Everything Must Go is the 3rd book by Elizabeth Flock.
This story follows Henry Powell, who leads a comfortable, though mostly predictable and unsatisfying life. Residing in the sleepy Connecticut town he grew up in, Henry is now a salesman for Baxter’s clothing store, where he’s worked since he was a teen.
With no love life, Henry daydreams all day long about the good old days—back when his family was a real, happy family and he was the star of his high school football team.
As the years pass, Henry becomes entrenched in his own memories, fantasies, and near obsessions with the lives of his former classmates, who have all moved on. The true question remains in the balance—can Henry dig himself out of his gloomy, bleak hole and start living, or will his passion for life die along with Baxter’s?
Everything Must Go is intimate, real, honest, and cynical. Henry Powell’s story hits home, because I think everyone experiences a “stand-still” phase in their life at some point. This book explores what happens to a person who feels like they made the wrong choices in life. It’s exactly why I think this novel is so genius and captivating. As Henry grows older throughout the book, his persona and rants become noticeably crazier.
Novels like Everything Must Go make me wish I could interview the author. What inspired Elizabeth Flock to write this book, and how was she able to create such a complex character? Did she experience a time like this in her own life? Did she know someone like Henry? It’s kinda relieving to know other people have thoughts similar to mine at times, even if those people are fictional.
Another thing I enjoyed about Everything Must Go are Henry’s flashbacks from the 1980s, at which Henry, through Flock’s voice, pokes endless fun. One of my favorite Henry-isms is when he makes fun of that song Smooth by Rob Thomas and Santana. He says Rob Thomas has no talent and doesn’t know how to sing. I love this because “Smooth” is one of my least favorite songs in the world, it sucks, it’s just so bad.
Everything Must Go has around 2.7 stars on both Amazon and Goodreads. I don’t get it—why? I thought this book was fantastic.
Other books by Elizabeth Flock include:
- Sleepwalking In Daylight (2009)
- What Happened to My Sister (2012)
What did you think about Everything Must Go?
Last Updated on December 7, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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