Reviews - Before | The StoryGraph

730 reviews for:

Before

Anna Todd

3.41 AVERAGE

chloefay's review

3.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

emmalemonnz's review against another edition

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Honestly I'm relieved it's over and I can read something else now. I don't know why I couldn't stop reading this series (other than the sex scenes, but there are plenty of other places to find those).

mama_in_the_rye's review

4.0

This book was an intriguing and fascinating concept that I thoroughly enjoyed. Before brings a new perspective to the characters and the story that you have not heard. You have Hardin’s side of meeting Tessa, of their continuing life together. You see from his perspective how he fell so deeply in love with her “against his judgment” and how he felt as they separated and eventually found their way back together. You get a perspective into their adult life as parents that is sweet and endearing. This book gives a voice to secondary characters as you learn a bit more about them and how they might be different than they appear. You hear from people like Zed, Natalie, and even Smith of how the two lovers and their story effected them. This book is a quick read and nothing too dramatic or crazy. If you love the After series then you will love this “fluffy” book of stories from all of the characters you hate to love and love to hate. All in All very well done and fun to read.

mrspaigebrown's review

3.0

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

geo_ix's review

2.0

So I still haven't read book four, and this did I guess give me a few little spoilers but I didn't mind really. When I saw this in Big W the fortnight before it’s release I thought it was already out, but then I saw it was due for release in early December, so I was like, ok if it's there when I go shopping on Thursday I'll pick it up because early releases make me a lot more excited than normal ones...

I wouldn't say this is a necessary read at all. To be honest, while reading the After series in mainly Tessas perspective, I could see Hardin’s feelings. I could tell he regretted the bet, I could see him struggling to move past his anger and be a good person, and so reading his POV was like reading the same thing. What I did like about this, was the addition of other characters POV. We get Molly, Steph, Smith, Christian, Zed for and sample, and we see them before college (Molly and Steph) and after Hardin and Tessa move forward in their lives we see the college kids and how they moved on, and then Landon’s life now and stuff like that.

So yeah, I wouldn't say it's a necessary read, I fact it feels like it should be a prequel novella or something? If you're invested in the characters’ lives like many readers are, I think it's a great way to find closure with not only main characters, but those ones who played a role in their lives also. I personally think seeing how they all ended up was the best bit! - This book also made me come to my senses and see how much of a hag Steph was. Like, I can now see she's pure evil and even worse than Molly. And no, Molly's before story didn't make me feel sorry for her or hate her less. She's still a twat. Those two are seriously, spoilt little children. Despise them.