(144)This is How It Ends by Kathleen MacMahon

This is How it Ends

by Kathleen MacMahon

Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Pages: 352

Buy it Here!

In case you haven't noticed I have a real strong "Why can't we all just get along" personality.  I blame that on the fact that I am a middle child and often, middle children are forced to be the "peacekeeper".   So while I understand a persons passion about politics, I do not understand (or tolerate) the need to be nasty and mean to people who have different political beliefs.  So there, now that that disclaimer is out of the way, let me move on to my review.

I knew going into it that This Is How It Ends was about a man who travels to Ireland, his ancestors country, and falls in love with a local woman, who also happens to be his distant cousin.  What I did NOT realize was that the year is 2008 and this man, Bruno, is escaping the United States until the election is over because he literally can not stand to be in a Bush-run country for one second longer.  He refuses to return to the States until the election is over and Obama has won.  And he is even a bit concerned at what his future looks like if Obama doesn't win.  Of course, as we all know, Obama won. But by then, Bruno has fallen a little bit in love with Addie.  So he says that he will not return to America until after the Inauguration, because, of course the country is still in Bush's hands.  At the same time Bruno is dwelling on the possible ruin of his country, Addie is not only worried about her ailing Father, but also that Obama WILL win and the man she has fallen in love with will leave her.  It is only when Addie receives devastating news that things are put a bit into perspective and Bruno realizes that "home" is anywhere that Addie is and he is in danger of losing his "home".

I admit, when I realized one of Bruno's primary reasons for visiting Ireland I got that rock in your stomach feeling that it was going to purely be a Republican bashing novel.  (For the record I am a registered Libertarian) And while there was a great deal of "Bush bashing" , my irritation waned with the development of the love story of Addie and Bruno as it started to overshadow the hate. I still have pretty strong feelings about Authors pushing political agendas in novels, but I was able to look past that to the heart of the story.  Love.

Bottom line, we have just a little over a week until the 2012 Presidential election, the election season this time seemed especially long and incredibly toxic. I was a bit disheartened to see that an author would tie my beloved Ireland to the ugly political angst that has divided our country over the last decade, but in the end, true love won out over politics and that I found to be uplifting.  What do you think, should authors be aggressive about their political views in novels?  Am I the only one who finds it distasteful? Let me know what you think, but be kind about your opinions, please!