Endling by Maria Reva, 3.5 stars

[Holly R W]

Like its title, "Endling" is a most unusual book. The author weaves together disparate strands that somehow gel into a narrative. While reading, it is not always clear where the author is going with them. She also does not hesitate to go to absurd lengths with the plot lines, with a healthy dollop of humor. Most of the action takes place in Ukraine.

The strands include:

*Yeva - a single-minded female scientist who is focused upon saving snail species from extinction. Yeva can be harsh, not having much patience for other people. There is much discussion about snails that I found to be mind-numbing.

*Nastia and Sol - are sisters who get involved with the bride industry in Ukraine. They are employed by a match-making company that promises romance to Western men who come to Ukraine to find wives for themselves. The sisters conceive of a kidnapping plot to bring their activist mother out of hiding and back into contact with them. Sounds preposterous? It is!

*Paul/Pasha and twelve other American and Canadian men - travel to Ukraine to find brides. The trip of their dreams turns into a nightmare.

*The author - incorporates herself in the book in creative ways. She is sometimes seen writing her book and puppeteering her characters.

*The Ukraine War - begins while the men are in Ukraine. The scenes about the war are most thought-provoking.
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My Reactions:

While reading, sometimes I was bored and at other times, very interested in what was happening. Sometimes, I thought that the absurdity was over-the-top, but there were times when the writing soared. The element of surprise was always there.

3.5 stars

[Joy D]

I really loved this book. I can see it being one that is (in a future time) studied as part of understanding the history of Ukraine. Of course, I always love the science and find it interesting, so that's probably part of our different reactions to it. This book will likely end up in my top ten of the year.

[Holly R W]

Joy, the book did shed light for me on what is going on in Ukraine with the war (despite the book being fictional). In this way, I can see it being studied. I also thought the matchmaking industry geared to Western men looking for Ukrainian wives was interesting. It's really a thing - and led me to a Youtube video on the subject.

As you can tell, I just couldn't relate to all the discussion and Yeva's passion about snails, even though I like wildlife.

I'm glad you loved the book.

[Booknblues]

I'm hoping to read this when I can get my hands on it. Of the Booker Longlist this is the one which sounded the most interesting to me.

I do like snails. I loved the book The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating and in my years as a preschool teacher, I brought many snails in to the classroom and set up terrariums for the children to observe.

Joy, I just picked up Strong Roots: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Ukraine and will be reading it soon. I will let you know if I think you will like it.

[Holly R W]

Fran, I'll be interested in your take on the book. I hope you enjoy it!

My 3.5 star rating means that I liked it, with some mixed reactions.

[Joy D]

Fran, Those books sound interesting!

Holly, I am glad you liked it overall. I would have loved to read the book she originally planned to write, but I understand why she felt she had to change directions.

[Holly R W]

I just now watched the author's appearance on Seth Meyers' Late Night show, where she explained her book. Here's the video if you want to see.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UCZ6...

[Joy D]

Thanks for the link!

ETA - What a great interview. I got a sense of this as I was reading it and it just adds to my appreciation for the book. I am rooting for it to win the Booker Prize this year.

[Holly R W]

Joy, I just now saw your comment. I enjoyed the author's interview also. It did validate my understanding of her writing. It's always good to hear from the author herself.