I'm always up for a post-apocalyptic book.  This one was being compared to Station Eleven, a novel I really enjoyed, and I'd seen some rave reviews for this author's first book.  

Don't go into this expecting something like a zombie apocalypse or a meteor crashing into Earth.  Much like Station Eleven, it's a quiet book that focuses more on the journeys of the survivors during the aftermath of a global virus and how they come to terms with their losses.  Everything about this world is plausible - cities struggling to rebuild and restore some degree of normalcy, looting and gangs, groups living in Reclaimed Territories not under government control, and survivors dealing with grief in different ways.

The characters really make the story.  Rob is a single father trying to do right by his young daughter, Sunny, who is on a mission to make her father happy again.  Moira had the most intriguing backstory for me, and is hiding in plain site after escaping her past.  Then there's Krista, determined to keep people at a distance and not care about anyone other than her cat.  Each of their stories are riveting and occasionally heartbreaking, and I liked how their lives gradually become intertwined.  The climax of the story is compelling, and I couldn't read fast enough - I had to know what happened to these characters I'd come to like so much.  Although the ending is slightly uncertain, I was happy with the way the author left things. 

If you enjoy character-driven stories that inspire hope in the midst of disaster and loss, I highly recommend A Beginning at the End.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Beginning at the End. has a unique plot that is disturbingly plausible. Usually, the disturbing part of any post-apocalyptic novel is the description of the apocalyptic event and the immediate aftermath. Yet, A Beginning at the End does not linger on the viral event itself. Instead, it focuses on the emotional consequences that result in a static world. Everyone wears a mask – a real one to help prevent the spreading of germs – and a metaphorical one formed by their fear and lies. People no longer connect, and the mask is a symbolic representation of that barrier that each person forms to protect themselves. But, growth and change require connections, and human relationships can only happen when the wall comes down, leaving them vulnerable.


Favorite character: Moira Gorman

Once a pop star, Moira left the spotlight and her father when the virus reached epidemic proportions. She made a new life for herself, all the while searching for the safety and security that she has always craved. When the story begins, she is planning a wedding to a man who offers just that. His whole family came through the virus without loss and remain a tight family unit. Being part of a family is precisely the life that Moira wants for herself. Her many experiences have made her mature and reflective, and I felt instantly drawn to her.

What I Liked About A Beginning at the End

I felt like I knew the characters. They are well-developed, and I instantly connected to all of them. I sympathized with Rob, who had a hard time saying that his wife was dead even to his daughter. I fought the good fight with Krista and hoped that Moira would achieve her dreams. Even with their masks on, I could recognize them even if they don’t know themselves.

I loved that the story ends on a positive note, with the dropping of masks and connections reforming. Just as it takes till the end of the book and a grown-up Sunny to define the fourth path for me, it also took that long for me to apply the story’s message to my world. It made me feel good that there was hope in this world gone wrong, once people realized that the disease was the common enemy and they must band together not just to survive but to live.

What I Wish

I found it hard to follow the initial scenes. It wasn’t until the stories merged that the plot began to flow for me. I wish that the beginning flowed as well as the rest of the novel.

To Read or Not to Read
A Beginning at the End is a unique story that will make you think and reflect - on your own life and humanity in general - and to that end, I would strongly recommend adding it to your bookshelves as soon as it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I tried. I really REALLY did. I LOVED Mike Chen's Here and Now and Then, and when I saw this new title available through the Harlequin Winter Book Tour, I was delighted at the chance to jump into another one of his worlds. H&N&T was an incredible story - character-driven, with a solidly original and entertaining plot line and a deeply complex consideration of family relationships. This new title sounded so promising - not many authors go into what happens AFTER cataclysm, after all, with most focusing on how the end comes and how things are scraped together in its aftermath...

So as you can tell, I went into this one full of optimism and excitement - which made the disappointment hit that much harder. <insert sad face here.

This one never gelled for me. The characters - which were one of the major strengths in his previous book - felt two-dimensional and not fully fleshed out in the way I would have liked. I never connected with any of them, which made it all that much harder to engage with the story, particularly since the story seems to skip a big chunk of time - and important backstory - by jumping from killer flu to six years later... I never felt like I really understood how things got to the point that they did - or, more importantly, why. Focus on family - fine. But why this laser-focus on one particular format of family - one that, frankly, didn't seem the most likely outcome in a world that had suffered as this one had. The lack of detail on both character and rationale for the police state everyone found themselves in left me constantly flipping back to see if I'd missed some detail or reference necessary to understand why things were proceeding as they were. It resulted in an overall feeling that I was missing something and trying to fill in blanks - but without even enough reference points to generate plausibles in my own head...

This one just didn't do it for me. I have seen a lot of reviewers rave about it. I have also seen a decent number raise issues similar to mine. If memory serves, H&N&T generated similar reactions - strong, either way. Chen is, after all, a talented writer - I happily admit that he turns beautiful phrases, even when there aren't as many details as I'd like - and I suspect with his books they either work for you (and if so, they work completely) or they don't (ditto). This one didn't do it for me. But I still consider myself a fan of his writing and would definitely pick up another title by him in the hopes of hitting the jackpot again!

I usually have a hard time with post-apocalyptic stories because they cause me such deep anxiety, but this is a totally different type of story that only left me feeling hopeful by the end.

All of the characters had their own set of secrets, problems, and dreams. But coming together, they were able to find a new “normal” in a very abnormal world. I love a good found family story, and all of these characters both needed and deserved the support this structure of care offered.

It was truly enjoyable how well the plot of the story developed. There were times that felt slow and full of information, but at no point did it seem boring or like an authorial info-dump. Instead, it just built up the anticipation that the characters (and the society around them) were feeling in such an uncertain world. This world is full of citizens who all struggle to adapt to a completely new reality and you can really feel that in the pacing of the story.

I adored Mike Chen’s first book, and this one just solidified that I will pick up any of his future books as well!

Mike Chin has successfully created a melodrama based in a not-so-far-future that. It's not only a worthwhile read, but heartwarming. Rob, Krista, Moira, and Sunny, each come alive, telling their own intertwining stories from their unique points of view. Taking place after a catastrophic flu kills off a large amount of the world's population, each character is dealing with their own version of PASD (Post Apocalyptic Stress Disorder). The scariest part about this book is how realistically it reads.

A slow burn, slightly-futuristic contemporary, you'll enjoy this book if the journey to the end is just as important as the end itself.

This was another DNF for this reader!! This one I was around 100 pages before I just decided that I had to put it down. This book was very slow in its pacing and I just didn't care about the four characters or their situation. I have to say that this was just not the book for me at all. I do think though that I would try another title from this author in the future.

A lack of background hampers this post apocalyptic novel, but the writing rises above it.

I know. You're thinking "what do we need background for? There was a pandemic, here's the survivors, get over it." But all of their actions are rooted so deeply in what happened before and during the pandemic and in the years since, that trying to piece it together from the bits of information we're given is very frustrating.

The story itself is wonderful, though, a thoroughly character driven look at the end of the world and beyond. I recommend this as a read. Just be careful what you expect.

A post-apocalyptic look at love and loss. A young pop singer whose father controls her fame and future, a young woman who plans happy events but really isn't happy and a man who must now be a single parent to his spunky young daughter but can't get over the loss of his wife. Grief and opportunity for a fresh start after a global flu virus wipes out much of the population is the central theme of this story. This is a great choice for readers who usually don't get into dystopic fantasy because the problems of these characters work in today's pre-apocalyptic world. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This is Chen's brilliant follow-up to his previous wonderful Debut time-travel tale: Here And Now And Then. This gem was devoured in two gulps … unfortunately I had to go to work in between. This amazing yarn highlights the notion than mankind will not be stopped and obliterated by such a "little thing" as post-viral apocalypse that claims over 5 billion souls. A vivid portrait of what truly is most important in life … family, friendship and getting involved in diverse relationships. This novel is delightfully reminiscent of the award winning novel, Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel.
The collapse of civilization is put on hold … while the survivors adjust and persevere in the face of overwhelming adversity and impending doom of further outbreaks. Chen weaves a powerful and moving narrative that ties together a complex nucleus of fleshed out characters … Moira, Krista, Rob and his daughter (with the specter of his dead wife, Elena) Each of the characters are flawed and imperfect … carrying secrets and baggage that guides their motivations and actions. The story is beautiful and moving and attests to the strength of love, friendship and humanity. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this gem in exchange for an honest review. (readersremains.com)

Moira, Krista, and Rob are all doing their best to resume normal life after a flu pandemic has wiped out five billion people. For Moira, the pandemic was a chance to escape from her controlling father and life as a teen popstar. For Rob, the pandemic and resulting quarantine were what cost him his wife, leaving him the single father of a two year old girl, Sunny. Krista had already left her family and all her meaningful relationships before the pandemic began. Now, in the remains of what used to be San Francisco, their lives are intertwining. Moira and Rob are co-workers, and Krista is Moira’s wedding planner. The Family Stability Board has threatened to take Sunny away from Rob until he is deemed normal and stable enough to be a parent, and Krista and Moira may be the ticket to a successful case.

The first genre I think of when I hear “post-apocalyptic” is science fiction, usually dealing with the fallout of a nuclear event, climate change, or war. A Beginning at the End could have easily been a sci-fi novel, focusing on the details of the disease and the search for a cure or vaccine. Instead, Chen focuses on ordinary people, or as ordinary as you can be after an event wipes out five billion people. The relationships drive this novel, not only the relationships between the characters but the relationship of each character to his or her past. The only reason this isn’t five stars was that it took me awhile to get into the story and for it to catch my interest.

Recommended for: People who wanted more of the “post-snap” world of Avengers: Endgame, fans of character-driven post-apocalyptic sci-fi, book clubs.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this work from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

A Beginning at the End gives us the opportunity to shed who we were in the midst of the flames. When we are faced with our own mortality, scared of the end, who will we be? What pieces of our lives become most important to us? A Beginning at the End maintains this balance between a post-apocalyptic setting with a quest for hope and family. Sure the world is plagued with this pandemic, but our lives go on. We pick up the ashes of the ruins and we have to figure out how we will continue living.

Told through four perspectives, A Beginning at the End tackles issues of stability, idealism, and hope. Faced with the demise of the human population, how does the government and our system of law and order morph? Stability becomes important not only for our own sense of self-preservation, but for the continuation of our species. It means that our decisions about love and families become political.

I really tried hard with this book because I loved the author’s previous book, Here and Now and Then. I guess I prefer time travel over post apocalyptic stories. After 86 pages, I just couldn’t continue. Sorry.

A pandemic has struck the world killing millions. People were forced into isolation and those who survived are trying to start over. Many live in metro areas but some have chosen to strike out on their own in 'reclaimed" areas. There are also gangs surviving by their own rules. Moira used the disease outbreak to escape her controlling father, Krista escaped a dysfunctional family situation. Rob is grieving the death of his wife and trying to keep custody of his troubled young daughter in spite of the authorities that are scrutinizing his parenting abilities.. This unlikely trio is brought together and the bonds that form may save them all.

I read this book in one sitting. It's set in a near future where a flu pandemic has wiped out most of humanity and people are trying to start over and rebuild.

Four of these people are brought together by circumstance. Rob, Sunny, Krista and Moira are all well written. As we learn their backstories their actions and reactions make complete sense.

I think this could have been two books but Mike Chen did a decent job bringing it all together. Great book to curl up with and read all afternoon!

Mike Chen takes us into a world that has been decimated by a Global Pandemic. It is the aftermath of an epidemic that has literally wiped out more than half of the earth's population. His well done tale brings to life a group of people that are forced to come to grips with an event that has forever changed their lives and the lives of their children. Rob has lost his wife in the plague and is caring for his daughter Sunny as best as he can. At the same time a singer, dancer, Moira, stage name Mojo is attempting to escape the confines of a life as a performer but guided by her father who controls her every move.
At the beginning of the novel Rob has been approached by an agency of the new government established to restore order and rebuild to prove that he is capable of caring for Sunny. If he is deemed not able to his daughter will be taken away from him and sent to a foster home. Rob has a coworker at his job and with no where else to go begins to talk to her about the situation with his daughter and his need to prove worthy of caring for her. Krista, his coworker, agrees to help, especially when Rob offers her pay for the time spent.
Rob, his daughter and Krista meet Moira who enters into the story. The book takes an unforeseen twist when the government announces that a new strain of the virulent epidemic has started attacking the populations of the planet. People are forced into the controlling environment that had become lax as the initial outbreak seemed to be tapering off. The strength of the novel is the author's ability to build the characters involved in the story. These people faced with the horrors that have befallen them have no choice but to adapt to conditions. How they do so and their reactions to their surroundings make a good story an even better one. The reader will find that he or she is sympathetic to the reactions of the characters and will surely think of their own possible efforts to face the type of tragedy that has enveloped the earth in Mr Chen's book. Certainly a five star novel and one that cannot be put down until finished.

I received a print galley for this one, and will be finishing it up in print. I love this author's writing, and will certainly recommend it to my customers who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction when it comes out.

i was pretty confused for most of this book. i thought it was making sense and then nope. i don't know what else to say about it except that. so there you go.

This story wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it. It was, in a sense, a post apocolyptic story, but the world didn't completely end, it seemed to be changing they way it ran.
This story was more about people and how they related to their changing world.

This novel of the near future of 2025 has three interwoven strands and three main characters. There's Moira, formerly Mojo, the wildly popular teen rock star, who escaped her father's crushing hold on her ten years earlier and changed her identity. Then there's Krista, the financially strapped wedding planner whom Moira has hired to organize her wedding to Frank. And Rob, the single widowed dad of 7-year-old Sunny, who he's allowed to think her mother is still alive. Since a virulent flu decimated the world's population and sent civilization and technology backward, each of the three characters has struggled in his or her own way to deal with "PASD," a ptsd of the pandemic. As the story unfolds, Moira has decided to call off her wedding and her father has pulled out all the stops to find her. Krista continues to avoid all commitment, and decides to betray Moira's trust and turn her in for the huge reward. And Rob is threatened by Sunny's school that she will be taken away from him because she is acting out at school. Their separate crises end up bringing the three together, especially when Sunny disappears and they set off together to find her. Although not a mystery, this book is a page-turner for the suspense right up until the end.

This book is the literary equivalent of an action movie. The plot is wonderful, the pacing is great, the characters are loosely fleshed out but not quite filled in. My biggest issue is that it feels like two books crammed into one. The first half is very much a character driven book on grief, loss, responsibility, and dealing with your past. It just happens to be set in a post apocalyptic Sam Francisco. The abrupt shift into thriller in the last quarter honestly felt out of place, rushed. Overall it was a good read, but suffers from identity crisis.