It Ends with Us

Lily Bloom, the narrator of the novel, is a 23-year-old college graduate who has recently moved to Boston from Plethora, Maine. Lily is a redhead who speaks her mind. After her father’s death, she quits her position in a top marketing firm and uses her inheritance to open a flower shop because gardening is her passion and outlet. The novel opens with Lily’s resentment towards her father, who has passed away, for being abusive towards Lily’s mother. She becomes involved with Ryle Kincaid, whom eventually becomes abusive towards her. Throughout the novel, Lily wrestles with her past, not just with the figure of her father, but with her past relationship with Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she helped and who helped her. Atlas’s reappearance in Lily’s life opens old wounds in Lily, since his departure was abrupt, but also strengthens her when she feels the most alone.

Lily is described by her mother as “brave and bold” (336) but she is also compassionate. Lily demonstrates compassion by helping Atlas despite being taught by her father that people in difficult situations don’t deserve help, and despite the pressure of her peers. She even demonstrates compassion to Ryle after he has hurt her, offering to help him through his rages. Her painful experience with Ryle only deepens her compassion as she gains a fuller understanding of the cyclical nature of domestic violence, and why women find it difficult to leave those who have hurt them. Her final decision to leave Ryle is in itself an act of compassion. She makes this decision not out of vengeance but out of love for her daughter, the love she had for Ryle, and the love she has for herself.

A confident, handsome resident neurosurgeon born to a psychologist father and a religious mother who live in England, Ryle Kincaid also wrestles with his past. At 6 years old, Ryle accidentally shot his older brother, killing him. Since then, Ryle has suffered from rages. Focused on his career, at first he professes to have no interest in any relationship, but eventually falls in love with Lily. His love for her is not enough to prevent him assaulting her, however, and his assaults only worsen with his insecurity and jealousy over Lily’s past relationship with Atlas. Although at first he attempts to excuse his behavior, in the end, Ryle reaches a point of maturity and selflessness, recognizing that what he has done to Lily has ended their relationship, and realizing that their separation is the best thing for their daughter.

Brown-haired and blue-eyed, Atlas has a troubled past himself, but overcomes it. His mother remarries a man who doesn’t like him and whom Atlas fought with. Atlas is thrown out of his house and forced to live in an abandoned house with no electricity or water. After receiving Lily’s help for several months, he contacts his uncle and moves to Boston. Throughout this trying time, he demonstrates himself as generous, and while he has nearly no material things to offer Lily, he gives her his support and demonstrates his appreciation for all she does for him. Strong feelings develop between them and Atlas promises to find Lily when his life improves. Atlas’s regard for Lily drives him to wait for her, first when he encounters her after his first military tour, and also as she is dealing with the aftermath of Ryle’s abuse. Unlike Ryle, Atlas is secure in how Lily feels for him, and is able to focus on her needs over his desires. He achieves success through opening two restaurants. At the close of the novel, he at last feels that he can offer Lily the life that he feels she deserves.

Lily’s abusive father casts a long shadow despite the fact that he’s dead. The image-conscious former mayor of Plethora, Maine, Andrew is depicted as a violent, abusive man, assaulting his wife throughout Lily’s childhood, and once even hurting Lily. Upon finding Atlas with Lily, he attacks the boy with a bat. According to Lily, Andrew was a callous, selfish man who once beat his wife over where she parked and didn’t believe that those in dire straits were worthy of help. At the same time, Lily appreciated how well Andrew could, at times, treat his wife, and that he could apologize for hurting her. 

A teaching assistant who cares for her abusive husband until his death, Jenny Bloom is described as beautiful by Lily. While at first Lily believes that her mother simply ignores her problems, Jenny’s insight at the end of the novel is that abuse erodes a person’s limits. Having no support, had she chosen to leave Andrew, Jenny found herself trapped in her abusive marriage. After Andrew’s death Jenny moves to Boston to be closer to Lily and begins dating. Her endurance through her trials makes her an inspiring figure to Lily.