The End of Alice

By: A. M. Homes

Narrated by: Jeff Harding

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

The End of Alice treads the thin line between the evil and the everyday and caused a major controversy when it was first published.

The story centres on a disturbing correspondence between the narrator, a middle-aged killer serving his twenty-third year in prison; and his slang-speaking, sweet-seeming admirer, a nineteen-year-old girl intent on seducing a young neighbourhood boy.

Slowly, through these letters, the narrator's dangerous character emerges.

©1996 A. M. Homes (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd

Critic Reviews

"This is everything fiction should be - wrenching, disturbing and emotive." ( Independent)

"A. M. Homes never plays it safe and it begins to look as if she can do almost anything." (Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours)

"Undeniably shocking.... Superbly achieved by a writer who is a true artist in words." ( Vogue)

Proceed with caution

Any additional comments?

This is an incredibly graphic and disturbing book.

Written from the POV of a paedophile imprisoned, it describes the historical events that led to his capture and the depraved acts he did 23 years previously, as well as detailing the oddly grooming-esque relationship he has developed with a young woman via mail who is he helping seduce a young boy.

Although despondent about past activities, there is certainly no guilt or even shame at what he has done, which is what makes this book all the more sinister. Similarly, there is no guilt or shame from his female pen-pal who seduces a 12 year old boy. Both lots of stories are narrated by him, and both lack such utter conviction that they both do not see anything wrong with their behaviour.
It's this lack of emotional depth which makes this book as vivid and menacing as it is.

It's certainly not comfortable reading, and I would be loath to recommend it to anyone due to how graphic and appalling a lot of it is. However, that is not to say that this is a badly written book, because it certainly isn't. Any author who can illicit such strong reactions with a work of ficion has surely achieved something outstanding.

Jeff Harding does a great job narrating this book. It really couldn't have been easy, given the content.

Proceed to read this book with caution.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not a bad book but rather disturbing

The story is disturbing in its detail and it makes you wonder why the author would want to describe paedophilia in graphic detail.

gross. Disturbing in all the wrong ways

couldn't finish. Listening to a pedophile talk about his conquests is not fun. the narrator is high pitched and nasally.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

No stars, but I could only post this if I gave stars

How can I remove this book.
It is dreadful.

I have wasted a credit, I should have read the reviews.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Too uncomfortable and graphic to listen to

A very unsettling book, very unpleasant to listen to. Had to turn it of very quickly

0 of 1 people found this review helpful