This book is an interesting approach to the crime and
mystery genres. At points it is chilling, whilst at others it can make you feel
overcome with sadness and sympathy for the fictional characters you feel like
you've got to know so well. With twists and turns more fit to Welsh country
roads, this book certainly has the ability to make your head spin. However, all
that spinning is worth it when you eventually figure out the truth.
'Afterwards' is definitely worth reading as a group because of the intense
discussions it can initiate and the emotions it can stir up.
***
Some points of discussion that the book stirred up in me, I
feel I should voice. As a reader of fantasy and sci-fi, I could accept the fact
that both Grace and Jenny seemed to be spiritual entities for much of the book,
but I feel like their state was not described well enough. Grace left the
hospital on multiple occasions, but how did she get in the various cars and how
did she stay in them while they were travelling? In the hospital, did they walk
through doors or could they open them?
If they were opened, surely someone would have noticed, and if not, then how
were they able to walk around on the floors? Would they not have just slipped
through them? I think that the rules of their existence needed to be made a
little clearer.
Death is a major theme in this novel and with Grace and
Jenny's condition, I knew from near the beginning that either one or both of
them would die, but I feel like the topic was dealt with well. It didn't try
and hide the grief that the characters
were feeling as this made them seem more human. Thought there was a sci-fi
element to this novel, the individual characters made it feel very real.
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