Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu // A Beautiful Premise

Sunday 22 October 2017
Afterward, by Jennifer Mathieu
Publication: September 20, 2016, by Roaring Brook Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Abuse
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

When Caroline's little brother is kidnapped, his subsequent rescue leads to the discovery of Ethan, a teenager who has been living with the kidnapper since he was a young child himself. In the aftermath, Caroline can't help but wonder what Ethan knows about everything that happened to her brother, who is not readjusting well to life at home. And although Ethan is desperate for a friend, he can't see Caroline without experiencing a resurgence of traumatic memories. But after the media circus surrounding the kidnappings departs from their small Texas town, both Caroline and Ethan find that they need a friend--and their best option just might be each other.

My Thoughts:

Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu is a story I am so grateful to have finally read. I loved everything that it was about, everything that it was inspiring and trying to tell readers. The author did a fabulous job at writing this story as if the main characters, Caroline and Ethan, were real, and if the kidnappings of Ethan and Caroline's brother actually did occur. As the title suggests, this story takes place as the aftermath of the kidnappings. Instead of the mystery part that every kidnapping story seems to deal with (the victims trying to escape), this focuses on the emotions the characters are enduring and how they feel they can strengthen.

This is a beautiful story that I cannot forget about. Once I began reading, I was not able to stop and it became so addictive. And although I would normally not be the biggest fan of a book involving a romance between two characters who are both dealing with some kind of personal issues, this somehow worked. Mathieu used her brilliant writing skills to create a balance between remedy (of Ethan's), acceptance (Caroline's acceptance of what occurred to her brother), and love. It just shows that everyone is meant to recover from many of the traumas they experience. 






READ THIS NOW. It's an underrated story that has so much potential to please readers. I enjoyed its characters, premise, writing style - all of it. By the end, I was completely pleased and ready to read more like it.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some other kidnapping YA books?

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