Blkosiner's Book Blog

This definitely was an emotional book about a powerful subject. The After Girls is in 3rd person but gives the perspectives of Syd and Ella. It starts right after their other best friend Astrid kills herself. As most of you know, this is a subject that is close to my heart because of my dad, and I think that their guilt, anger, and grief is well written and realistic. I connected with them because although everyone grieves differently, I saw myself in them. The feelings of being lost, and most of all questioning. Why did they do it? Why did they leave me? Could I have done anything about it. My biggest complaint is that I didn't get to know Astrid before. I know that would probably take away from the mystery surrounding her death because if I were in her head then I would know what lead up to it. But getting to know her second hand through Ella and Syd's memories takes away a bit of the heart wrenching element that it didn't quite achieve. Don't get me wrong, their grief was still palpable, I just felt a slight disconnect because I didn't know her. I also got Syd and Ella confused sometimes. I am really not sure why because they are two way different personalities, I guess there just wasn't that distinct voice that 1st person gives. And all the boys, I got them mixed up at times too, who was a friend, who wasn't, if someone was actually two timing or what. I think that this confusion set in about the same time that I started taking pain meds for my wrenched back, so that is all on me. The mystery and suspense was good. I figured out most of it a bit before Ella did, but I was in the dark right with her, wondering where these texts and feelings were coming from. The friendship in this one was good. I loved that theme. Even though it was rightfully strained because of Astrid's death, they still had each other's backs, and helped even when requests bordered on that crazy line. Bottom Line: Packed with emotion, and suspense.