Reviews

What Comes After by JoAnne Tompkins

laura_corsi's review

4.0

Two boys, childhood friends, but growing apart more and more, clash one fateful day and both lose their lives as a result. The fall out leaves both parents at odds and bereft. Yet, into the breech comes an unexpected gift. A girl left abandoned and pregnant appears one dark and stormy night. Maybe together the scattered pieces of a found family can be assembled. Very mystical in a Quaker way. A beautiful meditation on love, life & death and the pieces of light and dark inside us all.

lwhite52's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ajpolinske1's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

redvelvetpenguins's review

4.0

Probably a 3.5 but I like to give the extra haha. This was a touching story with no real plot driving it forward. The crime is laid out in chapter 1 so there's no mystery to it. Literally the title of the book sums it up pretty well. I would love to know what came after-after though.

erindoublee's review

5.0

I loved this story, I was definitely skeptical at first, but the story sucked me in and then the writing and storyline held me there.

As a parent (and former teenager) I could relate with both protagonists in this story. This brought so many emotions up for me as a person who had a difficult teenage years. The main story is not the death of these two boys but of love, family, dedication, devotion, and forgiveness. What you imagined your life to be is not where life is lived. It’s in the unexpected where you truly live.

klgoodrich98's review

3.0

3.5/5, It would be 4/5 had it not been for the epilogue which didn’t feel necessary to me. A beautiful story about love, grief, and the struggle that comes with forgiveness.

cbeths's review

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

sshepp21's review

4.0

A little drawn out but in a way that makes you appreciate words and life at the same time. The ending made me bawl my eyes out

megn317's review

4.0

An intense story...possibly too intense for some. Many triggers and complicated characters. But the most real fiction story I’ve ever read by far. I felt for all the characters and truly wanted the story to end ok.

krista5981's review

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5