The genre archetypes help keep the characters, and their swapping points of view, straight, but they also serve as grist for the book’s secondary mission: skewering the many pains (and elusive pleasures) of the modern-day book industry ... But in leaning so heavily on their insider knowledge, Clarke and Schwab risk alienating a broader audience ... The Ending Writes Itself is great fun — chilling, thrilling, satisfyingly pulpy and smart — that will appeal to mystery fans, and to anyone who has ever attempted to publish a book.
This locked-room thriller set on a remote Scottish island brings with it an interesting twist ... Evelyn Clarke is a pseudonym for the writing team of best-selling author V.E. Schwab and YA novelist-turned-screenwriter Cat Clarke. The characters are a means to skewer the publishing industry, highlighting the tumultuous nature of the business with a wry and authentic voice.
A smart satire of the publishing industry which takes that competitive world to a literal level ... Readers will be caught up by the twists through the final page.
Deviously plotted satire ... In the home stretch, the narrative takes a turn so head-spinning it nearly undermines the careful plotting that came before, but fortunately Clarke has a few more surprises in store. The result is nothing short of dazzling.
Readers who have come for the crimes and the twists, both of which are plentiful, might grow impatient with all the characters’ backstories, but these readers will likely warm to the shop talk, which at its funniest plays like a kvetchy midlist-writers’ support group. High-concept and highly entertaining.
