I don't want to give away any plot points, but as a middle school teacher, who constantly reads and enjoys YA titles, I was under the mistaken impression that the The End of Everything by Megan Abbot was a YA novel. It seemed to be an interesting mystery as a teenage girl explores the disappearance of her friend. Unfortunately any young girl (or boy) who reads this thinking they might connect with the characters will be sorely led astray. I feel particularly that any child dealing with an adult who sexualizes their relationship will be vulnerable and misled into thinking some horrible aspects are "normal" and/or that the child is at fault.
Specifically Mrs. Shaw's character to me was entirely unbelievable; it is one thing to know that some mothers are in denial regarding what their husbands or 2nd husbands are doing with their own daughters, but for this woman to assist in hiding her husband and bringing the son into it, just doesn't play out for me.
The girls understandings of their "power" is misleading and alleviates pedophiles' actions. It is all portrayed as him not having control, the girls having control, and that they should understand how vulnerable the pedophile was.
The secrets revealed only further these misconceptions; the horror of what happened is too vaguely portrayed.
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