layawaydragon
Written on Jan 1, 2016
Recommendation: No one should ever read this. Avoid like the plague. Pray for me to be cleansed of this mess.
I signed up to read and review this for a tour in the last quarter of 2016. It did not work out that way. I had to DNF and drop out ASAP.
I made it to page 61 and am amazed I made it that far. I tried, I really tried. And I really wish I hadn’t.
I signed up for At the End of Church Street because of the blurb. It’s hard to find books that handle homelessness, poverty and its social issues well. Having been affected by it personally, and still at risk despite how far we’ve come, it’s an important topic to me.
Honestly, I think the economic issues are ignored too much given how much it affects every aspect of people's lives. Children growing up need to be seen and understood in fiction, to know they aren’t alone, especially given Amerikkka’s fucked up money=morality and the ilk problems.
So not only a book that has a cast of homeless teens banding together but vampires taking them in, giving them a much needed advantage? To say I was excited is an understatement. I’ve always wondered why the good supernatural species aren’t more like super heroes in paranormal fiction.
Which leads to my undying disappointment. This band of outcast kids reads like a parent trying to be hip writing rich white kids trying to be gangsters. If that sentence didn’t make you cringe and want to close your browser, I don’t know what will.
[Those pictures. X10. I wish I was kidding…*shudders*]
The dynamics and relationships are twisted enough to make white royal houses seem simple and normal in comparison. The dialogue, the slang, the technology, the references, it all just felt off and reads like Go Ask Alice got kicked out for being gay and ran away to a vampire cult.
Detective Duncan is the other perspective and the only adult. He’s also an asshole. Condescending to people he’s supposed to be helping, calls the homeless kids “rats” and Orlando is “strangling” him because it’s so fucking boring compared to Detroit.
The two living witnesses and victims to the vampire attack are assholes too. Decent people aren’t “edgy” though I guess.
The only person of color is the mysteriously weird black man that’s “the Family”’s servant and brings new kids home. Oh and maybe a kid with dreadlocks but that could be a white boy being an appropriative shithead since skin color or race is never specified.
Basically, At the End of Church Street is a terribly bad problematic mess full of horrible people and worse writing. Like a backyard horror movie that isn’t even so bad it’s funny when you’re tripping balls.
Don’t believe me? Check the quotes below but I need to warn you again, this is awful fucking fucked up shit right here. Light this bag of cat shit on fire and it still wouldn’t be lit.
IT’S NOT MY FAULT IF THIS TRAUMATIZES OR HAUNTS YOU. I WARNED YOU, DAMN IT. SAVE YOURSELF!!
PG. 32: “She looks like a fucking mess, and probably stinks like a Hindu’s jockstrap. Whatever that smells like.”
PG. 40: “I’ve been here the longest. I left home when I was thirteen. Got tired of my stepfather trying to molest me. Probably wouldn’t have given a shit but I heard my mom say he had a needle dick and zero endurance.” Lucy shrugged. “I just thought my virginity should go to someone who I could at least brag about.”
PG 42: “Our version of Alfred,” Adam said. His description added to Lilith’s confusion. “Batman’s butler—“
PG 44: “The Vampire Coven of Cleveland. Coven? Are they shitting me? Fucking Cleveland! Wannabes! They don’t have a clue.” Timmy looked to Adam as if he was about to burst into tears. “Yet they’re on Jerry Springer, who is like God, you know?”
PG 59: “He hated the glare of the spotlight. Timmy gestured, not so silently, lobbying that the men had to stick together. Lesbians were diseased. Adam thought long and hard. Go with Timmy. Obviously. But, then he looked into Lilith’s beautiful eyes. “I’d be a hypocrite and a liar if I said no.” Timmy threw his arms up in disgust, losing his only ally. He barked out something unclear. There was a glimpse of a noun or a verb but not from any known language. “You know, a lot of people find bisexuality very stylish,” Lilith said. “Stylish? Hey, does my belt match my shoes? Well then, I need to suck your dick! Are those Bugle Boy jeans? Then get over here and come in my ass! Let’s Vogue!”
PG 61: “Timmy flew off the bed. “Crazy fucking whore! I hate when you do this! You’re not bi-curious, you’re bi-fucked in the head!” “Don’t you want to watch, honey? I gave you three stars!” “Perverts masturbate.” Vomit climbed up his throat.”