John Green’s debut adult fiction novel “Hollywood, Ending,” was released on Sept. 22 and has not disappointed his audience. The contemporary book follows two young actors as they navigate rising fame, complicated relationships and the pressures of Hollywood while filming a biopic about Andy Warhol.
Green is known for popular young adult novels such as “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Turtles All The Way Down” and “Looking for Alaska,” along with their film adaptations. This novel features realistic situations and challenges that a young actor would face in Hollywood. The novel’s climax feels realistic, with genuine emotions and clear reasoning behind each character’s actions.
The book follows the relationship between actors Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo through their journey filming the fictional Andy Warhol biopic, “Andy Warhol Never Gets Old.” Both characters explore their acting careers as they stand on the verge of Hollywood breakouts — Juniper as a childhood actor who never quite reached the fame she expected and Kai as a debuting actor.
The beginning of the novel, like other Green books, immediately catches the reader’s attention. The novel drops the reader into Juniper’s life, teasing her past trauma while maintaining a steady, forward pace on the set of “Andy Warhol Never Gets Old.”
The character development between Kai and Juniper begins almost at once. Green provides just enough backstory for Juniper; Kai’s character is introduced with interesting quirks and questions that make the audience wonder, “Where could this be going?”
The two connect early on — and not because Kai says “I love you” after their first time hanging out alone.
Juniper, having been a childhood star, knows her way around Hollywood, treading around the industry with almost too much caution. Her past trauma includes an alcoholic mother, the reason she cites for her sobriety. However, she is funny, insecure, professional and scarily self-aware in a way that piques Kai’s interest.
Kai, on the other hand, is curious, inexperienced, guarded and ultimately much more complex than you might think at the beginning of the novel. His spontaneity from the start becomes muddled by a trauma from his own past — a childhood sexual assault.
The characters’ personal issues ultimately affect how they deal with fame and one another. They find themselves lost in the chaos of Hollywood and love. Each character begins with mild development at the start of the novel, but grows exponentially in the final act. As they complete the movie and the press expands its reach to an international audience, their romance grows as well.
As in most of Green’s books, his characters hit a little too close to home, regardless of the reader’s personal circumstances. Each character’s development is slight but impressive, moving from a dark beginning to an uplifting future that lets you know the character will be OK once you finish the book — and you will be, too.
Green displays a special ability to weave aspects of reality into each character, entrapping his readers as he lets them see a part of themselves on every page and in every chapter.
It is evident that Green did his research for this novel. The characters and books mentioned throughout, locations and the inner workings of Hollywood are blatantly accurate.
The novel also has both likeable and unlikable side characters, each with a personality that picks up where the main characters fall short, including in the realm of humor. Matthew Malone, who plays Andy Warhol in the biopic, is an experienced actor and will do anything to make his work successful, including revealing Kai’s past to the press to gain more national attention.
The book is written linearly, with Juniper’s point of view opening and closing the novel, allowing the story to come full circle. Kai narrates the middle section, allowing the readers to see into his internal struggles with childhood abuse and understand his extreme emotions throughout the book — especially in the plot twist at the end.
The ending is more than two self-destructive people trying to figure out their lives together. Throughout the book, you see this slow buildup of their relationship as they continue to grow as individuals and as a couple. With lows and highs, the ending is intense and emotional for readers.
The miscommunication at the end would almost be irritating if the novel was not so well written. The depth of the characters built up throughout the book, however, leaves no room except for understanding in the conclusion.
