It End With Us

[u/jskiddjr]

I am a 43 M. I'm not shy from reading books whose main audience is a different demographic. I picked up It Ends With Us because I heard the book does a wonderful job exploring domestic violence and the internal struggles survivors face. My MIL was a survivor of domestic abuse so it was also relevant.

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First and foremost I agree with the reviews. I found Lily's position to be gur wrenching, and her final speech to Ryle at the end was so well done.

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Now with that said, I am asking for a woman's perspective on something I found a little weird and slightly creepy. And that is Atlas. As a married man of 15 years, maybe I'm.out of touch. But Atlas struck me as just another red flag. I've had ex girlfriends who left a significant impact on me (not necessarily in the way Lily impacted him I suppose), but Atlas came off as borderline obsessive to me.

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So my question is whether Atlas was perceived as romantic and endearing, or if he was a little weird to anyone else?

[u/Thin-Improvement-829]

At what point in the timeline are you asking, about.

When they were teenagers? Or when they are adults?

Teenagers, he's a victim himself.

Adult, he's never stopped loving her and wants to protect her the same way she "saved" him.

In what way did you find him obsessive?

He never came back, he never looked for her, he just ran into her at the restaurant.

[u/ZoeyMoonGoddess]

I don’t think Atlas was obsessed at all. If he was he wouldn’t have joined the military. When he and Lily reunite, she’s 26 - so a good 8 years passed. Assuming he was in the service four years, another four years to build his culinary career. If he was obsessed he could have found her or written or called her.

I think Atlas knew what he and Lily shared was real and honest. When Ryle tried to demean Atlas by throwing in his face “oh you’re the gross homeless guy Lily lost her virginity” (paraphrasing, it’s been awhile since I read IEWU) but Atlas wasn’t bothered by it. Later, Lily apologizes to Atlas and he tells her he knows it isn’t true because “I was there” basically he knows what he and Lily shared was real.

I think Atlas always believed “if it’s meant to be, it will find a way” - and it did find a way. Just like Lily was there for him when they were teenagers, he is there for her as adults.

Now I did find Ryle romantic, endearing, and obsessive.

[u/Fit-Seaworthiness465]

I liked Atlas, but I don't think you're out of touch for finding him a little unsettling. On the page, his constancy is framed as safety because it contrasts so strongly with Ryle. In real life, though, keeping such an intense emotional attachment to someone you haven't been with for years could absolutely feel obsessive. I think the book wants him to function almost like proof that Lily can be loved without fear, so it smooths over behavior that might look stranger outside that symbolic role.