Ashley White answers “Did anyone find that the author kind of......”

Alison Vandermay asked this question about It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1):

Did anyone find that the author kind of... made Ryle seem better than he was? I get the childhood trauma - but abuse and attempted rape is BAD. And I just couldn't empathize with him which it felt like the author wanted us to do. I also found it unbelievable that he was so reasonable until he was attacking her. In real life he'd lose his shit to find Atlas with Lily - even after divorce. Anyone else?

Ashley White If you read the author's note at the end, she explains that Ryle is not meant to represent all abusive relationships, as they are all different, but r…moreIf you read the author's note at the end, she explains that Ryle is not meant to represent all abusive relationships, as they are all different, but rather that Ryle was very closely based on her own father. Things that may seem unbelievable actually seem to be based on the truth.

As for the author wanting us to empathize with Ryle, I'm not sure. What we did see is how easy it was for Lily to make excuses for him, forgive him, and love him, even when she knew that wasn't the best thing to do. I think some of the making Ryle seem better than he was was not the author's doing, but rather Lily's doing as she justified his behavior. (less)

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