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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I received an Advanced Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to HarperCollins.
When I began this book, I wasn't sure what to expect from it. Who are They and were did They come from? When I soon found that the creatures exterminating mankind were aliens, I was a little nervous. (Let me just throw this out there: I'm terrified of aliens and the possibility of an invasion. It's a problem really). Yet somehow, I was still intrigued. The suspense of these terrifying scenarios kept me on the edge of my seat, allowing me to put my fears behind me and finish the book in one sitting.
The story begins as the main character, Amy, describes her newly devastated world, the After: a world eaten alive by vicious creatures. She can only go outside at night. She can't speak without Them hearing. She's been hardened, living in the shadows of this soundless world by herself - until she finds Baby. The clever toddler gives Amy purpose, a reason to feel alive again. They help each other survive, communicating through their own improvised sign language, for three years. Then, one day, they're rescued. But the newfound safe haven leaves Amy questioning whether or not she has escaped the real monsters.
The author gradually unfolds the history of the invasion through the main character's perspective, giving us an intimate sense of her emotions toward the situation. Amy's voice throughout the story gives readers a true understanding of her desperation and strength. Her perceptiveness and good judgement doesn't falter at all and she always trusts her instincts.
While there isn't really a romance factor in the storyline, I really enjoyed the bond Amy formed with Baby. Their connection is sweet and heartwarming and I actually enjoyed their sisterly relationship even more than I enjoy some romantic relationships in YA novels these days.
I have no complainants toward the world-building in this book. I'm a stickler for realistic atmospheres in novels and the author did a great job of thrusting readers into this terrifying, fallen world.
All in all, In The After captures tons of raw emotion, providing a great deal of suspense and terror.
When I began this book, I wasn't sure what to expect from it. Who are They and were did They come from? When I soon found that the creatures exterminating mankind were aliens, I was a little nervous. (Let me just throw this out there: I'm terrified of aliens and the possibility of an invasion. It's a problem really). Yet somehow, I was still intrigued. The suspense of these terrifying scenarios kept me on the edge of my seat, allowing me to put my fears behind me and finish the book in one sitting.
"This is how I think of time: the past is Before and the present is the After. Before was reality; the After, a nightmare."
The story begins as the main character, Amy, describes her newly devastated world, the After: a world eaten alive by vicious creatures. She can only go outside at night. She can't speak without Them hearing. She's been hardened, living in the shadows of this soundless world by herself - until she finds Baby. The clever toddler gives Amy purpose, a reason to feel alive again. They help each other survive, communicating through their own improvised sign language, for three years. Then, one day, they're rescued. But the newfound safe haven leaves Amy questioning whether or not she has escaped the real monsters.
The author gradually unfolds the history of the invasion through the main character's perspective, giving us an intimate sense of her emotions toward the situation. Amy's voice throughout the story gives readers a true understanding of her desperation and strength. Her perceptiveness and good judgement doesn't falter at all and she always trusts her instincts.
While there isn't really a romance factor in the storyline, I really enjoyed the bond Amy formed with Baby. Their connection is sweet and heartwarming and I actually enjoyed their sisterly relationship even more than I enjoy some romantic relationships in YA novels these days.
I have no complainants toward the world-building in this book. I'm a stickler for realistic atmospheres in novels and the author did a great job of thrusting readers into this terrifying, fallen world.
All in all, In The After captures tons of raw emotion, providing a great deal of suspense and terror.
This was really good. I had that nervous feeling in my stomach almost the whole time reading this.
Happy Reading,
Erika
Happy Reading,
Erika
Chronique originalement postée sur SOUS MA COUVERTURE
In the After et moi, c'est un peu comme le coup de foudre au premier regard. Et mon premier regard ne se trompe jamais - sauf dans le cas contraire. Alors quand j'ai commencé, j'ai direct senti qu'il était pour moi. Un univers post-apocalyptique, c'est tout à fait mon genre. De plus, j'étais très attirée par Eux, ces aliens verts qui viennent d'on ne sait où, mais qui contribuent grandement au climat de terreur et sans pitié. Bref c'était mon truc, j'étais dans mon élément.
Puis après, j'ai eu du mal. Il y avait des flashbacks aussi longs que les narrations au présent, et je me suis perdue dans mes pensées, et j'ai carrément décroché.
La première partie a un petit défaut. Pour ceux qui ont lu La 5è Vague, il y a beaucoup de similitudes. Peut-être que si ce genre d'événement devait arriver dans la vraie vie, on se dirait "Oh putain, comme dans La 5è Vague / In the After ! Trop cooooooool". Alors peut-être que l'accostage des aliens sur notre petite planète se déroulent toujours de la même façon, mais ça semble assez répétitif, et de mon côté, j'ai encore plus décroché.
Mais ça, c'est la première partie.
La deuxième partie marque l'originalité et l'unicité de In the After. Il se démarque totalement de La 5è Vague, on assiste à la naissance d'une dystopie, et on remet tout en question : les aliens, les proches de l'héroïne, que faire pour les survivants, jusqu'où peut-on aller ?
La deuxième partie est aussi un mélange passé / présent. Que se passe-t-il réellement ? Le présent est-il du futur, ou le présent est-il du passé ? L'héroïne est-elle saine d'esprit ? Tout ce dont j'étais sûre était que je me sentais aussi oppressée par cette nouvelle société qu'elle. Les indices se trouvent dans la narration. Mon esprit est alors parti en fumée, et j'ai enfin accroché.
Amy, l'héroïne, est une jeune femme très dissidente, tantôt vive d'esprit, tantôt molle. Des choses que j'avais deviné depuis longtemps ne lui sont venus qu'à la fin, alors que d'autres fois, elle parvient à des conclusions dont les éléments m'ont échappés. Je ne sais pas si c'est elle le souci, ou moi, mais c'était très irrégulier sur ce point.
Puis, Amy parle beaucoup. De choses qu'elle ne devrait pas, malgré le danger qui la guette, et les avertissements qu'elle reçoit. C'est aussi un point qui m'a étonné quand on sait qu'elle a passé 3 ans à ne pas parler. À mes yeux, ce n'était pas logique, mais justement, ces trois ans ne l'ont-elle pas dévergondée ? Peu importe. J'ai beaucoup aimé la détermination et l'ambition de l'héroïne, qui contrastent avec sa dissidence.
Baby, la jeune enfant recueillie par Amy, est un point fort de l'histoire et apporte une touche de douceur et de fraîcheur - et ça fait du bien dans cette ambiance lourde et ... putride.
Pour conclure, In the After est un roman fort en taux post-apocalyptique, indispensable pour toute personne accro à ce type de roman. Malgré quelques similitudes avec La 5è Vague, le roman sait se démarquer, et évolue vers le type dystopique. Les événements s'accumulent, nous surprennent et prennent une tournure très intéressante. En gros vivement la suite!
Ce que j'ai le moins aimé : Un début avec lequel j'ai eu du mal à accrocher.
Ce que j'ai le plus aimé : L'ambiance oppressante du roman.
In the After et moi, c'est un peu comme le coup de foudre au premier regard. Et mon premier regard ne se trompe jamais - sauf dans le cas contraire. Alors quand j'ai commencé, j'ai direct senti qu'il était pour moi. Un univers post-apocalyptique, c'est tout à fait mon genre. De plus, j'étais très attirée par Eux, ces aliens verts qui viennent d'on ne sait où, mais qui contribuent grandement au climat de terreur et sans pitié. Bref c'était mon truc, j'étais dans mon élément.
Puis après, j'ai eu du mal. Il y avait des flashbacks aussi longs que les narrations au présent, et je me suis perdue dans mes pensées, et j'ai carrément décroché.
La première partie a un petit défaut. Pour ceux qui ont lu La 5è Vague, il y a beaucoup de similitudes. Peut-être que si ce genre d'événement devait arriver dans la vraie vie, on se dirait "Oh putain, comme dans La 5è Vague / In the After ! Trop cooooooool". Alors peut-être que l'accostage des aliens sur notre petite planète se déroulent toujours de la même façon, mais ça semble assez répétitif, et de mon côté, j'ai encore plus décroché.
Mais ça, c'est la première partie.
La deuxième partie marque l'originalité et l'unicité de In the After. Il se démarque totalement de La 5è Vague, on assiste à la naissance d'une dystopie, et on remet tout en question : les aliens, les proches de l'héroïne, que faire pour les survivants, jusqu'où peut-on aller ?
La deuxième partie est aussi un mélange passé / présent. Que se passe-t-il réellement ? Le présent est-il du futur, ou le présent est-il du passé ? L'héroïne est-elle saine d'esprit ? Tout ce dont j'étais sûre était que je me sentais aussi oppressée par cette nouvelle société qu'elle. Les indices se trouvent dans la narration. Mon esprit est alors parti en fumée, et j'ai enfin accroché.
Amy, l'héroïne, est une jeune femme très dissidente, tantôt vive d'esprit, tantôt molle. Des choses que j'avais deviné depuis longtemps ne lui sont venus qu'à la fin, alors que d'autres fois, elle parvient à des conclusions dont les éléments m'ont échappés. Je ne sais pas si c'est elle le souci, ou moi, mais c'était très irrégulier sur ce point.
Puis, Amy parle beaucoup. De choses qu'elle ne devrait pas, malgré le danger qui la guette, et les avertissements qu'elle reçoit. C'est aussi un point qui m'a étonné quand on sait qu'elle a passé 3 ans à ne pas parler. À mes yeux, ce n'était pas logique, mais justement, ces trois ans ne l'ont-elle pas dévergondée ? Peu importe. J'ai beaucoup aimé la détermination et l'ambition de l'héroïne, qui contrastent avec sa dissidence.
Baby, la jeune enfant recueillie par Amy, est un point fort de l'histoire et apporte une touche de douceur et de fraîcheur - et ça fait du bien dans cette ambiance lourde et ... putride.
Pour conclure, In the After est un roman fort en taux post-apocalyptique, indispensable pour toute personne accro à ce type de roman. Malgré quelques similitudes avec La 5è Vague, le roman sait se démarquer, et évolue vers le type dystopique. Les événements s'accumulent, nous surprennent et prennent une tournure très intéressante. En gros vivement la suite!
Ce que j'ai le moins aimé : Un début avec lequel j'ai eu du mal à accrocher.
Ce que j'ai le plus aimé : L'ambiance oppressante du roman.
This book was okay. It’s split into two sections for me, before Amy goes to New Hope and after. I very much preferred the before. I enjoyed the depiction of her trying to survive day to day and the commentary that it had on human life and survival. Once Any got into New Hope the book shifted as it became about uncovering the mysteries that lay there - all of which were fairly predictable. I did enjoy Amy as a character and I will read to sequel for the conclusion of the plot.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I will admit that it took me a few minutes for me to get invested in the plot, but when it picks up, it *really* picks up. Amy and Baby are so goddamn smart and resourceful that I was geniunely rooting for them to have a happy ending. They went through so much and their survival instincts was touching.
In the After read much like a typical YA post-apocalyptic novel, but the fast paced action really got to me. I will admit that the novel's ending was set up perfectly for the sequel, but it felt anti-climatic. However, In the After never really prided itself on face-to-face battles, so I'll let it slide. It's how fast things go from one thing to another and excitement that made me keep reading the series. I look forward to how things end.
4.25/ 5 B
In the After read much like a typical YA post-apocalyptic novel, but the fast paced action really got to me. I will admit that the novel's ending was set up perfectly for the sequel, but it felt anti-climatic. However, In the After never really prided itself on face-to-face battles, so I'll let it slide. It's how fast things go from one thing to another and excitement that made me keep reading the series. I look forward to how things end.
4.25/ 5 B
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Violence
Disclosure: this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a unbiased review at The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shhh
Don’t make a sound. It might attract THEM, and you’ll be ripped to shreds in seconds. And that’s exactly what happens to most of humanity in this apocalyptic novel. An alien race has suddenly invaded. After a few days, Amy realizes she’s one of the few people left on earth, only surviving because her house is equipped with solar panels and an electric fence. She spends her nights silently raiding neighboring homes for supplies, and her days in complete silence. On one trip to the abandoned supermarket, she finds a toddler roaming the aisles — silently. Puzzled by how the child managed to survive and curious about her origins, Amy takes her in and names her Baby. Baby turns Amy into a protector. She realizes they can’t survive in their situation forever, but leaving won’t be easy. Because THEY are not necessarily the most frightening thing in the new world landscape.
The first thing I had to do when reading this novel was suspend belief about a few things. One: who puts an electric fence around their house? Two: Amy can run the dishwasher in the kitchen, but not whisper in the basement? The hearing ability of THEM is slightly inconsistent. Three: Amy and Baby can sign (like, sign language) surprisingly complex thoughts into each other’s hands. I don’t understand what that means.
You guys, I need books to MAKE SENSE, and sometimes that is SO HARD.
Again, In The After was a novel on my quest to find a good alien book. Fail. It’s not an alien book. Yes, I realize that’s probably spoiler-tastic. Sorry. I won’t go into why it’s not an alien book, but I will say that I did see it coming. If you like zombie novels it might be more up your alley, considering the general characteristics of THEM (always lingering, killed with a shot to the head, void of intelligent thought, etc).
While In The After is about this apocalypse, it is also human/government corruption found in the remaining human compounds. It’s all very District 13: “Oh, we’re safe! Whew! Oh. Wait. Y’all are worse than those alien things out there.” Secrets are revealed. Rebellion is…thought about. People die and stuff. That’s what makes In The After both apocalyptic AND dystopian. I appreciated that we got to watch the entire situation happen outside of Amy’s window with her, but that we also get some answers and don’t stay stuck behind those walls for the whole story.
FINAL GRADE: B I love reading about sassy girls questioning governments and trying to take them down, so I enjoyed it. And Amy is smart. If you are burnt out on this genre I can see how this might be just another dystopian novel. It doesn’t really offer anything new to the genre. I don’t care.
AND IT GETS THE LGBT TAG. Gotta love a kick-ass gay friend.
REQUIRED READING: Required for fans of zombie novels, apocalypses, survival books, and dystopian novels. If you loved Taken you might love this.
LIBRARY RECOMMENDATION: Buy for middle school or high school. It’s good, old-fashioned, corrupt government fun for all ages.
Don’t make a sound. It might attract THEM, and you’ll be ripped to shreds in seconds. And that’s exactly what happens to most of humanity in this apocalyptic novel. An alien race has suddenly invaded. After a few days, Amy realizes she’s one of the few people left on earth, only surviving because her house is equipped with solar panels and an electric fence. She spends her nights silently raiding neighboring homes for supplies, and her days in complete silence. On one trip to the abandoned supermarket, she finds a toddler roaming the aisles — silently. Puzzled by how the child managed to survive and curious about her origins, Amy takes her in and names her Baby. Baby turns Amy into a protector. She realizes they can’t survive in their situation forever, but leaving won’t be easy. Because THEY are not necessarily the most frightening thing in the new world landscape.
The first thing I had to do when reading this novel was suspend belief about a few things. One: who puts an electric fence around their house? Two: Amy can run the dishwasher in the kitchen, but not whisper in the basement? The hearing ability of THEM is slightly inconsistent. Three: Amy and Baby can sign (like, sign language) surprisingly complex thoughts into each other’s hands. I don’t understand what that means.
You guys, I need books to MAKE SENSE, and sometimes that is SO HARD.
Again, In The After was a novel on my quest to find a good alien book. Fail. It’s not an alien book. Yes, I realize that’s probably spoiler-tastic. Sorry. I won’t go into why it’s not an alien book, but I will say that I did see it coming. If you like zombie novels it might be more up your alley, considering the general characteristics of THEM (always lingering, killed with a shot to the head, void of intelligent thought, etc).
While In The After is about this apocalypse, it is also human/government corruption found in the remaining human compounds. It’s all very District 13: “Oh, we’re safe! Whew! Oh. Wait. Y’all are worse than those alien things out there.” Secrets are revealed. Rebellion is…thought about. People die and stuff. That’s what makes In The After both apocalyptic AND dystopian. I appreciated that we got to watch the entire situation happen outside of Amy’s window with her, but that we also get some answers and don’t stay stuck behind those walls for the whole story.
FINAL GRADE: B I love reading about sassy girls questioning governments and trying to take them down, so I enjoyed it. And Amy is smart. If you are burnt out on this genre I can see how this might be just another dystopian novel. It doesn’t really offer anything new to the genre. I don’t care.
AND IT GETS THE LGBT TAG. Gotta love a kick-ass gay friend.
REQUIRED READING: Required for fans of zombie novels, apocalypses, survival books, and dystopian novels. If you loved Taken you might love this.
LIBRARY RECOMMENDATION: Buy for middle school or high school. It’s good, old-fashioned, corrupt government fun for all ages.
The book was really good, and I like how it ended. I just really like the book.
What a page turner of a story! From the first page, I was hooked as heroine Amy fights to stay alive while a horde of hungry aliens take over her planet. The suspense is nonstop and the writing is tight and tense. Amy may be tough, but she is softened when she finds the toddler she names Baby. Together, she and Baby tough out their brave new world together.
But this isn't just a survival tale. The novel begins much like The War of the Worlds, but it takes a much more interesting and unexpected turn. No spoilers here, but you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens to Amy. A masterful book!
But this isn't just a survival tale. The novel begins much like The War of the Worlds, but it takes a much more interesting and unexpected turn. No spoilers here, but you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens to Amy. A masterful book!
One of my colleagues was reading this to her classes, and our shared sudents kept talking about it, trying to read ahead, and generally showing great enthusiasm, so I borrowed a copy and read it.
WOW! I can see why they love it. Fast paced, exciting plot, flashes of humor and violence--what a terrific read-aloud for getting kids excited about a book. And yes, I was completely absorbed as well, racing through the book in a day, then grabbing the sequel. It can't help but to be similar to other dystopian novels, and doesn't have any thematic depth that would elevate it to the highest level, but it is a great, fun read.
WOW! I can see why they love it. Fast paced, exciting plot, flashes of humor and violence--what a terrific read-aloud for getting kids excited about a book. And yes, I was completely absorbed as well, racing through the book in a day, then grabbing the sequel. It can't help but to be similar to other dystopian novels, and doesn't have any thematic depth that would elevate it to the highest level, but it is a great, fun read.