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A review by kitsuneheart
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
4.0
I totally expected reality and fantasy to intertwine in this book, about a young woman getting her first novel to the publisher, and was actually pretty relieved they didn't. It's such an over-used trope, and having the stories of Darcy and Lizie be separate allows each story to develop independently. Certainly, there will be analogies made between the life of Darcy and Lizzie's journey, but finding them is not a requirement for enjoying the book.
I enjoyed the book, but can't quite give it five stars, as the narrative from Darcy didn't feel quite genuine. That's probably the result of the difference in backgrounds of the actual author, Westerfeld, and his character. He's just a bit too distanced from the life of a 18-year-old girl for me to get behind the portrayal. The result is that the Lizzie chapters are more interesting than the Darcy chapters. Lizzie is focused on issues that would be more gender-neutral--recovering from a terrorist attack, discovering strange new powers, avenging murders--as opposed to Darcy, whose very gender-specific struggle with relationships and budding sexuality.
Still, overall, enjoyable. The audiobook version is adequate. Narrated fine, but with nothing that really stands out. So don't feel a need for the audio version, but don't be scared away.
By the way, if you're more into the story of Lizzie than Darcy, as I was, you should check out the "Abandon" trilogy by Meg Cabot. A modern retelling of the Persephone myth, focusing on a more active and powerful female lead.
I enjoyed the book, but can't quite give it five stars, as the narrative from Darcy didn't feel quite genuine. That's probably the result of the difference in backgrounds of the actual author, Westerfeld, and his character. He's just a bit too distanced from the life of a 18-year-old girl for me to get behind the portrayal. The result is that the Lizzie chapters are more interesting than the Darcy chapters. Lizzie is focused on issues that would be more gender-neutral--recovering from a terrorist attack, discovering strange new powers, avenging murders--as opposed to Darcy, whose very gender-specific struggle with relationships and budding sexuality.
Still, overall, enjoyable. The audiobook version is adequate. Narrated fine, but with nothing that really stands out. So don't feel a need for the audio version, but don't be scared away.
By the way, if you're more into the story of Lizzie than Darcy, as I was, you should check out the "Abandon" trilogy by Meg Cabot. A modern retelling of the Persephone myth, focusing on a more active and powerful female lead.