In news that will shock absolutely no one, Colleen Hoover‘s idea for a colouring book based on her top-selling domestic violence-infused “romance”, It Ends With Us, has been axed.
It’s official, friends. Colleen Hoover has lost her bloody marbles.
The novel follows a woman, Lily, who falls for a big buff surgeon, Ryle (yes, Ryle), as their relationship slowly turns abusive.
It’s then a little confusing that Hoover, a witness to her own parent’s domestic violence, would think, “Hey, tell you what people will love? Colouring in domestic violence scenes and displaying them proudly on our walls!”
While she might not have said exactly that, she did assume that people would want to colour in “iconic scenes and settings” from the book — not limited to choking, sexual assault, and attempted rape.
“I’m one of the adult colouring book industry’s biggest consumers, so to have one of my books turned into a colouring book is a dream come true!” Hoover said in her initial announcement on Instagram.
Yet, it seems that old mate Hoover forgot exactly what her book was about and didn’t consider that maybe, just maybe, a colouring book wasn’t the right format to go for some extra cash.
“How can you write a book about domestic abuse and gaslighting… and then think to yourself… I should make a colouring book,” TikToker @charlsbookshelves critiqued.
Another TikToker, @morgannbook also slammed the author’s decision to literally illustrate some of the harrowing moments of her book.
“Who woke up one morning and thought, you know what? Let’s turn a book about domestic violence into a colouring book. What are we going to be drawing? Stairs?” she said, in reference to a key plot point where Ryle pushes Lily down a flight of stairs.
“How do you illustrate domestic abuse? You don’t.”
@morgannbook thoughts?? #itendswithus #colleenhoover #itendswithuscoloringbook
Hoover’s announcement was deleted in less than a day and her publisher, Atria Books, has pulled the colouring book.
“Atria Books will not move forward with the publication of The Official It Ends with Us Coloring Book,” the publisher said in a statement on social media.
“We developed this book to be uplifting and empowering, mirroring Lily Bloom’s story; we appreciate the feedback and discourse and have the greatest respect for Colleen Hoover’s fans. Thank you for the honest conversation and passion for the world Colleen has created in her books and the characters within.”
Hoover has since issued an apology on her Instagram.
“The colouring book was developed with Lily’s strength in mind, but I can absolutely see how this was tone-deaf. I hear you guys and I agree with you,” she said.
“Thank you for the respectful discourse and accountability.”
Regardless of whether you agree with Hoover’s characters being one-dimensional, carbon copies of each other or that It Ends With Us does a very, very good job of glamorising abuse or not, one thing that most of us will agree on is — don’t make colouring books about domestic violence.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you’d like to speak to someone about domestic violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
