Begin the Beguine
Begin the Beguine —It Starts With Us, by its English title— is the second installment of the popular novel that became a phenomenon in the booktok community (circles of tiktok readers), break the circle This last title, in turn, managed to position the American writer Colleen Hoover as one of the best sellers of the moment. The work was published by the international section of Planeta in 2022.
More than the continuation of Lily's story itself and how she tries to overcome everything that hurts her, Begin the Beguine is a thank you to Hoover's fans for bringing her to the forefront of world literature. Like the previous volume, Colleen's newest novel embraces a taboo subject. In this case: the fact that being born in a certain group does not make those people family.
Synopsis for Start Over
The end of break the circle (spoiler from previous book)
One of the most impressive moments of break the circle It occurs at the moment in which Lily makes the decision to finally divorce Ryle after realizing that she was a battered woman. It is not an easy decision, far from it. Now the protagonist must share custody of her daughter with her ex-partner, who tries to resolve their anger conflicts. At the same time, she feels ready to start a relationship with Atlas.
The latter is the old love of his adolescence, from whom he had to part abruptly many years ago. In break the circle, the reader has the opportunity to learn about Lily's present and past through the flashbacks that Hoover creates through the diary of the protagonist. In the case of Start over, there is the perspective of both Lily and Atlas, because they both narrate the story.
Every ending opens the door to a new beginning
Atlas's voice allows readers to have the ability to connect with the character, with his past and the circumstances he had to go through until he saw Lily again. He is a very important part of the protagonist's healing process, and he is the one who gives her reason to think that being born into her family does not really make her part of her. In this sense, Lily feels that she can break ties not only with Ryle, but also with her parents.
Until now, the relationship of the main character with his father and mother has been endowed with abuse, guilt and fear. This is the main reason why you inadvertently entered into a relationship with an abuser in the first place.
Begin the Beguine It is a balm of everything lived in break the circle, a reconstruction novel, where Hoover delves into Lily's healing. In addition, it is made clear that an abusive relationship cannot be left easily and without undergoing changes.
treatment of domestic violence
En Begin the Beguine Emphasis is placed on loosening the ties that one has with toxic members of the family group. However, apart from this theme, Hoover points out the common problem of domestic violence, and how each victim of abuse is a hero for having the will and the strength to abandon her abuser, who constantly resorts to all kinds of manipulation to prevent her healing process.
En break the circle some readers were shocked by the lines where Lily allows Ryle to have contact with her daughter without inconvenience. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand the repercussion of violence, as well as the very fragile mental and emotional state in which it leaves those who suffer it. En Begin the Beguine, the author touches more deeply on the consequences of the trauma of the protagonist, and makes its consequences clear.
Love heals everything?
Clearly, with help, people who want to change can do so, can be cured. But this novel is not about that: abusers do not become princes overnight. Nor do the victims have to wait for something magical to happen, for the long-awaited revelation to be given that allows the loved one to accept their mistakes. In the play, Lily prioritizes her integrity, and takes a chance with someone who loves her.
Maybe one of the negative tendencies of the novel is not to bring up the issue of accompaniment by a mental health professional. It is well known that most people, due to financial problems, cannot access therapy, but not all conflicts admit of a resolution thanks to the power of love —which is, more or less, what happens in Begin the Beguine—.
Still, the bond between Atlas and Lily is just a sample that you can start from scratch, that it is possible to find hope after the storm.
About the author, Colleen Hoover
Colleen hoover
Colleen Hoover was born in 1979, in Sulfur Springs, Texas, United States. The author usually writes for a rather Juvenile and young adult. However, the quality of its titles make it a benchmark that can be easily enjoyed by a much broader target. This, of course, thanks to the way in which the author addresses complex emotional issues, such as domestic violence and overcoming childhood trauma related to it.
Other books by Colleen Hoover
- Slammed — love in verse (2012);
- Point of Retreat — second book of love in verse (2012);
- this girl, third book of love in verse (2013);
- father's kiss, short story of love in verse (2014);
- Hopeless — Touching the sky (2012);
- losing hope, second book Hopeless (2013);
- Finding Cinderella, short story of Hopeless (2013);
- Maybe tomorrow (2014);
- Maybe Not (2014);
- ugly love (2014);
- never never — Never never (2015);
- He confesses (2015);
- November 9 (2015);
- Too Late (2016);
- without merit (2017);
- All Your Perfects (2018);
- Maybe Now (2018);
- the shadow of deceit (2018);
- regretting you — in spite of you (2019);
- Heart Bones (2020);
- Layla (2020);
- All das Ungesagte zwischen uns (2020);
- Reminders of Him (2022)