Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teens band together to survive in dark dystopian thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
AT THE END OF EVERYTHING is told in the voices of three teens the courts have sent to the Hope Juvenile Treatment Center in rural Arkansas. Some of the teens at Hope are violent offenders, but others have simply run afoul of the juvenile justice system. Emerson was a good Catholic girl who never broke the rules. Until she came out as nonbinary, her parents threw them out and they were arrested for running away. Logan is nonverbal and communicates through sign language she and her twin, Leah, have created. They're at Hope for setting fire to a warehouse where Logan had been sexually assaulted. Grace has spent her life bouncing around the foster system, and her anger issues have sent her to solitary nine times in the past year. The teens at Hope are initially confused when they discover the staff and guards have vanished, but it's not long before they find out why. A deadly plague is spreading like wildfire through the world. At first, they assume someone will be coming to help them but quickly realize that no one will be coming to their rescue. A small group (mainly the bullying kids at school) decides to leave Hope, but some 20 teens stay behind. Those who stay face some daunting challenges. What happens when they run out of food? Who will care for their friends who are beginning to fall sick? And can they put their differences aside and work together? Grace becomes an unlikely but strong leader, and the worst of times brings out the very best in a group of teens the courts have deemed "delinquent."
Is It Any Good?
This dark dystopian survival story tackles tough issues around juvenile justice reform and discrimination against people who are disabled or nonbinary. While At the End of Everything is well-crafted and exciting, the story of a plague that kills your friends may be a tough read during the time of a global pandemic in which teens have seen their lives and schools disrupted by COVID-19.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how their idea of the juvenile justice system might have changed after reading At the End of Everything. What reforms would you make to the system?
Why do you think dystopian stories are so popular? What's the appeal?
How is At the End of Everything different from other thriller's you've read? Did it keep you on the edge of your seat?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Sourcebooks Fire
- Publication date : January 25, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate