NIGH! Let us give him everything and go be homeless to honor God and Brother John!"
By the way, Brother John is an obvious piece of shit. He just walks around saying "Dude, do you wanna piss off the big guy? Because THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE HEADED, YOU HELL FIEND!" And he starves people until they pass out and then he claims they received a message from God. I am so PISSED ABOUT THIS BOOK.
I cannot really continue. The relationships were the major killer. I couldn't connect with any character in this book. And the situations seemed forced most of the time. But before I REALLY start ranting (hahahah too late) I'm going to stop. Because like I said before: A lot of people are going to like this. I just didn't.
(My mood seriously changed from when I started writing this to when I finished. I actually thought about it for an hour before publishing the first time and went from two stars to one because I just couldn't justify two stars after realizing how much I HATED this book)
So here's the thing: The blurb literally tells you pretty much everything you need to know. There is not a big mystery to figure out here. There is not some deep, emotional problem to be solved. Instead we are dealing with a family who used to be wonderful in many, many ways. And suddenly one day the family was split down the middle, with the kids on one side and the parents on the other. The father, Dale, loses his job and decides that his mediocre faith needs to be kicked into overdrive. Luckily, a mysterious "Brother John" is waiting in California for the chosen ones to come and watch the world end. All you have to do is send him all of your money and the money you get for selling all of your earthly possessions! It's all pretty standard cult happenstances, and this is NOT the first cult book I've read or heard about that have 2015 release dates, so apparently this has become a seriously hot topic. Anywho. The end of the world comes on (or around) Christmastime. ONLY IT DOESN'T COME! And thus begins our story.
***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! I have said all that I can say about this book without them, and this is where they enter***
I had a lot of problems with this book. And most of them stem from the relationships in this dysfunctional family. Starting with Aaron and Abigail. They're twins, I get it. But Abigail's attachment to Aaron felt almost incestuous at times (bring on the pitch forks, I'm prepared). I am probably the only one with this opinion, and that's fine. But I'm sorry, when someone comments on how attractive MY brother is, I don't immediately look at them like a monster. And seriously, as a teenager, if you're weirded out by your brother having his HUNDREDTH girlfriend, maybe you need to back off just a tad. Abigail also has flashback chapters, to show how life was "before" Brother John. And in these chapters she never mentions one friend of hers, and always focuses on her relationship and emotions towards her brother. She even gets angry with him when, whilst at a party, he tells her he's going to get a drink, and she becomes angry that he had the nerve to "leave her". This girl needs to CHILLAX. I know she's in a really tough, dark time during this book. But instead of clinging to her brother, getting angry at him for having a girlfriend, getting pissed that he is doing something without her, maybe she just needs to go with the flow a bit more.
My biggest concern, though, were their parents. Their mother's undying love for Dale surpasses anything found in a normal relationship, at least in my eyes. Throughout the entire book she goes along with whatever Dale says, which is ultimately what Brother John says as well. She does offer up blankets for the children instead of keeping them for herself, but that's where her parenting stops. She defends Dale's decisions at every turn. "Your father got us two day old croissants for breakfast for free! What a provider! He's trying so hard to take care of us!" "I know that we're living in our van, and the reason we are is because we voluntarily sold our house, but boy is your dad keeping us together as a family!" "The van was TOWED?! That's cool, you're dad says we'll be a-okay, kiddos!" And then, when she finds out that Abigail and Aaron are leaving, she admits that she wants to leave, too. What is her reason for not doing so? "Listen, Abs. I love your father for reals. He's such a good man even if he's just A LITTLE confused right now. He just loves God so much and I love him so much that I have to stay with him. But you kids go jump on a bus, ride across country to your Uncle Jake, and ask him to take care of you because your father and I are too busy living in a cult even though I see exactly what is going on while your father is blind. Oh, and CALL ME SWEETHEART!" WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING FUCK?! I cannot continue on this particular subject. Because I originally thought that Dale would be my biggest problem in this book. But it turned out to be their mother. Even after the conclusion of the story, I think that she's a selfish bitch who wants to be with the guy she loves more than she wants to take care of the children she SELFISHLY brought into the world. And I say selfishly because if she can give them up this easily, it's clear that she never loved them enough.
I am really mad now. I didn't realize how much I hated that bitch until I started writing about it.
Other problems? There is an unnecessary bad guy. He's basically there to ensure that Aaron ends up in the hospital and thus give their parents and ultimatum. Not to mention Aaron's girlfriend who seriously serves no purpose. And their friends, E and Silas, he was just along for the homeless ride. The only parts of this book that were even remotely well done were the parts surrounding the church. But even those were iffy. Because this "church" is never called a cult. Not once, by anyone. And that's CLEARLY what this is, and these are not unintelligent kids. Ugh. On top of that, how did Brother John become a name in their house when there are only thirty something members? How much money could those people possibly provide when there are billboards and radio broadcast and rent for the church and not to mention Brother John's fast food and muffins (BECAUSE THE GODLY MAN CANNOT GO HUNGRY EVEN THOUGH THE CHILDREN ARE!) How did a family in North Carolina say "Screw being Methodist! There's this guy, BROTHER JOHN in CALIFORNIA who says THE END IS NIGH! Let us give him everything and go be homeless to honor God and Brother John!"
By the way, Brother John is an obvious piece of shit. He just walks around saying "Dude, do you wanna piss off the big guy? Because THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE HEADED, YOU HELL FIEND!" And he starves people until they pass out and then he claims they received a message from God. I am so PISSED ABOUT THIS BOOK.
I cannot really continue. The relationships were the major killer. I couldn't connect with any character in this book. And the situations seemed forced most of the time. But before I REALLY start ranting (hahahah too late) I'm going to stop. Because like I said before: A lot of people are going to like this. I just didn't.
(My mood seriously changed from when I started writing this to when I finished. I actually thought about it for an hour before publishing the first time and went from two stars to one because I just couldn't justify two stars after realizing how much I HATED this book)
June 29, 2016
Look, let's just get straight to the point. Was I mad by the end of this book? Not quite. Did I still have a lot of questions, like how some loser conned more than two dozen people into giving him pretty much everything? Fuck yes. But more than that, I was disappointed. I felt so underwhelmed by every aspect of No Parking at the End Times, even during the parts where there should have been a lot of religious insight,fuck, any kind of insight, I got nothing. You're better off skimming a pamphlet on the 'New World' rather than read this book.
Why? Because nothing happens. And when something does happen, it's 77% into the book, where no shits are given anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love a good build-up, leaving room for nothing but suspense however this is ridiculous. And when you pair a boring book and awkward writing that's full of unnecessary words, well, the outcome isn't pretty. Moreover, for a novel that has so much on the Now, there's almost nothing on the Then part. The book is mostly surrounded on the decisions that Abigail's father has made and still making, how his mistakes have caused the family to lose greatly. So when I was reading and found close to nothing, honest to God, nothing on what made him switch gears and decide to listen to Brother John, I couldn't help but scream. Adding onto this, the characters aren't fleshed out. Abigail, I could understand for the most part because I could relate to her but only to a point. Halfway done, I stopped caring about her as well as the other characters. They just don't stick out, especially Brother John, who is supposed to be this magnificent man sent down from God. Obviously he's not but I did not see the appeal of him. He always gave generic answers, didn't read any fucking verses from the Bible despite always having it on hand, and all around, didn't even act like he was really into it. As a con artist you have to at least fake to have your heart in it, this guy gave no fucks. Now, does that sound like a man two relatively responsible adults with two children would give everything to? It doesn't to me, I still don't understand where Bliss was going with him.
Nonetheless, there are some mediocre things that I didn't mind. One of them being the Before chapters albeit short and mostly pointless because they tell only snippets of what happened, of how they got to California rather than giving the whole picture.
No Parking at the End Times might have been great since most books about the Rapture don't really go into after the 'event', only about two weeks later. What made me even more disappointed is the fact that the beginning is so good. Like, guys, it's so good. It's intense, mysterious, and exciting. I was giddy with pleasure (that died like two or three chapters later). Would I recommend this novel? No, like I said before, I got more information from a pamphlet, hell, even the damn internet than I did on the actual Rapture, or on anything religious. This should tell you something about how badly this book is written when I have to complain multiple times about the religion aspect of it. And I don't even like religion.
Why? Because nothing happens. And when something does happen, it's 77% into the book, where no shits are given anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love a good build-up, leaving room for nothing but suspense however this is ridiculous. And when you pair a boring book and awkward writing that's full of unnecessary words, well, the outcome isn't pretty. Moreover, for a novel that has so much on the Now, there's almost nothing on the Then part. The book is mostly surrounded on the decisions that Abigail's father has made and still making, how his mistakes have caused the family to lose greatly. So when I was reading and found close to nothing, honest to God, nothing on what made him switch gears and decide to listen to Brother John, I couldn't help but scream. Adding onto this, the characters aren't fleshed out. Abigail, I could understand for the most part because I could relate to her but only to a point. Halfway done, I stopped caring about her as well as the other characters. They just don't stick out, especially Brother John, who is supposed to be this magnificent man sent down from God. Obviously he's not but I did not see the appeal of him. He always gave generic answers, didn't read any fucking verses from the Bible despite always having it on hand, and all around, didn't even act like he was really into it. As a con artist you have to at least fake to have your heart in it, this guy gave no fucks. Now, does that sound like a man two relatively responsible adults with two children would give everything to? It doesn't to me, I still don't understand where Bliss was going with him.
Nonetheless, there are some mediocre things that I didn't mind. One of them being the Before chapters albeit short and mostly pointless because they tell only snippets of what happened, of how they got to California rather than giving the whole picture.
No Parking at the End Times might have been great since most books about the Rapture don't really go into after the 'event', only about two weeks later. What made me even more disappointed is the fact that the beginning is so good. Like, guys, it's so good. It's intense, mysterious, and exciting. I was giddy with pleasure (that died like two or three chapters later). Would I recommend this novel? No, like I said before, I got more information from a pamphlet, hell, even the damn internet than I did on the actual Rapture, or on anything religious. This should tell you something about how badly this book is written when I have to complain multiple times about the religion aspect of it. And I don't even like religion.
January 27, 2018
“Belki de sevgimiz ve inancımız birbirine karışmış kocaman bir yumaktı, onları umduğumuz gibi kolayca birbirinden ayırmak mümkün değildi.”
🎀 4/5 🎀
Son zamanlarda okuduğum, konusu en farklı kitaplardan biriydi. Kıyametin yakında kopacağına inanan bir baba, tüm varlığını satıp, işini gücünü bırakıp çocukları ve eşi ile beraber Rahip John’un yaşadığı yere gitmeye karar veriyor. Kitap ise ikiz çocuklarından biri olan Abigail karakterinin ağzından anlatılıyor. Okulu bırakıp, sokaklarda yaşamak zorunda kalan, klisedeki artık yemekleri yiyip, babasının inancından başka bir şey görmeyen hareketlerine ve her şeye rağmen aile kelimesine sadık kalmaya çalışan Abigail’i okumak çok güzeldi. Hem çok ilginç buldum, hem de çok eğlendim. Zaman zaman ise üzüldüm. Kıyametin kopacağına inanıp, para ile cennetten bir yer alabileceğini sanıp, her şeyini Rahibe vermiş bir babanız olduğunu düşünün. Biraz korkunç ve Yaşananlar çok farklı. 😕
Kitaptaki aile sevgisini, yaşananları ve her şeyden çok da duyguların güzelliğini sevdim. Ama bence kitabın sonu havada kaldı. Biraz daha okumak isterdim. Devamını görmeyi bekledim ama olmadı. Bu da beni rahatsız edip, sinirlerimi bozmadı değil 😂 O yüzden de kitaptan bir puan kırdım. Ama onun dışında farklı ve güzel bir kitap. Tavsiye ederim 😍❤️
🎀 4/5 🎀
Son zamanlarda okuduğum, konusu en farklı kitaplardan biriydi. Kıyametin yakında kopacağına inanan bir baba, tüm varlığını satıp, işini gücünü bırakıp çocukları ve eşi ile beraber Rahip John’un yaşadığı yere gitmeye karar veriyor. Kitap ise ikiz çocuklarından biri olan Abigail karakterinin ağzından anlatılıyor. Okulu bırakıp, sokaklarda yaşamak zorunda kalan, klisedeki artık yemekleri yiyip, babasının inancından başka bir şey görmeyen hareketlerine ve her şeye rağmen aile kelimesine sadık kalmaya çalışan Abigail’i okumak çok güzeldi. Hem çok ilginç buldum, hem de çok eğlendim. Zaman zaman ise üzüldüm. Kıyametin kopacağına inanıp, para ile cennetten bir yer alabileceğini sanıp, her şeyini Rahibe vermiş bir babanız olduğunu düşünün. Biraz korkunç ve Yaşananlar çok farklı. 😕
Kitaptaki aile sevgisini, yaşananları ve her şeyden çok da duyguların güzelliğini sevdim. Ama bence kitabın sonu havada kaldı. Biraz daha okumak isterdim. Devamını görmeyi bekledim ama olmadı. Bu da beni rahatsız edip, sinirlerimi bozmadı değil 😂 O yüzden de kitaptan bir puan kırdım. Ama onun dışında farklı ve güzel bir kitap. Tavsiye ederim 😍❤️
Read
January 4, 2015This is an EXCELLENT read about family and faith. It's exceptionally respectful and thoughtful and Abigail's voice is outstanding. This explores homelessness in a really unique way, along with poverty and belief.
More to come, but this is a stand-out debut novel. Pair it with Blake Nelson's The Prince of Venice Beach, Melissa Walker's Small Town Sinners, and also Holly Cupala's Don't Breathe a Word.
(The comparison to Rainbow Rowell in the Goodreads description is painfully off-base. The one to Sara Zarr? Spot on.)
More to come, but this is a stand-out debut novel. Pair it with Blake Nelson's The Prince of Venice Beach, Melissa Walker's Small Town Sinners, and also Holly Cupala's Don't Breathe a Word.
(The comparison to Rainbow Rowell in the Goodreads description is painfully off-base. The one to Sara Zarr? Spot on.)
April 16, 2015
1.5 stars
Well, that was...unexpected.
I did not quite realize exactly what I was getting into with this book! It was almost entirely focused on religion and God, and that is not something that I personally am interested in reading about in my fiction, so I was quite surprised and disappointed when I realized how God-y it was going to be.
The blurb makes this book sound a lot better than I personally think it is. I thought it was going to be one of those "cult" books, which is typically something that I love reading about, but it was very different than what I would normally expect to find in one of those books.
I do want to say that I did find the writing style to be really good. I enjoyed the pacing, flow, and just the general good quality of Bliss' prose. But there were so many other things that I didn't like about this book that overshadowed the one very much positive feature of No Parking at the End Times.
My biggest problem with No Parking was the lack of detail put into it. There isn't much of a plot, and nothing is ever explained in enough detail to satisfy my curiosity about the cult. We never get told any background information on the cult, first of all.
We are told the name of the cult's leader, that they're really into God, and that they believe the world is going to end. That's it. There's no information on any of the other members, how Brother John came into existence, what the basis of their beliefs are, what else is involved in the religion besides praying and the occasional three-sentence sermon, how big the religion is, why Abigail's parents started following them in the first place and for how long, etc. There were just SO MANY QUESTIONS that I wished were answered. No Parking often felt like a basic outline for a book rather than a book itself.
I also thought that the characters could've used some more work. While they were perfectly fine characters, there wasn't a lot of depth in any of them, and even after reading a 300-page book about them (especially considering there is pretty much no plot), I felt like I didn't know anything about any of them. Abigail likes to run, she has a twin brother, her twin brother has a girlfriend, their Dad is crazy, their mom is a weak-ass moron. I literally can't even come up with more information than that about any of them.
Something I did find kind of interesting was No Parking's commentary on the culture of homeless people living in San Francisco. The author only touched very briefly on this, but it caught my attention and was something that consistently reared its head throughout the story. I really wish that more had been said about this...Jess' terrifying ex-"boyfriend" was an interesting character that we only see very briefly, and we don't get any information about how Aaron's group of homeless friends is managing to survive on the streets or the details behind how they ended up that way.
Again, it was just a very not-detailed book that could've been so much better if we'd been given more information and if it wasn't quite so God-focused. I wouldn't say that this book is preachy, but it felt somehow a lot more non-secular than other "cult books" I've read. I got the opinion that, even though Abigail and her brother were very much against the cult thing, their whole family (except maybe Aaron) would've been very religious regardless of the community in which they chose to participate.
Abigail is constantly praying and talking about God throughout the book, and she is only ever against the cult and doesn't really ever have any atheistic or agnostic thoughts. I'm not against this type of spirituality in general, but I do consider myself agnostic and am not a fan of reading about intensely religious characters like this, unless it were to be done in a very particular and/or really good way. I would definitely consider this book to be "Christian Fiction," and that is a genre that I just do not read. I would never have picked up this book if I'd known that beforehand.
So, while this book did have a few decent qualities, it's not something I'd ever recommend to anybody. I did not like this book, and I'm actually really surprised that I managed to not DNF it. The blurb is very misleading, and honestly, that's still kind of pissing me off. I don't think I'd choose to read anything else by this author unless its reviews were very convincing.
Well, that was...unexpected.
I did not quite realize exactly what I was getting into with this book! It was almost entirely focused on religion and God, and that is not something that I personally am interested in reading about in my fiction, so I was quite surprised and disappointed when I realized how God-y it was going to be.
The blurb makes this book sound a lot better than I personally think it is. I thought it was going to be one of those "cult" books, which is typically something that I love reading about, but it was very different than what I would normally expect to find in one of those books.
I do want to say that I did find the writing style to be really good. I enjoyed the pacing, flow, and just the general good quality of Bliss' prose. But there were so many other things that I didn't like about this book that overshadowed the one very much positive feature of No Parking at the End Times.
My biggest problem with No Parking was the lack of detail put into it. There isn't much of a plot, and nothing is ever explained in enough detail to satisfy my curiosity about the cult. We never get told any background information on the cult, first of all.
We are told the name of the cult's leader, that they're really into God, and that they believe the world is going to end. That's it. There's no information on any of the other members, how Brother John came into existence, what the basis of their beliefs are, what else is involved in the religion besides praying and the occasional three-sentence sermon, how big the religion is, why Abigail's parents started following them in the first place and for how long, etc. There were just SO MANY QUESTIONS that I wished were answered. No Parking often felt like a basic outline for a book rather than a book itself.
I also thought that the characters could've used some more work. While they were perfectly fine characters, there wasn't a lot of depth in any of them, and even after reading a 300-page book about them (especially considering there is pretty much no plot), I felt like I didn't know anything about any of them. Abigail likes to run, she has a twin brother, her twin brother has a girlfriend, their Dad is crazy, their mom is a weak-ass moron. I literally can't even come up with more information than that about any of them.
Something I did find kind of interesting was No Parking's commentary on the culture of homeless people living in San Francisco. The author only touched very briefly on this, but it caught my attention and was something that consistently reared its head throughout the story. I really wish that more had been said about this...Jess' terrifying ex-"boyfriend" was an interesting character that we only see very briefly, and we don't get any information about how Aaron's group of homeless friends is managing to survive on the streets or the details behind how they ended up that way.
Again, it was just a very not-detailed book that could've been so much better if we'd been given more information and if it wasn't quite so God-focused. I wouldn't say that this book is preachy, but it felt somehow a lot more non-secular than other "cult books" I've read. I got the opinion that, even though Abigail and her brother were very much against the cult thing, their whole family (except maybe Aaron) would've been very religious regardless of the community in which they chose to participate.
Abigail is constantly praying and talking about God throughout the book, and she is only ever against the cult and doesn't really ever have any atheistic or agnostic thoughts. I'm not against this type of spirituality in general, but I do consider myself agnostic and am not a fan of reading about intensely religious characters like this, unless it were to be done in a very particular and/or really good way. I would definitely consider this book to be "Christian Fiction," and that is a genre that I just do not read. I would never have picked up this book if I'd known that beforehand.
So, while this book did have a few decent qualities, it's not something I'd ever recommend to anybody. I did not like this book, and I'm actually really surprised that I managed to not DNF it. The blurb is very misleading, and honestly, that's still kind of pissing me off. I don't think I'd choose to read anything else by this author unless its reviews were very convincing.
April 27, 2020
Farklı kitaplar okumayı seviyorum. Bu da değişik bir kitaptı beğendim. Konu olarak dini kullanıp, insanları sömüren bir rahipe inanıp varını yoğunu satan, evsiz gibi aşevlerinde beslenen, karavanda yaşayan bir ailenin dramı vardı. Ama 16 yaşındaki Abigail üzerinden anlatıldığı için young adult kategorisine girer.
Yani kitabı okuyunca şuna karar verdim. "Mal heryerde mal." Dini kullanıp insanları sömürenler her yerde, her ırkta, her dinde... Bence inanç kişi ile Allah arasındadır. Araya arabulucu gibi körükörüne bağlanılan hacı hoca, rahip papaz, haham sokmaya gerek yok..
Yani kitabı okuyunca şuna karar verdim. "Mal heryerde mal." Dini kullanıp insanları sömürenler her yerde, her ırkta, her dinde... Bence inanç kişi ile Allah arasındadır. Araya arabulucu gibi körükörüne bağlanılan hacı hoca, rahip papaz, haham sokmaya gerek yok..
January 4, 2015
That was...different? Not exactly bible-bashing, but kind of bible-bashing.
June 30, 2015
What happens when your dad loses his job, becomes obsessed with religion, sells everything, packs up the family in the van and drives across the country so that you can join Brother John and his congregation when the Rapture occurs? That is exactly what twins Abigail and Aaron are wondering now that they are penniless and living in their van, post-Rapture (or more specifically, post-non-Rapture). Their parents are still convinced that the world is about to end and they have to remain in California with Brother John until the end times actually do occur. Abigail is trying to be a good daughter—obedient and faithful—but it’s becoming really hard to remain obedient and faithful now that they are homeless and penniless with no end in sight. Aaron would like to run away, back to North Carolina where their uncle Jake still lives. Ultimately, it becomes clear to Abigail that she and Aaron are going to have to make their own plan in order to return to any semblance of normalcy.
I found it incredibly hard to believe the actions of the parents—in particular, the actions of the mom. I could somewhat understand the unemployed dad becoming obsessed with the promise of a better life, but I just couldn’t understand how the mom could constantly defend the actions of her husband when it was clear how harmful those actions were to her children. I don’t know any mother who would choose her husband over her children. Period. I also found it odd that the word “cult” was never mentioned, although it was very clear that Brother John’s "church" was indeed a cult.
Recommended as an optional purchase for grades 7-12.
I found it incredibly hard to believe the actions of the parents—in particular, the actions of the mom. I could somewhat understand the unemployed dad becoming obsessed with the promise of a better life, but I just couldn’t understand how the mom could constantly defend the actions of her husband when it was clear how harmful those actions were to her children. I don’t know any mother who would choose her husband over her children. Period. I also found it odd that the word “cult” was never mentioned, although it was very clear that Brother John’s "church" was indeed a cult.
Recommended as an optional purchase for grades 7-12.
April 4, 2015
So beautiful! ah
May 24, 2015
Bryan Bliss’s debut novel opens after a predicted rapture fails to happen (which, refreshingly, sets No Parking at the End Times apart from apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic premises so popular in young adult fiction today). Since 16-year-old Abigail’s family sold their belongings and moved across the country in anticipation of the end times, they are effectively homeless on the streets of San Francisco. Abigail is torn between relying on the judgement of her parents—who still trust the guidance of Brother John, the preacher whose prophecies came to nothing—or following her twin brother’s call to strike out on their own in order to survive.
Being let down by a doomsday cult may not be a common coming-of-age scenario. However, feelings of powerlessness against the decisions of parents and other adults in authority is a universal experience in youth. And when these adults are religious leaders, disappointment can deepen into spiritual disillusionment. So readers of all ages will likely see parts of their own lives echoed in Abigail’s journey of “disconnected” faith and confusion (to use her words: “the inescapable feeling that I can’t control a single moment of what’s happening to all of us.”)
As Bliss explores the tenuous ties of family loyalty and the hard work of staying hopeful when life’s securities fall away, he wisely makes Abigail a highly reliable narrator. Her authentically restless voice is filled with questions as well as expressions of love for her family—even for her parents, despite their mistakes. It is painful for her to lose the easy certainties of childhood, but in her time of lonely crisis she is led to seek community in places she might otherwise have overlooked. She also gains confidence in her own instincts—particularly about Brother John, who her own parents seem to consider beyond reproach.
The dialogue in No Parking is impressively strong—pointed, with believable bursts of humor and sarcasm; Bliss is clearly attuned to how teenagers actually talk, which is an essential gift for any writer of young adult literature. This excellent novel will be an especially worthwhile and poignant read for young adults, parents, and anyone who gives guidance to youth. (Review originally published in The Banner - http://www.thebanner.org/tuned-in/201...)
Being let down by a doomsday cult may not be a common coming-of-age scenario. However, feelings of powerlessness against the decisions of parents and other adults in authority is a universal experience in youth. And when these adults are religious leaders, disappointment can deepen into spiritual disillusionment. So readers of all ages will likely see parts of their own lives echoed in Abigail’s journey of “disconnected” faith and confusion (to use her words: “the inescapable feeling that I can’t control a single moment of what’s happening to all of us.”)
As Bliss explores the tenuous ties of family loyalty and the hard work of staying hopeful when life’s securities fall away, he wisely makes Abigail a highly reliable narrator. Her authentically restless voice is filled with questions as well as expressions of love for her family—even for her parents, despite their mistakes. It is painful for her to lose the easy certainties of childhood, but in her time of lonely crisis she is led to seek community in places she might otherwise have overlooked. She also gains confidence in her own instincts—particularly about Brother John, who her own parents seem to consider beyond reproach.
The dialogue in No Parking is impressively strong—pointed, with believable bursts of humor and sarcasm; Bliss is clearly attuned to how teenagers actually talk, which is an essential gift for any writer of young adult literature. This excellent novel will be an especially worthwhile and poignant read for young adults, parents, and anyone who gives guidance to youth. (Review originally published in The Banner - http://www.thebanner.org/tuned-in/201...)
August 10, 2015
Много раз сталкивалась по жизни с людьми, попавшими во всякие секты и потерявшими все, и всегда безумно жалела родных этих людей, пострадавших едва ли не больше "виновников торжества".
Эта книга - как раз про таких родных. Причем самых беззащитных - несовершеннолетних детей. Отец уверовал в конец света, пошел на поводу некоего брата Джона и угрохал все деньги на подаяния ушлому скоту. Теперь семья живет в фургоне, питается в благотворительных организациях. Все это приводит в отчаяние и безумно унижает Аби и ее брата. Если девочка еще на что-то надеется, то брат связывается с бездомными ребятами и мечтает о побеге к дяде. Автор хорошо описывает состояние безвыходности, попытки сбежать от реальности, жуткий фанатизм, когда человек ничего не воспринимает и превращается в стукнутого идиота. Сын сбегает, но отец тупо сидит и молится. Только когда Аарон попадает в больницу, папаша очухивается и уходит из секты - хотя как-то все же не особо убедительно, как по мне. По идее, должен был морду набить уроду-проповеднику, а так просто развернулся и гордо удалился с семьей.
Написано неплохо, хотя несколько линий повисли в воздухе. Но четверку заслуживает.
Эта книга - как раз про таких родных. Причем самых беззащитных - несовершеннолетних детей. Отец уверовал в конец света, пошел на поводу некоего брата Джона и угрохал все деньги на подаяния ушлому скоту. Теперь семья живет в фургоне, питается в благотворительных организациях. Все это приводит в отчаяние и безумно унижает Аби и ее брата. Если девочка еще на что-то надеется, то брат связывается с бездомными ребятами и мечтает о побеге к дяде. Автор хорошо описывает состояние безвыходности, попытки сбежать от реальности, жуткий фанатизм, когда человек ничего не воспринимает и превращается в стукнутого идиота. Сын сбегает, но отец тупо сидит и молится. Только когда Аарон попадает в больницу, папаша очухивается и уходит из секты - хотя как-то все же не особо убедительно, как по мне. По идее, должен был морду набить уроду-проповеднику, а так просто развернулся и гордо удалился с семьей.
Написано неплохо, хотя несколько линий повисли в воздухе. Но четверку заслуживает.
Read
February 2, 2015No Parking at the End Times is Bryan Bliss’s debut novel, and it’s a knockout. Where many stories of the rapture in YA happen prior to it happening, this takes place after the failed event. There’s been a really interesting trend in YA lately with rapture stories — perhaps because it’s a realistic and natural progression after the wave of dystopians — but this isn’t really a story about the rapture. It’s much more a story about family and togetherness, with a unique take on homelessness. This is a story where the parents fail their kids, despite wanting to do the exact opposite, and that was such a fresh take on parents in YA. –Kelly Jensen
From Best Books We Read in January: http://bookriot.com/2015/02/02/riot-r...
From Best Books We Read in January: http://bookriot.com/2015/02/02/riot-r...
September 15, 2021
ive read 500+ books but this is unlike anything ive ever read before. I read this because I didn't think I would like it (because I HATE books set in cars or road trips) and I just wanted it to get off my TBR but oh wow.. didn't know I would end up loving it like I do.
Its such a small book but the characters were so well built that it felt like ive known them forever.
I loved everything.
Its not 5 stars because it didn't give me that feel and I felt like the ending was a bit rushed, would've loved if the book was longer too!
cant wait to read more from this author!
Its such a small book but the characters were so well built that it felt like ive known them forever.
I loved everything.
Its not 5 stars because it didn't give me that feel and I felt like the ending was a bit rushed, would've loved if the book was longer too!
cant wait to read more from this author!
November 4, 2018
There’s nothing that isn’t compelling about this book. It starts in a very awkward place: the day after the world was supposed to end and this family was supposed to be “saved.” And now they’re left living out of a van in San Francisco and the parents are getting strung along by this guy named Brother John who requires all sorts of tithing and provides nothing in return while the brother and sister slowly collapse under the conditions they’re in.
Dad is the one driving the family forward and keeping them maintaining faith and he really just needs a good slap. And so does Mom as she goes along with it despite her better judgment. Aaron’s already cracked and isn’t buying any of this, but Abigail is hanging on by her fingertips because if she lets go there’s nothing left. All that’s keep them together is this faith and she’s trying to be the bridge between Aaron, who’s too far gone, and her dad, who’s still really clinging on to hope. But she’s slipping and she continues to slip throughout the book.
Despite my own personal opinions on religion, especially on this kind of fundamentalism, I did like how Abigail clung to it, even if on a superficial level. Maybe superficial isn’t the right word. She still clung onto religion, but the old religion she grew up with, not this new fundamentalism that had her parents selling everything they owned and driving them across the country. Which she hated, but she had a lot of faith in her parents so she grudgingly accepted it. Until that faith started to slip.
And she tries so hard to hold on. So incredibly hard and as a reader I was rooting for her. I had that same shred of hope that maybe something good would come of this. But everything has a breaking point and sometimes things have to get really bad in order for them to break.
I do think NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES is a story about hope and good intentions and even those with the best of intentions can get lost. Doesn’t excuse crappy decisions, but it at least provided insight as to why some of these decisions are made, and why they’re made to the detriment of everyone involved. Didn’t make it any easier of a pill to swallow, but it’s still a pill nonetheless.
The book’s moving and gripping and incredibly compelling. You won’t want to look away as Abigail and Aaron navigate this life their parents have forced upon them and come to grips with their reality and their religion. I do think the ending was a little too positive and I think the reality of the situation would have been different, but the story needed the ending it got, otherwise the reader would just spiral into sadness and not come out of it. Even for me, that’s not the ending I would have wanted even though it’s one I would have expected. Glimmer of hope and all.
4
Dad is the one driving the family forward and keeping them maintaining faith and he really just needs a good slap. And so does Mom as she goes along with it despite her better judgment. Aaron’s already cracked and isn’t buying any of this, but Abigail is hanging on by her fingertips because if she lets go there’s nothing left. All that’s keep them together is this faith and she’s trying to be the bridge between Aaron, who’s too far gone, and her dad, who’s still really clinging on to hope. But she’s slipping and she continues to slip throughout the book.
Despite my own personal opinions on religion, especially on this kind of fundamentalism, I did like how Abigail clung to it, even if on a superficial level. Maybe superficial isn’t the right word. She still clung onto religion, but the old religion she grew up with, not this new fundamentalism that had her parents selling everything they owned and driving them across the country. Which she hated, but she had a lot of faith in her parents so she grudgingly accepted it. Until that faith started to slip.
And she tries so hard to hold on. So incredibly hard and as a reader I was rooting for her. I had that same shred of hope that maybe something good would come of this. But everything has a breaking point and sometimes things have to get really bad in order for them to break.
I do think NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES is a story about hope and good intentions and even those with the best of intentions can get lost. Doesn’t excuse crappy decisions, but it at least provided insight as to why some of these decisions are made, and why they’re made to the detriment of everyone involved. Didn’t make it any easier of a pill to swallow, but it’s still a pill nonetheless.
The book’s moving and gripping and incredibly compelling. You won’t want to look away as Abigail and Aaron navigate this life their parents have forced upon them and come to grips with their reality and their religion. I do think the ending was a little too positive and I think the reality of the situation would have been different, but the story needed the ending it got, otherwise the reader would just spiral into sadness and not come out of it. Even for me, that’s not the ending I would have wanted even though it’s one I would have expected. Glimmer of hope and all.
4
October 5, 2015
This will be officially my 1000th book on GR!!! (There might be more as I haven't listed nearly half the manga I've read but...maybe another time)
So, let's cut it short as I've got to study. I'm a born catholic and I might not agree with eveything I hear in church (when I go occasionally that's it).
This got me quite hard. I'm used to having hardcore discussion about christianity mostly with my father but even my very believer father rejects the idea of fanaticism. Which is exactly the main theme here.
I love the title as it represents the story very well but at the same time with this meager ending it could be named The father's redemption. Because that's the main focuse of the entire story.
The meeting between Jess and Abs should have happened 100 pages sooner. And I need more backround info of how the hell did we end up here. And what happens next? Does the father miraculously heal? Like, really, that's it?
I'm conflicted. Very. I kind of agree with Aaron that they should have left a long time ago and I condemn Abs for being so naive. But I also understand the need to hold onto those persons you hold dear. I can't judge them because honestly don't know what I'd ahve done in their place. Maybe went crazy a long time ago.
For the first 100 or so pages I hated Abs. So that's saying something. She was so blind to the suffering and she condemned her brother for seeing the truth. And I loved Aaron. He was aware of the situation. That would have been my coping mechanism as well as his was: shut down. I loved that he went off searching for happiness on his own and found it.
I hated the ending. I mean it's everything you could ask for given the situation. But. There is a but. I'm more interested in what comes. How does the family heal itself after this? That's my question.
So, let's cut it short as I've got to study. I'm a born catholic and I might not agree with eveything I hear in church (when I go occasionally that's it).
This got me quite hard. I'm used to having hardcore discussion about christianity mostly with my father but even my very believer father rejects the idea of fanaticism. Which is exactly the main theme here.
I love the title as it represents the story very well but at the same time with this meager ending it could be named The father's redemption. Because that's the main focuse of the entire story.
The meeting between Jess and Abs should have happened 100 pages sooner. And I need more backround info of how the hell did we end up here. And what happens next? Does the father miraculously heal? Like, really, that's it?
I'm conflicted. Very. I kind of agree with Aaron that they should have left a long time ago and I condemn Abs for being so naive. But I also understand the need to hold onto those persons you hold dear. I can't judge them because honestly don't know what I'd ahve done in their place. Maybe went crazy a long time ago.
For the first 100 or so pages I hated Abs. So that's saying something. She was so blind to the suffering and she condemned her brother for seeing the truth. And I loved Aaron. He was aware of the situation. That would have been my coping mechanism as well as his was: shut down. I loved that he went off searching for happiness on his own and found it.
I hated the ending. I mean it's everything you could ask for given the situation. But. There is a but. I'm more interested in what comes. How does the family heal itself after this? That's my question.
January 14, 2015
This is a story about a sixteen-year old girl named Abigail. Abigail's parents sold everything they owned in South Carolina, packed a van, packed Abigail and her twin Aaron, and headed to San Francisco following the call of a preacher named Brother John who is preaching the end of the world. Their father is the most fervent in his support of Brother John. He didn't lose faith when the world didn't end as Brother John predicted.
The family is living in the van and going from church to church for their meals. Aaron has lost faith both in Brother John and his parents and has begun sneaking out at night to hang out with other homeless kids. Abigail is torn between her parents' beliefs and her brother. She tries to be a good kid but she misses home and a more settled life and she is rapidly losing her faith in God.
The final straw for her comes when her brother runs off, the van is towed, and her father gives money that a church donated to them to Brother John. Her parents don't make any effort to find Aaron, so she runs off to find her brother. She learns that, as bad as it is for her and her family, it is even worse for many of the other homeless kids. Aaron has met a girl named Jess who has been homeless for three years. Jess and Aaron have also run afoul of another homeless guy who has something on Jess.
This book was very well-written and brings up lots of points for discussion - faith vs. fanaticism, parental responsibilities. I can't wait to talk about this one with my students.
The family is living in the van and going from church to church for their meals. Aaron has lost faith both in Brother John and his parents and has begun sneaking out at night to hang out with other homeless kids. Abigail is torn between her parents' beliefs and her brother. She tries to be a good kid but she misses home and a more settled life and she is rapidly losing her faith in God.
The final straw for her comes when her brother runs off, the van is towed, and her father gives money that a church donated to them to Brother John. Her parents don't make any effort to find Aaron, so she runs off to find her brother. She learns that, as bad as it is for her and her family, it is even worse for many of the other homeless kids. Aaron has met a girl named Jess who has been homeless for three years. Jess and Aaron have also run afoul of another homeless guy who has something on Jess.
This book was very well-written and brings up lots of points for discussion - faith vs. fanaticism, parental responsibilities. I can't wait to talk about this one with my students.
March 1, 2015
SPOILER FREE
Abigail is in a tough place. Her mom and dad have just sold there house, furniture, and there stuff, got in their van and drove off to New York with nothing but a little money, her parents and her brother so they could join this Doomsday cult.
When you first meet Brother John, right off the bat I could tell he was "off". I do have religious beliefs, so I know how pastors act and this definitely isn't the way. He was shouting and dancing but then right out of the blue he just drops. Some pastors do shout but I have never seen one dance around.
Abigail's dad, Dale, is the most passionate about the doomsday cult. He is the one that believes that the world is going to end a lot. He pretty much praises Brother John and is like his little puppet.
A part that just got under my skin is that whenever they get money from a tithe at a church, they give it to Brother John as a tithe to God. It is great to tithe to a church, I grew up with that, my parents did it and still do. But, they give all the money! They keep just barely enough to have for gas. I was always suspicious about this part because I thought Brother John just kept the money for himself, but you will find out what happens when you read it.
Overall, I had a great plot, was a great story and I highly recommend it to you guys. Also, you do not have to have religious beliefs in order to read this.
February 24th is a little over month away so go do your pre order now!
Thank you so much Harper Collins for providing me with this Advance Reader Copy❤️
Abigail is in a tough place. Her mom and dad have just sold there house, furniture, and there stuff, got in their van and drove off to New York with nothing but a little money, her parents and her brother so they could join this Doomsday cult.
When you first meet Brother John, right off the bat I could tell he was "off". I do have religious beliefs, so I know how pastors act and this definitely isn't the way. He was shouting and dancing but then right out of the blue he just drops. Some pastors do shout but I have never seen one dance around.
Abigail's dad, Dale, is the most passionate about the doomsday cult. He is the one that believes that the world is going to end a lot. He pretty much praises Brother John and is like his little puppet.
A part that just got under my skin is that whenever they get money from a tithe at a church, they give it to Brother John as a tithe to God. It is great to tithe to a church, I grew up with that, my parents did it and still do. But, they give all the money! They keep just barely enough to have for gas. I was always suspicious about this part because I thought Brother John just kept the money for himself, but you will find out what happens when you read it.
Overall, I had a great plot, was a great story and I highly recommend it to you guys. Also, you do not have to have religious beliefs in order to read this.
February 24th is a little over month away so go do your pre order now!
Thank you so much Harper Collins for providing me with this Advance Reader Copy❤️
Read
February 14, 2015I enjoy reading books that explore issues of faith and that's why I picked this. But this book wasn't so much about faith as about a family victimized by a con artist preacher, a guy who convinces people the world is coming to an end and that they need to give him all their money. This isn't religion, just fraud.
Perhaps I'm just cynical, but given the information the book offered, I found it hard to accept the underlying scenario: two seemingly rational adults (the POV character's parents) give some random stranger all their money and leave their family homeless and hungry. I kept hoping the preacher would be more convincing or charismatic. I needed to understand why the characters made the choices they did, and I couldn't. I guess these kids also had faith in their parents, and that faith was lost. That was the most interesting part of the story to me.
At about 80% through, after being forced to live on the street and scrounge for survival, Abigail and Aaron finally decide that all the adults in charge have lost their minds and take matter into their own hands.
Perhaps I'm just cynical, but given the information the book offered, I found it hard to accept the underlying scenario: two seemingly rational adults (the POV character's parents) give some random stranger all their money and leave their family homeless and hungry. I kept hoping the preacher would be more convincing or charismatic. I needed to understand why the characters made the choices they did, and I couldn't. I guess these kids also had faith in their parents, and that faith was lost. That was the most interesting part of the story to me.
At about 80% through, after being forced to live on the street and scrounge for survival, Abigail and Aaron finally decide that all the adults in charge have lost their minds and take matter into their own hands.
April 17, 2015
I won this book through goodreads and I'm glad I did. It's an interesting read regarding a family of four, the parents and a set of 14 yr old twins, a boy and a girl. The father decided that he had a calling from the Lord through a questionable radio evangelist, Brother John, that they needed to get from North Carolina to San Francisco before a certain time because the end was coming. So they sold all their belongings and took only the bare necessities and headed to Brother John so they wouldn't be left behind.
I loved the way Mr. Bliss used the main protangist, Abigail who was torn about the whole sititation, but wasn't ready to make the decision her brother had already made. She had her own feelings regarding Brother John, yet she was devoted to her faith as well as her parents.
I read this book in about one setting, it's a great read.
I loved the way Mr. Bliss used the main protangist, Abigail who was torn about the whole sititation, but wasn't ready to make the decision her brother had already made. She had her own feelings regarding Brother John, yet she was devoted to her faith as well as her parents.
I read this book in about one setting, it's a great read.
February 24, 2020
Konu farklılığı, yazarın dili, akıcılığı, kısa olması kitabın sevdiren yönleri. Öncelikle Abs karakteri bazen sinir bozucuydu düşüncelerini dile getiremeyen bir karakterdi. Kitapta tek aklı başında olan karakter Aaoron'dı bazen kitabın onun ağzından yazılmasını istedim. Jess ve arkadaşları kitabı kendi içinden tekrarlanmasından kurtaran karakterlerdi. Sonunun bağlanmaması kitaptan büyük bir puan kırmama sebep oldu.
Puanım:3/5
Puanım:3/5
April 7, 2016
Beautiful book, excellently written, about family, survival, and the power of forgiveness. I would recommend this book to everyone.
March 22, 2019
No Parking At The End Times by Bryan Bliss
“He went to talk with Brother John. He’ll be back in a little while” (Bliss 41). This is one of the many time Abigail’s family went to Brother John for help. Abigail’s dad is especially faithful towards the church and their crazy beliefs. I would give this book four stars because it was good but not the best book I've ever read. The reasons I rate it four stars are because it’s suspenseful, it gives a new perspective, and it shows how everything can change quickly.
I said this book was suspenseful. Some of the reasons I think this is because there’s always something new happening in every chapter. Abigail, her brother, and her parents left everything they had for Brother John and his preaching and no matter what happens, I never expect it. One example of this is when Bliss writes about Abigail's life turning around right after she believed she could escape.
This book also gives a new perspective that I haven’t completely thought about. That is that abigail is homeless and living in a van parked wherever. They’re like that because Abigail's parents dropped everything for the “end of time” which is what Brother John preaches. An example of this is throughout the book, Bliss describes Abigail trying to find food or money or something to entertain her for at least a little while.
This book also shows how everything can change quickly. Abigail had a nice home in a nice neighborhood and went to a good school, until it all changed. They sold everything they had and gave the money to the church. They moved into their van and went from place to place trying to find somewhere to park for the night. In the book, Bliss does half of the chapter talking about Abigail’s life before the move, and half of the chapter is what is happening right then. That is an example of how this book goes back and forth for a comparison of Abigail’s life and how she’s changed.
I do think this book is good because of those reasons. I don’t think I would recommend this book because the ending isn’t very good and the book in all isn’t as entertaining as I would’ve liked.
“He went to talk with Brother John. He’ll be back in a little while” (Bliss 41). This is one of the many time Abigail’s family went to Brother John for help. Abigail’s dad is especially faithful towards the church and their crazy beliefs. I would give this book four stars because it was good but not the best book I've ever read. The reasons I rate it four stars are because it’s suspenseful, it gives a new perspective, and it shows how everything can change quickly.
I said this book was suspenseful. Some of the reasons I think this is because there’s always something new happening in every chapter. Abigail, her brother, and her parents left everything they had for Brother John and his preaching and no matter what happens, I never expect it. One example of this is when Bliss writes about Abigail's life turning around right after she believed she could escape.
This book also gives a new perspective that I haven’t completely thought about. That is that abigail is homeless and living in a van parked wherever. They’re like that because Abigail's parents dropped everything for the “end of time” which is what Brother John preaches. An example of this is throughout the book, Bliss describes Abigail trying to find food or money or something to entertain her for at least a little while.
This book also shows how everything can change quickly. Abigail had a nice home in a nice neighborhood and went to a good school, until it all changed. They sold everything they had and gave the money to the church. They moved into their van and went from place to place trying to find somewhere to park for the night. In the book, Bliss does half of the chapter talking about Abigail’s life before the move, and half of the chapter is what is happening right then. That is an example of how this book goes back and forth for a comparison of Abigail’s life and how she’s changed.
I do think this book is good because of those reasons. I don’t think I would recommend this book because the ending isn’t very good and the book in all isn’t as entertaining as I would’ve liked.
July 22, 2017
3.5 stars.
What a weird little story. This book was not what I expected, I really thought I was getting a story about a family traveling across the country. I had no idea this book was going to talk so much about faith and God. I personally don't have a strong faith, I respect that do so this book kind of taught me a lot about how much people really cling to their faith. How it some people take faith and use it for their personal gain. It was very interesting, thought provoking and actually realistic in my opinion.
No Parking At Ends Time is set around Abigail Parker and her family, her mom, dad and twin brother Aaron. Their parents decided to sell everything they owned, live in their van in San Fransisco because Brother John had convinced them the world is coming at an end. But of course it didn't. The book has a lot of parts about Abigail struggling with her own faith. Her and her brother, Aaron both have extremely different reactions to the situation. I thought both their actions fit the situation well. There wasn't anything in the book that didn't seem like it couldn't of happened. I find that a lot of YA books have a lot of unrealistic events, so I really appreciated that this book didn't. I also think the book was fairly well written. In the short period of time the author developed Abigail and her family fairy well. The dialogue was great and there were even some funny moments that made me giggle.
I think I would of liked the book to be slightly longer, the ending was kind of "meh" for me.
Overall an enjoyable read that had made me want to look more into books on this topic!
What a weird little story. This book was not what I expected, I really thought I was getting a story about a family traveling across the country. I had no idea this book was going to talk so much about faith and God. I personally don't have a strong faith, I respect that do so this book kind of taught me a lot about how much people really cling to their faith. How it some people take faith and use it for their personal gain. It was very interesting, thought provoking and actually realistic in my opinion.
No Parking At Ends Time is set around Abigail Parker and her family, her mom, dad and twin brother Aaron. Their parents decided to sell everything they owned, live in their van in San Fransisco because Brother John had convinced them the world is coming at an end. But of course it didn't. The book has a lot of parts about Abigail struggling with her own faith. Her and her brother, Aaron both have extremely different reactions to the situation. I thought both their actions fit the situation well. There wasn't anything in the book that didn't seem like it couldn't of happened. I find that a lot of YA books have a lot of unrealistic events, so I really appreciated that this book didn't. I also think the book was fairly well written. In the short period of time the author developed Abigail and her family fairy well. The dialogue was great and there were even some funny moments that made me giggle.
I think I would of liked the book to be slightly longer, the ending was kind of "meh" for me.
Overall an enjoyable read that had made me want to look more into books on this topic!
February 2, 2021
„No Parking at the End Times” ist der Debütroman des US-amerikanischen Autors Bryan Bliss. Die Idee dazu kam dem studierten Theologen, als ihn vermehrt Berichte erreichten, dass Familien all ihr Hab und Gut verkauften, um Harold Campings Vorhersage der Apokalypse zu unterstützen. Harold Camping war ein populärer Radio-Prediger in den USA, der 2005 das Ende der Welt anhand obskurer Bibel-Berechnungen für den 21. Mai 2011 vorhersagte. Später räumte er seinen offenkundigen Fehler ein und sah von weiteren Vorhersagen ab. Bryan Bliss schrieb „No Parking at the End Times“ jedoch nicht, um die verklärten Ansichten Campings zu kritisieren. Er schrieb es, weil ihn ein Gedanke nicht mehr losließ: Was geschieht mit Kids, deren Eltern an den Weltuntergang glauben?
Wie hat all das angefangen? Diese Frage stellt sich Abigail in letzter Zeit oft. Sie grübelt darüber, wenn sie morgens im kalten, vollgestopften Van ihrer Familie erwacht, sich in öffentlichen Waschräumen die Zähne putzt und im Austausch für eine warme Mahlzeit in Kirchen Geschirr spült. Wie lernte ihr Vater Bruder John kennen? Wann wurde der Glaube ihrer Eltern an seine Vorhersage der Apokalypse so stark, dass sie bereit waren, all ihren Besitz sowie ihr Haus zu verkaufen und mit Abigail und ihrem Zwillingsbruder Aaron quer durchs Land nach San Francisco zu fahren? Natürlich kam die Apokalypse nicht. Bruder John sprach nie darüber, was passieren würde, wenn nichts passierte. Er sprach auch nie davon, dass sie in ihrem Auto leben würden. Abigails Familie droht zu zerbrechen. Die Fehler ihrer Eltern wiegen schwer und Abigail und Aaron sind nicht sicher, ob sie ihnen vergeben können. Wird der Glaube an das Ende der Welt das Ende ihrer Familie sein?
Ich bin nicht religiös. Genauer, ich bin nicht christlich. Ich schätze, man kann mich als Atheistin bezeichnen: Ich glaube weder an einen Gott noch an mehrere Gottheiten, lehne die Möglichkeit der Existenz einer höheren Macht jedoch nicht grundsätzlich ab. Intellektuell begreife ich, warum Menschen glauben. Intellektuell verstehe ich sogar, wieso sich einige Gläubige einem Weltuntergangskult anschließen, wie Bryan Bliss es in „No Parking at the End Times“ beschreibt. Dennoch hinterließ das Buch bei mir ein Gefühl tiefer Irritation, denn emotional kann ich es eben nicht nachvollziehen. Mir fehlt buchstäblich die Fähigkeit, mich in ein Elternpaar hineinzuversetzen, das aus Verzweiflung beschließt, das Ende der Welt willkommen zu heißen und billigt, dass ihre Kinder laut ihrer Glaubenswelt keine Zukunft haben. Da hört es bei mir wirklich auf. Es machte mich wütend, dass Abigails und Aarons Eltern nicht für sie kämpfen und sie nicht beschützen. Ihre dysfunktionale Eltern-Kind-Beziehung, die Bliss eindringlich und realistisch durch die Augen seiner Ich-Erzählerin Abigail porträtiert, ist der Fokus von „No Parking at the End Times“. Abigail weiß auf einer fundamentalen Ebene ihres Ichs, dass ihre Eltern in ihren Rollen versagen und das Vertrauen ihrer Kinder missbrauchten, indem sie sich auf Bruder Johns Gemeinde einließen, der übrigens tatsächlich an seine Vorhersage glaubt. Sie ist erschüttert, nicht nur aufgrund des Verhaltens ihrer Eltern, sondern auch in ihrem eigenen Glauben. Leider ist ihre Gefühlswelt die einzige, in die Leser_innen einen Einblick erhalten. Ich hätte gern erfahren, was das Ausbleiben der Apokalypse mit allen Familienmitgliedern macht, was es im Einzelnen für sie bedeutet. Durch die Beschränkung auf Abigail fiel es mir schwer, ihre Dynamiken zu durchschauen. Besonders Abigails Verhältnis zu Aaron blieb mir ein Rätsel. Es schien, als nähme sie eine Nähe und Verbundenheit wahr, die er überhaupt nicht empfindet. Aus ihrer Glaubenskrise heraus und wohl auch, um ihm zu imponieren, beginnt sie, zu rebellieren und kommt mit Jugendlichen in Kontakt, die in San Francisco auf der Straße leben. Es gefiel mir, dass Bliss dieses schwierige Thema in „No Parking at the End Times“ integrierte, ich fand allerdings, dass er dabei zu oberflächlich vorging. Er deutet die schrecklichen Bedingungen, die Straßenkinder aushalten müssen, lediglich an und vermittelt nicht, wie gefährlich dieses Leben ist. Die Teenager wirken meiner Ansicht nach zu sehr wie fröhliche Ausreißer_innen, die ein großes Abenteuer bestreiten. Das widerspricht der Realität und nimmt dem Roman ein wenig seiner Glaubwürdigkeit, die unglücklicherweise ohnehin unter der Wendung leidet, die zum Ende von „No Parking at the End Times“ führt. Sie wirkte inszeniert und künstlich, eine Hauruck-Aktion, die einen schnellen, positiv gefärbten Schluss ermöglichte, der meiner Meinung nach nicht zur restlichen Handlung passt.
Ich denke, dass Bryan Bliss sich bei der Konzeption von „No Parking at the End Times“ mehr aufbürdete, als er bewältigen konnte. Die Ebene des Buches, die sich mit der gestörten Beziehung zwischen Abigail und Aaron auf der einen Seite und ihren Eltern auf der anderen Seite beschäftigt, gelang ihm hervorragend und ich fand die Ernsthaftigkeit, mit der er den irrationalen Glauben der Anhänger_innen von Bruder John behandelt, sehr beeindruckend. Gerade weil er einen kirchlichen Hintergrund hat, spricht es von Feingefühl, dass er sie nicht als blasphemische Spinner verunglimpft, sondern ihre Beweggründe wertungsfrei einbezieht. Dieses Feingefühl zeigt er leider nicht bei seiner Darstellung von Straßenkindern. Es war, als wäre ihm plötzlich klar geworden, wie komplex die Thematik ist und habe sich lieber darauf beschränkt, an der Oberfläche zu kratzen. Ähnlich empfand ich die optimistische Note am Ende von „No Parking at the End Times“. Da war seine Sehnsucht nach einer heilen Welt wohl zu groß. Trotzdem behalte ich „No Parking at the End Times“ in guter Erinnerung, denn die zugrundeliegende Frage, was ein Weltuntergangskult Kindern antut, beantwortet der Autor einwandfrei. Eltern haben die Verpflichtung, ihre Kinder zu schützen – auch vor ihren eigenen Fehlern.
Read
April 9, 2021DNF at 45%. Didn’t seem like there was much of a storyline to follow.
December 23, 2019
Aslında harika bir konusu vardı.Değişik bir hikaye,değişik bir olay örgüsü vardı.Dili akıcı ve sadeydi.Sadece yazarın sonunu havada bıraktığını düşünüyorum.Sonu tatmin etmedi.
December 9, 2020
First half was boring. Second half was a little all over the place. Not terrible but lacked enough to keep me invested completely in the story and in the characters.
March 6, 2015
Richie’s Picks: NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES by Bryan Bliss, Greenwillow, February 2015, 272p., ISBN: 978-0-06-227541-7
“Chapter six and verse eleven
If you want to get to Heaven
You’ve got to ask the man who owns the Property
Ya gotta dance your dance
And do your act
And get His Big Attention that’s a natural-born fact”
-- Todd Rundgren, “Eastern Intrigue” (1975)
“I am not surprised this is where we found them, but I cannot square it in my mind. When would’ve they realized it had been hours since they’d seen us? That the city had gone dark and--oh no!--their children are sitting on the sidewalk. Of course, they wouldn’t know about the van [which has disappeared]. Because they were here. Like always.
“We’re supposed to be the irresponsible ones--not them. We’re supposed to be the ones who make bad decisions and stare at the floor while they explain how our choices will affect our future. How will they be able to tell us to do anything ever again?”
I suspect that many discussions of NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES will focus on the religious aspects of the tale. Teen twins Abigail and Aaron are now unwilling residents of the streets of San Francisco thanks to their parents. Their father sold their home and all of their stuff back in North Carolina. The family traveled across the country in an old van to be near San Francisco preacher Brother John who’s been preaching the imminent end of the world. The van has been their home.
The story, told from Abigail’s point of view, begins after Brother John’s prophecy fails to materialize. The moment has come and the world hasn’t ended. Yet day after day, the twins are fending for themselves while their parents continue to spend their time with Brother John. The twins’ father, who’d given Brother John all the family’s money, is clearly under the influence of the preacher.
All sorts of influences can lead to parents shirking their responsibilities toward their children. Many in previous generations complained about absentee fathers addicted to their jobs. (Think about Mr. Banks all jazzed about totting up a balanced book, a thousand ciphers neatly in a row.) Alcohol has forever been an all-too-common cause of terrible parenting and drugged up parenting has taken its place beside the booze. Plenty of parents spend their time looking for new partners, ignoring the kids they had with former partners. Even the TV is a drug of choice for many parents.
This, to me, is the essence of NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES: how so many people have kids and then neglect them in favor of addictions to one thing or another.
I was drawn to NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES because I live in San Francisco and spend lots of time in Golden Gate Park, where much of the story takes place. I was grabbed by the story because of the excellent characterization of Abigail and her twin Aaron. Aaron is a true nonbeliever and Abigail is torn between the ideas of her skeptic brother and her believer parents. She’s a healthy, intelligent adolescent who wants to believe that her parents are doing the right thing. But she also trusts her twin brother who has been sneaking out of the van at night and is trying to figure some way for the two of them to escape their parents and return to North Carolina.
Most every adolescent either lives in a survival story with parents who are addicted to something, or knows friends and schoolmates who are trying to survive such parents. NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES is an all-too-real look at a pair of such kids.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/richie.parti...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
“Chapter six and verse eleven
If you want to get to Heaven
You’ve got to ask the man who owns the Property
Ya gotta dance your dance
And do your act
And get His Big Attention that’s a natural-born fact”
-- Todd Rundgren, “Eastern Intrigue” (1975)
“I am not surprised this is where we found them, but I cannot square it in my mind. When would’ve they realized it had been hours since they’d seen us? That the city had gone dark and--oh no!--their children are sitting on the sidewalk. Of course, they wouldn’t know about the van [which has disappeared]. Because they were here. Like always.
“We’re supposed to be the irresponsible ones--not them. We’re supposed to be the ones who make bad decisions and stare at the floor while they explain how our choices will affect our future. How will they be able to tell us to do anything ever again?”
I suspect that many discussions of NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES will focus on the religious aspects of the tale. Teen twins Abigail and Aaron are now unwilling residents of the streets of San Francisco thanks to their parents. Their father sold their home and all of their stuff back in North Carolina. The family traveled across the country in an old van to be near San Francisco preacher Brother John who’s been preaching the imminent end of the world. The van has been their home.
The story, told from Abigail’s point of view, begins after Brother John’s prophecy fails to materialize. The moment has come and the world hasn’t ended. Yet day after day, the twins are fending for themselves while their parents continue to spend their time with Brother John. The twins’ father, who’d given Brother John all the family’s money, is clearly under the influence of the preacher.
All sorts of influences can lead to parents shirking their responsibilities toward their children. Many in previous generations complained about absentee fathers addicted to their jobs. (Think about Mr. Banks all jazzed about totting up a balanced book, a thousand ciphers neatly in a row.) Alcohol has forever been an all-too-common cause of terrible parenting and drugged up parenting has taken its place beside the booze. Plenty of parents spend their time looking for new partners, ignoring the kids they had with former partners. Even the TV is a drug of choice for many parents.
This, to me, is the essence of NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES: how so many people have kids and then neglect them in favor of addictions to one thing or another.
I was drawn to NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES because I live in San Francisco and spend lots of time in Golden Gate Park, where much of the story takes place. I was grabbed by the story because of the excellent characterization of Abigail and her twin Aaron. Aaron is a true nonbeliever and Abigail is torn between the ideas of her skeptic brother and her believer parents. She’s a healthy, intelligent adolescent who wants to believe that her parents are doing the right thing. But she also trusts her twin brother who has been sneaking out of the van at night and is trying to figure some way for the two of them to escape their parents and return to North Carolina.
Most every adolescent either lives in a survival story with parents who are addicted to something, or knows friends and schoolmates who are trying to survive such parents. NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES is an all-too-real look at a pair of such kids.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/richie.parti...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
September 1, 2015
3.5 stars
When I think about those who are less fortunate, I'd wonder how it happened to them. What made them be homeless? It's true we take life for granted. Not only that, but more often than not, we take for granted what we have that others need. Food, water, heat, a bed. The list goes on.
For Abigail and her family, they have hit rock bottom. And by that, I mean they're living in their van, washing themselves in restrooms, having to go to church to get meals, and to top it all, they're stuck in San Francisco, miles away from home.
No Parking at the Ends Times was a novel was a good debut novel. It wasn't perfect and it did have some flaws, but I'll get to it in a bit.
But aside from the flaws, it was a genuine story about a family that is going through hard times and trying to be together. However, things are never that simple.
“But then he says, "Everything happens for a reason."
And that's an answer I can't handle.”
Abigail just wants things to back to the way they were. Who wouldn't if you were in her situation. She and her brother, Aaron, had to go through a lot and seeing how their parents are unresponsive to how they feel, it makes it worse.
For a debut novel, I have to give Bryan Bliss props. That's what I like about contemporary novels. With them, they explore a wide variety of issues that we all can understand and relate to. With this one, it deals with a family struggling and them being homeless. Bliss does a great job portraying a young girl who wants to be there for her family.
As for it's flaws, I would say that it was a little bit preach-y when it came to the religion part. I don't mind if a book deals with the topic of religion, as I have read some fiction books revolving around the subject, it felt like religion was used too much in the story. And the ending felt a bit rushed and while it was satisfying enough, I would've liked to see how it all played out.
But overall, I did enjoy this book.
If you're looking for a fast short read, definitely pick this up.
Thanks for reading my review!
Cesar.
When I think about those who are less fortunate, I'd wonder how it happened to them. What made them be homeless? It's true we take life for granted. Not only that, but more often than not, we take for granted what we have that others need. Food, water, heat, a bed. The list goes on.
For Abigail and her family, they have hit rock bottom. And by that, I mean they're living in their van, washing themselves in restrooms, having to go to church to get meals, and to top it all, they're stuck in San Francisco, miles away from home.
No Parking at the Ends Times was a novel was a good debut novel. It wasn't perfect and it did have some flaws, but I'll get to it in a bit.
But aside from the flaws, it was a genuine story about a family that is going through hard times and trying to be together. However, things are never that simple.
“But then he says, "Everything happens for a reason."
And that's an answer I can't handle.”
Abigail just wants things to back to the way they were. Who wouldn't if you were in her situation. She and her brother, Aaron, had to go through a lot and seeing how their parents are unresponsive to how they feel, it makes it worse.
For a debut novel, I have to give Bryan Bliss props. That's what I like about contemporary novels. With them, they explore a wide variety of issues that we all can understand and relate to. With this one, it deals with a family struggling and them being homeless. Bliss does a great job portraying a young girl who wants to be there for her family.
As for it's flaws, I would say that it was a little bit preach-y when it came to the religion part. I don't mind if a book deals with the topic of religion, as I have read some fiction books revolving around the subject, it felt like religion was used too much in the story. And the ending felt a bit rushed and while it was satisfying enough, I would've liked to see how it all played out.
But overall, I did enjoy this book.
If you're looking for a fast short read, definitely pick this up.
Thanks for reading my review!
Cesar.
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