Afterwards
I do believe in "out of body" experiences but I wasn't sure that I would enjoy a book with that theme. I almost didn't finish this book but once I decided to give it a chance, I found myself enjoying it more and more. The story is told in a unique way and the plot twists and turns to keep you interested. It is a well written commentary on family relationships - how much we know about our loved ones - how much we think we know - and how much we don't know. I think book clubs would love this book as there is quite a bit to discuss. I am now going to go back and read the first book by this author.
Rated of 5
by Elizabeth W. (Newton, MA)
Of two minds . . .
Rosamund Lipton's Afterwards is a well-written, riveting novel. The characters are engaging; although the twists and turns of the whodunnit plot are surprising, they are believable. Nonetheless, as much as I enjoyed the fast-paced, readable book, I ended up of two minds about it. Why? The two main characters are disembodied souls of critically injured patients, and that situation felt somewhat forced and prevented me from becoming immersed in the story. I do, however, recommend it as a fun read that touches on a variety of current social issues.
Rated of 5
by Susan Q. (East Williston, NY)
A Good Choice
I found this book very easy to get into right from the beginning. The characters are well developed and the plot kept my attention. Although I found the ending to be predictable, it will be a good book club pick as there are a few twists and good conversation issues.
Rated of 5
by Justine J. (San Francisco, California)
Afterwards
An interesting and fresh twist on your typical whodunnit crime story. Lupton takes her reader on a fascinating ride into the supernatural as her ostensibly comatose female narrator attempts to solve an arson mystery which landed both her and her daughter in intensive care. Well-paced, vividly depicted and raising thought-provoking questions around the afterlife and the bond between parents and their children, this book was an easy and entertaining read. Recommended.
Rated of 5
by Kathrin C. (Corona, CA)
Afterwards - Doesn't Eclipse Her First Novel!
I very much enjoyed Rosamund Lupton’s first novel Sister which came out last year – a literary thriller which hooked me immediately. So I was expecting great things from her second novel! Afterwards’ paranormal exploration of a mother and daughter, both hospitalized and comatose, invisibly witnessing their friends, family, and police through out-of-body experiences during their attempts to find out who set the school fire was riveting once one commits to that suspension of belief. But the novel was excessive in length and the mother’s constant introspection was a bit too saccharine for my taste. It’s a good thing that the surprise twist in the ending redeemed the time spent slogging through some of the earlier parts!
Rated of 5
by Vicky R. (Cumming, GA)
Afterwards
This is a well written thriller that takes you through the gamet of emotions of a family touched by tragedy. Although it has shades of The Lonely Bones, I actually found it more captivating. The strength of the mother keeps the story together but the ending has a surprising twist...I found this book to be engrossing and entertaining.
Rated of 5
by Shelly B. (STATEN ISLAND, NY)
Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton
The story is interesting, I wanted to know what would happen at the end. I enjoyed Rosamund's imagery, two examples are: P161 - "I'd seen each medical fact ... hitting her face like flying glass, cutting new lines." P381 - ..."A guest still at the table when the hosts are washing up the kitchen". This type of writing added to the enjoyment of reading the book. But, I think overall the story was a bit soapy in Grace's wanting to keep her daughter a teenager and not giving up control. She was not letting Jenny find her own different way. For me, the vocabulary was too British, that is, too many words and phrases to figure out. In addition, her pronoun use was very confusing. I wasn't always sure who the speakers were at times. It took me a few sentences to realize who she was talking about. Overall though, I enjoyed the book, and the story line was interesting. I kept trying to guess the ending. My final say is I probably would not recommend this for a book club selection. Although I'm not unhappy I read this book I would give the book a 3.5 rating.
A bold, mesmerizing novel about the woman known as "Typhoid Mary," the first known healthy carrier of typhoid fever in the burgeoning metropolis of early twentieth century New York.
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
read more
Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
read more
Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
read more
British Parliament asks Amazon to clarify why it pays $9 million in income tax on $23 billion of UK sales.(May 20 2013) Amazon will be called back to give further evidence to members of the British Parliament "to clarify how its activities in the U.K. justify its low corporate...
Full Story
of 5
by Eve A. (Henderson, NV)
of 5
by Shelly B. (STATEN ISLAND, NY)
