John Green has made his much-anticipated return to fiction, and we could not be more excited! He makes his adult debut with Hollywood, Ending, his first novel in almost 10 years. It tells of a romance between two rising stars: Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo.
Kai and Juniper work together on the set of the biopic, Andy Warhol Never Gets Old, where their attraction starts to grow and their careers start to take off. We travel closely with them through shoot days, chemistry reads, press junkets, and more.
But fame comes at a cost, as Kai and Juniper quickly realize. Past trauma starts to surface as more of the public’s attention falls on the actors, and the pair must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice. We absolutely enjoyed the read, so here are three reasons why you should read Hollywood, Ending by John Green!
Book Overview: Hollywood, Ending
Content warnings: parent death, trauma, panic attacks, mentions of child molestation, child abuse, and drug use, smoking, vomiting
Summary: For rising talents Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo, being cast in the buzzy biopic Andy Warhol Never Gets Old is the opportunity they’ve both been waiting for. They‘re on the verge of breaking out, and maybe even falling in love. Soon, the movie is blowing up, and so are their lives—in exciting, but also terrifying, ways.
John Green artfully blends a behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story with an unflinching examination of the insatiable attention economy. Told through dual points of view, the novel brilliantly juxtaposes the on-screen study of Warhol’s life at the dawn of celebrity culture with the intimate struggles of two young people figuring out who they are, both together and alone.
Go Behind The Scenes
To start, we really love how Hollywood, Ending brings the reader into Kai and Juniper’s world. The audiobook narration makes it feel even more immersive, so we recommend tuning in if you have the chance! From the first days on set to the red carpet premieres, we get a sense of the highs and lows of the acting industry. The dual points of view also allow us to understand Kai and Juniper’s thoughts about the whole shebang. They’re both the type of characters you want to root for from the beginning.
High Emotional Stakes
Another reason why you should read Hollywood, Ending is for the emotional stakes behind each character’s decisions. Juniper is a former child actor who’s trying to break out of that image and prove that she has what it takes to be a leading lady. Kai is a rising talent who dreams of getting his own spotlight and maybe getting to share it with Juniper again. But when news leaks about Kai’s past, he relives that trauma amid premiere nights and press interviews. The two main characters must decide where their boundaries lie and what they’ll tolerate (or not) for fame.
The Ending
Finally, after the movie promotions end and the culprit for the news leak is revealed, Kai and Juniper each find a fulfilling ending that we won’t spoil. Just know that it took a lot of courage for the two of them to advocate for themselves and get the help they need. Juniper gets honest with herself and speaks up about what she wants from her career. Kai learns to redirect questions about his past without getting sucked back into it. Although their romance seemed precarious in the last act, we knew they would pull through.
John Green’s Hollywood, Ending invites us behind the scenes of an emotional Hollywood love story. From the first days on set to the premiere nights, we couldn’t look away.
Hollywood, Ending by John Green is out now, and you can order a copy of it here!
What do you think of John Green’s newest novel? Have you already added Hollywood, Ending to your fall reading list? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
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