In The After

Author: Demitria Lunetta

Published by- Harper Teen

Date Published- June 2013

Genre- Post-apocalyptic, Sci-Fi, YA

Rating- 3 of 5 stars

I love post apocalyptic and zombie books because I enjoy reading about how people can adapt and survive even the most unthinkable circumstances. In the After was a little post-apocalyptic thriller, a little zombie-ish, a little sci-fi alien invasion and a little bit dystopian. So many of the elements I enjoy wrapped up in one book, it's easy to see why I was so excited to read this and maybe why I had such high expectations for it.

I absolutely enjoyed the beginning of the book. The world building in the opening scenes painted a vivid picture of how quickly the world became a terrifying and dangerous place inhabited by creatures drawn to light and sound. I was fascinated by the way Amy and Baby had created a non-verbal way of communicating that was based on sign language but was adapted to work in their specific circumstances. I thought that the author did a great job creating a feeling of resignation and hopelessness in the characters but still that spirit to survive and persevere.

Where In the After fell short for me was in the second half, after Amy & Baby's "rescue". I spent most of the book feeling alternately confused and annoyed with the direction that the story seemed to be taking. The dystopic society that was created didn't seem entirely plausible and just felt loosely constructed. The interactions between the characters felt awkward and artificial, the romance wasn't believable, and most of the relationships felt forced. This was a bit of a disappointment since I had so enjoyed the world building in the beginning.

Ultimately, In the After was an okay read. I don't know if I will continue with the series since I didn't really like the direction the story went. However, I would still recommend it to fans of zombie, post apoc, sci fi, and dystopic themed books.

Comments (6)

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Pamela D · 585 weeks ago

I too enjoy reading post-apocalyptic books to see how people manage life in a "new world." Sorry this book wasn't so great.
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1 reply · active 584 weeks ago

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The Happy Booker 57p · 584 weeks ago

Thanks Pamela, this book wasn't terrible. I get annoyed with books when they don't go in the direction I want them to which may actually be a little unfair, but you know how it is, we can't help how we feel about a book!

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Wendy Darling · 585 weeks ago

Same here, Donna--I liked the first half, but lost interest after the rescue. I don't think I'll be continuing with the series, but if you decide to, I'll be curious to see what you think of it. It seems to be fairly well-reviewed, but I wonder if that's coming from people who haven't necessarily read a whole bunch of zombie/post-apocalyptic books? Not sure.
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1 reply · active 584 weeks ago

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The Happy Booker 57p · 584 weeks ago

Thanks Wendy. I seriously doubt I'll continue the series. I rarely make it to the next book in most series, it has to be one that really grabs me like Kagawa's Blood of Eden series or Bardugo's Shadow & Bone series. Plus I'm kind of getting drawn in more of a sci-fi direction this year and I want to explore that a little more lol

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Sam · 583 weeks ago

I really like the premise for this book, but the reviews have been quite mixed so far, so I'm hesitant about picking it up. It's a shame that the second half disappointed so much, especially as you liked the book to begin with. Still, I'm glad it wasn't completely terrible. If you do end up continuing with the series, I hope the sequel is more to your liking. :)

1 reply · active 583 weeks ago

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The Happy Booker 57p · 583 weeks ago

Thanks Sam! I don't blame you for being hesitant, I have a couple people with similar tastes in books and if they don't like a book, I can usually safely assume I won't like it either. This one seems to be right in the middle, some of my friends like it, some don't and some, like me, are right in the middle. I don't think it's one that you should rush to read, but leave it in the to read pile just in case.