THe title of this novel doubles as a major theme throughout the story.
It Starts With a Sequel
After Colleen Hoover wrote It Ends With Us, She never planned on writing a sequel to the book. She decided that she was not going to put Lily through any more pain and thought that it ended perfectly. That was until her book hit TikTok and went viral with a petition for her to write a second novel including Atlas’ point of view. With this petition, Colleen decided to write another book with alternating narratives from both Lily and Atlas. She titled it, It Starts With Us. This title also doubles as a recurring theme throughout the novel.
When Atlas learns that he has a twelve-year-old younger brother, he realizes that he has to save him from the same toxic household that he grew up in as well. As soon as he takes Josh in, he feels this need to protect Josh like a son and keep him from any negative encounters with their mother. Josh is adamant about meeting his father and going to live with him, but as soon as he sees that he has a truck, he realizes that he was purposely not putting in the effort to get to know his own son. That is when he looks at Atlas and says “I can draw a seedling with two tiny branches. Yours and mine. We’ll be our own brand-new, tiny family tree– one that starts with us”(278).
Atlas and Josh were able to start their own family together, one with mutual respect and honesty, something they were both deprived of as children. Not to mention, one with a healthy relationship leading the household. Atlas and Lily both grew up in abusive homes and never had a healthy relationship to look up to. They learned how to be a significant other by watching their parents do awful things to each other. Atlas and Lily will be able to lead by example and teach the children that live with them how to treat a partner and how to grow together. When Atlas asks Lily to move in with him, he says, “I want to be an example for him. I want us to be an example for him, and for Emmerson. Me and you, Lily”(301).
In the same way that Atlas and Lily set an example for their kids, Lily also set an example for her mother as well. Once she filed for divorce with Ryle, her mom started dating as well. Lily was very happy that she found someone that treated her right. Once her mom saw how strong Lily was for leaving an unhappy marriage, that gave her strength to start dating again too. Lily’s mom now gets to see her daughter get married and raise children with a man that sees her value and that will help her recognize when her partner is treating her similarly.
Atlas and Lily are setting amazing expectations for everyone in their lives, their children, friends, and their parents. Atlas is also showing his mom how she should have loved her children and that is one of the most powerful things he can do in his adult life. They are doing things right, even though that was not the way they were raised. They are the beginning of a legacy. It starts with them.
After Colleen Hoover wrote It Ends With Us, She never planned on writing a sequel to the book. She decided that she was not going to put Lily through any more pain and thought that it ended perfectly. That was until her book hit TikTok and went viral with a petition for her to write a second novel including Atlas’ point of view. With this petition, Colleen decided to write another book with alternating narratives from both Lily and Atlas. She titled it, It Starts With Us. This title also doubles as a recurring theme throughout the novel.
When Atlas learns that he has a twelve-year-old younger brother, he realizes that he has to save him from the same toxic household that he grew up in as well. As soon as he takes Josh in, he feels this need to protect Josh like a son and keep him from any negative encounters with their mother. Josh is adamant about meeting his father and going to live with him, but as soon as he sees that he has a truck, he realizes that he was purposely not putting in the effort to get to know his own son. That is when he looks at Atlas and says “I can draw a seedling with two tiny branches. Yours and mine. We’ll be our own brand-new, tiny family tree– one that starts with us”(278).
Atlas and Josh were able to start their own family together, one with mutual respect and honesty, something they were both deprived of as children. Not to mention, one with a healthy relationship leading the household. Atlas and Lily both grew up in abusive homes and never had a healthy relationship to look up to. They learned how to be a significant other by watching their parents do awful things to each other. Atlas and Lily will be able to lead by example and teach the children that live with them how to treat a partner and how to grow together. When Atlas asks Lily to move in with him, he says, “I want to be an example for him. I want us to be an example for him, and for Emmerson. Me and you, Lily”(301).
In the same way that Atlas and Lily set an example for their kids, Lily also set an example for her mother as well. Once she filed for divorce with Ryle, her mom started dating as well. Lily was very happy that she found someone that treated her right. Once her mom saw how strong Lily was for leaving an unhappy marriage, that gave her strength to start dating again too. Lily’s mom now gets to see her daughter get married and raise children with a man that sees her value and that will help her recognize when her partner is treating her similarly.
Atlas and Lily are setting amazing expectations for everyone in their lives, their children, friends, and their parents. Atlas is also showing his mom how she should have loved her children and that is one of the most powerful things he can do in his adult life. They are doing things right, even though that was not the way they were raised. They are the beginning of a legacy. It starts with them.