Endgame

By: Nancy Garden

Narrated by: Danny Gerard

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

A new town, a new school, a new start. That's what 14-year-old Gray Wilton believes as he chants, "It's gonna be better, gonna be better here." But it doesn't take long for Gray to realize that nothing's going to change--there are bullies in every school, and he's always their punching bag.

Their brutal words, physical abuse, and emotional torture escalate until Gray feels trapped in a world where he has no control, no support systems, and no way out--until the day he enters the halls of Greenford High School with his father's semiautomatic in hand.

Award-winning novelist Nancy Garden, author of the groundbreaking novel Annie on My Mind, once again goes out on a limb, this time to show readers the cruelty of bullying and the devastating effects it can have.

©2006 Nancy Garden (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is a hard-hitting and eloquent look at the impact of bullying, and the resulting destruction of lives touched by the violence. It reinforces the need to have adults in the lives of teens who not only see, but also take action against the behavior." (School Library Journal)

Yes

Read this book in high school loved it. So far I’m liking the audible version. Amazing book though for sure

Every high school teacher should read

I feel like everyone involved in high school administration should listen to it read this book. It is very detailed about the things to look for when a kid has been pushed to far by his classmates. It would help avoid a lot of misery and possibly even save some lives if more people who work with kids were able to read this book and apply the knowledge. Not an easy read but a damned good one.

Powerful

Bleak. So very bleak.

At times ENDGAME brilliantly depicts the loss of hope Gray as his attempts to find pleasure in life are continually squelched by an emotionally abusive father, a mother who won’t stand up for him and high school bullies.

As Gray related the story of what led to him perpetrate a school shooting to his attorney, I began to wonder about the reliability of his narration. Was his perception compromised by years of torment or was his perception deteriorating? I believe Gray to be honest.

For about 75% of the book, I wanted Gray to be sentenced to a psychiatric facility instead of prison. By the last chapter, I still wanted a chance for Gray to have a life outside after confinement. I think throughout the course of ENDGAME, if Gray had reached out, perhaps he could have been saved from committing a miss shooting, however, I also understand why nothing in his life experience taught him an adult could effectively help.

ENDGAME kept me thinking long after finishing the book. While Gray pulled the trigger, a number of people helped metaphorically load the gun.