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exquisite_tragedy's review against another edition
5.0
“Sometimes we try to control so much of ourselves that we are bound to become undone. Our emotions and instincts are not designed to be controlled. It is okay to not hold on so tightly”.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Ugh. UGH. THIS BOOK. I have not been this wrecked by a novel, let alone a debut novel, in a very long time. This book is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming...which doesn’t sound like it should make sense but it SO does. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I cried some more, I smiled while I cried. After I finished this, I literally put my kindle down on my chest and then stared at the ceiling for a solid 20 minutes.
***
On the surface, Coen Caraway has the perfect life. That is, until his life as he knew it comes completely apart. Just days before he is set to marry the love his life on an idyllic island in Mexico, Coen learns that his pilot fiancé Elias Santos is killed in an airplane crash. Instead of cancelling the wedding and returning home to Canada (much to his family/friends dismay), Coen chooses to remain on the island and hold a celebration of Elias’ life instead. As more details began to emerge surrounding the accident, Coen is left with more questions than answers. Transmitted just moments before the plane crashed, Coen hears Elias’ haunting last words - “Pronto dios”. What follows is a moving tale of love, grief, regret, mental illness, doubt, and self-discovery.
***
I absolutely adored this book. I normally don’t love shifting timelines/perspectives, but felt that it served a necessary purpose for the development of this story. Coen was so beautifully and tragically flawed, like so many of us are. While I’ve obviously had very different life experiences than him, I felt like I could completely relate to Coen at some many points throughout his journey.
Speaking of characters, I usually find myself glossing over side characters or just simply placing them in the back of my mind in a lot of books I read. Side characters are hard, to not only to make them feel whole but to make them feel just as worthy/important as the main characters. But this book blew me away. Every single character felt fully developed regardless of air time, and every one felt so important and needed. I think I pretty much highlighted every word that came out of Gabriel’s mouth. I felt like I was actually friends with Vivi and Dexter. I could feel the years of tension and hurt that developed between Coen and Clark. Every character was fully faceted and contributed something essential to the plot and Coen's growth.
I also felt that the topics of mental health and grief were handled in such a careful and honest way. Having worked in the mental health field for almost 5 years now, I’ve witnessed firsthand how people grieve so differently even when faced with the same trigger/loss. This book showcased that there isn’t a right or wrong way to cope with grief.
All in all, what an impressive debut from Eddy Boudel Tan. Can’t wait to read more in the future! .
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
Coen Caraway is waiting for his fiancé Elias to arrive in Mexico at the hotel where they plan to get married within the week. Then, the news arrives that the commercial airliner that Elias was co-piloting crashed into the ocean and that all 300+ people aboard are presumed dead. To make it worse, the last thing heard over the radio was Elias saying a mysterious phrase. People begin the suspect that Elias may have made the plane crash. Coen can't believe that Elias would purposely crash the plane but through a series of flashbacks, we realize that Coen may not know Elias very well.
This was an emotional ride! I really felt Coen's pain and his need to carry-on despite this upheaval in his plans. He feels guilt and confusion over the loss of his love and the perception of Elias held by the rest of the world. His friends and family question Coen on how he is processing his grief, but Coen insists on doing things his own way.
I read this one in less than a day. The book was loaded with emotional suspense, so I wouldn't quite call it a thriller, but it still had me on the edge of my seat to see how things would turn out.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
This was an emotional ride! I really felt Coen's pain and his need to carry-on despite this upheaval in his plans. He feels guilt and confusion over the loss of his love and the perception of Elias held by the rest of the world. His friends and family question Coen on how he is processing his grief, but Coen insists on doing things his own way.
I read this one in less than a day. The book was loaded with emotional suspense, so I wouldn't quite call it a thriller, but it still had me on the edge of my seat to see how things would turn out.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
rachel_pck's review against another edition
5.0
I literally couldn’t put it down until i finished it. Doubt, regret, and the way we come to terms with our past.
books_inthewild's review against another edition
5.0
I’m really not sure where to start with this review...! I was riveted from the very beginning, and left breathless by the end.
I absolutely loved the depth of characters in this novel, and felt my heart ache for Coen as the story went back & forth through time and you struggle alongside him.
Eddy tackles issues of grief, mental illness, loss and more with such poise... you feel for the characters with your heart, but are also uplifted by their resilience, their support of one another, and their ability to overcome.
I also loved that the novel takes place in both Mexico and Vancouver- where I’ve travelled to & where I live- which allowed me to sink right into the story and truly feel like I was there.
I didn’t know where this story would end up- every chapter brought new revelations or surprises, keeping me totally invested in how everything would “work out” in the end.
I cannot wait to read more from Eddy- and I know I’ll be recommending “After Elias” to friends (and reading it again I’m sure!)
I absolutely loved the depth of characters in this novel, and felt my heart ache for Coen as the story went back & forth through time and you struggle alongside him.
Eddy tackles issues of grief, mental illness, loss and more with such poise... you feel for the characters with your heart, but are also uplifted by their resilience, their support of one another, and their ability to overcome.
I also loved that the novel takes place in both Mexico and Vancouver- where I’ve travelled to & where I live- which allowed me to sink right into the story and truly feel like I was there.
I didn’t know where this story would end up- every chapter brought new revelations or surprises, keeping me totally invested in how everything would “work out” in the end.
I cannot wait to read more from Eddy- and I know I’ll be recommending “After Elias” to friends (and reading it again I’m sure!)
sanukipityreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
towering_tbr's review against another edition
3.0
After Elias by Eddy Boudel Tan is a heartbreaking novel about a man named Coen whose fiancé dies mere days before their wedding. The fiancé Elias, is a co-pilot who dies in a plane crash that also kills over 300 other people. The story is told in alternating chapters. The present moving forward after the crash and the past moving backwards as Coen examines his 8 year relationship with Elias and grapples with the fact that there was a lot he didn't know about Elias.
As you might expect, Coen is dealing with severe depression and that doesn't always make for a reliable narrator. I had very mixed feelings about this book. I liked the realistic portrayal of depression, his relationships with his friends, and the alternating timelines. Additionally, I felt the writing was beautiful without being overly flowery. Here's an example: "All they can do is try to make sense of what is in front of them. To be human is to be limited- to be hopelessly, desperately small." However, there were a few inconsistencies within the story that didn't make sense logistically and which felt placed there to artificially create an emotional moment. I gave the book 3.5 stars.
Trigger warnings for sexual assault, self-harm, attempted suicide, and death of a loved one.
This book will be published on October 6, 2020. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
As you might expect, Coen is dealing with severe depression and that doesn't always make for a reliable narrator. I had very mixed feelings about this book. I liked the realistic portrayal of depression, his relationships with his friends, and the alternating timelines. Additionally, I felt the writing was beautiful without being overly flowery. Here's an example: "All they can do is try to make sense of what is in front of them. To be human is to be limited- to be hopelessly, desperately small." However, there were a few inconsistencies within the story that didn't make sense logistically and which felt placed there to artificially create an emotional moment. I gave the book 3.5 stars.
Trigger warnings for sexual assault, self-harm, attempted suicide, and death of a loved one.
This book will be published on October 6, 2020. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
rachelannak's review against another edition
4.0
This book made my heart ache. It was sad and mysterious. Each character served its purpose. The running theme throughout of honesty and learning to love yourself, forgive yourself - and do the same with others - is just one of the reasons to pick up this book. This is a book that deserves more credit in the book community.
nuhafariha's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Dundrum Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!
Now available.
TW: Rape, assault
Aptly named, Eddy Boudel Tan's After Elias is a dramatic mystery that lingers long after the last page. Similar to Yanagihara's "A Little Life" in its dense, emotional style, the story focuses on Coen Caraway after he tragically loses his fiance just days before their upcoming wedding celebration. "Prontos dios" is the only message Elias leaves Coen. Grief-struck, Coen starts on a globe trotting journey to solve his lover's final mystery. Along the way, he is seduced by dashing billionaire Gabriel, banters with the ever witty Vivi and reconnects with his own family. An engaging read that will keep you guessing!
Now available.
TW: Rape, assault
Aptly named, Eddy Boudel Tan's After Elias is a dramatic mystery that lingers long after the last page. Similar to Yanagihara's "A Little Life" in its dense, emotional style, the story focuses on Coen Caraway after he tragically loses his fiance just days before their upcoming wedding celebration. "Prontos dios" is the only message Elias leaves Coen. Grief-struck, Coen starts on a globe trotting journey to solve his lover's final mystery. Along the way, he is seduced by dashing billionaire Gabriel, banters with the ever witty Vivi and reconnects with his own family. An engaging read that will keep you guessing!
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
After Elias by Eddy Boudel Tan is a poignant novel of grief and discovery.
Coen Caraway and his fiancé Elias Stantos live in Vancouver but they are marrying in Mexico. Coen has already traveled to the resort when a television report rips his heart out. Elias is the co-pilot of a plane that has just crashed into the ocean. His last words, "pronto Dios," lead to speculation that he deliberately crashed the plane. Coen at first disbelieves the theory but as days pass, doubts begin to creep in. Regardless of his questions and staggering loss, Coen decides to remain at resort and invites his guests to join him for a celebration of life for Elias.
Coen puts on a good front that he is fine but when his close friends Vivi and Decker arrive, they are concerned. So are his parents and his older brother, Clark. Despite their pleas to return to Vancouver, Coen goes full steam ahead with the celebration of life but it soon becomes clear that he is clearly struggling to cope with his tragic loss. As the accident investigation leads to even more questions about Elias, Coen is determined to try to understand the man he loved. But will he find the answers he is searching for?
After Elias is an emotionally compelling novel that deals with some difficult subject matter. The chapters alternate between the present and Elias and Coen's relationship in the past. Coen is the main narrator of the story, but are his recollections reliable? The cast of characters are vibrantly developed with relatable foibles and appealing strengths. Eddy Boudel Tan deals with sensitive topics in a compassionate but straight forward manner. This heartfelt novel comes to an emotional yet mostly satisfying conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this beautifully written, thought-provoking debut.
After Elias by Eddy Boudel Tan is a poignant novel of grief and discovery.
Coen Caraway and his fiancé Elias Stantos live in Vancouver but they are marrying in Mexico. Coen has already traveled to the resort when a television report rips his heart out. Elias is the co-pilot of a plane that has just crashed into the ocean. His last words, "pronto Dios," lead to speculation that he deliberately crashed the plane. Coen at first disbelieves the theory but as days pass, doubts begin to creep in. Regardless of his questions and staggering loss, Coen decides to remain at resort and invites his guests to join him for a celebration of life for Elias.
Coen puts on a good front that he is fine but when his close friends Vivi and Decker arrive, they are concerned. So are his parents and his older brother, Clark. Despite their pleas to return to Vancouver, Coen goes full steam ahead with the celebration of life but it soon becomes clear that he is clearly struggling to cope with his tragic loss. As the accident investigation leads to even more questions about Elias, Coen is determined to try to understand the man he loved. But will he find the answers he is searching for?
After Elias is an emotionally compelling novel that deals with some difficult subject matter. The chapters alternate between the present and Elias and Coen's relationship in the past. Coen is the main narrator of the story, but are his recollections reliable? The cast of characters are vibrantly developed with relatable foibles and appealing strengths. Eddy Boudel Tan deals with sensitive topics in a compassionate but straight forward manner. This heartfelt novel comes to an emotional yet mostly satisfying conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this beautifully written, thought-provoking debut.
louismunozjr's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest critique.
I had not heard of the book or the author before coming across the this LGBTQ+ title while “browsing” through NetGalley. It was a quick read, but not for any luck of substance, quite the opposite. There was a great mix of universal truths and “home truths” along the way, many heartbreaking moments, often leavened with hard-won humor, and some interesting twists along the way. Ultimately, I would say that this book about death offers up a lot of needed hope, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I had not heard of the book or the author before coming across the this LGBTQ+ title while “browsing” through NetGalley. It was a quick read, but not for any luck of substance, quite the opposite. There was a great mix of universal truths and “home truths” along the way, many heartbreaking moments, often leavened with hard-won humor, and some interesting twists along the way. Ultimately, I would say that this book about death offers up a lot of needed hope, and I look forward to reading more from this author.