Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Take on a Difficult Subject, November 23, 2009
This review is from: After (Hardcover)
Amy Efaw's book After is thought provoking tale of innocent teenage sex spiraling into a tragedy with a complicated outcome. Devon Davenport is a teenager "on track" to being a sucessful adult. She has managed to self motivate and excel at sports and school despite absent parents. Her life is going well until she makes a stupid decision and has unprotected sex.
Despite her obvious pregnancy symptoms, Devon retreats into an unimaginable denial and avoids the reality of her pregnancy. Devon denies being pregnant until she gives birth in her apartment bathroom and, in a hazy moment of horror and panic, throws her newborn in a dumpster.
Instead of expounding on the horror of the topic, Efaw carefully explores the psychological aspects that lead up to the event. She allows the reader to make their own decision about Devon as a human being. Surprisingly, it is hard not to feel compassionate for Devon even though she has committed such a despicable act.
Efaw expertly walks the reader through the legal and moral ramifications of Devons actions. As Devon is subjected to the harsh reality of the juvenile court system and the possibility of life imprisonment, the reader is able to watch her come to terms with her actions and beliefs. After is well written and captivating. I would recommend this to young adults and parents of young adults.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Powerful Story, August 12, 2009
This review is from: After (Hardcover)
An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . .
Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made--Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there's only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.
We've all heard the story before, or something similar; a child left to die in a dumpster, a child left in a public bathroom...news stories that shock us, leaving us to wonder what the world has come to.
What we don't usually hear about is the story of the would-be mother, the girl who left the baby behind. We all have our own ideas, based on our own experiences about who this ruthless woman could be and what would motivate her to commit such a heinous act. What do you think?
Once you've read this book I'm betting you might just change your mind. As an educated mother of two teenage daughters, I even surprised myself at some of the preconceived notions I had about these desperate girls.
The author does a great job of tackling this controversial topic in a sensitive yet honest way. This book will definitely resonate with teen girls who, for the most part, can only imagine the horror of finding themselves in a similar situation.
Believe it or not the books main character Devon, is very easy to relate to. She deals with issues that a multitude of teens face and like many, she has no real support system. My heart broke for Devon in her many struggles as she faces the repercussions of her actions...especially when what exactly happened isn't real clear to Devon herself.
This cautionary tale is appropriate for any teen reader and will definitely leave a lasting impression. Devon's journey to the realization of what happened and how she'll deal with it will leave readers asking questions they probably hadn't thought of and could lead to some great discussions on the topic.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Issue Meets Great Writing, November 23, 2009
This review is from: After (Hardcover)
The sine qua non of good literature is its ability to spark debate. AFTER meets that test. Look at the reviews. Readers feel strongly about the issues, presented so ably by author, Amy Efaw. In short, the book is the story of a girl who is in denial about her pregnancy, gives birth, but then throws her newborn in the trash.
Dr. Phillip Resnick--the expert who coined the term "neonaticide"--read the book and opined that AFTER "provides a poignant and realistic look into the mind of a desperate teenage girl who was charged with attempting to kill her newborn baby." The phenomenon is real and tragic--a simple internet search showed me that. What I wasn't prepared for in AFTER was the empathetic look at the perpetrator, Devon. I'm a big self-responsibility person--right is right and wrong is wrong. But what Efaw does in AFTER is to turn preconceptions on their head.
As is usually the case with difficult and emotionally charged issues, the reality is more nuanced and complex than we first think. Efaw fleshes out the persona of Devon (and by extension many other similarly situated girls) with vivid, memorable writing. We get watch as Devon comes to terms her denial, it roots, and the aftermath. We also get a glimpse of a judicial system that is still struggling to find a rubric by which to handle such cases.
This is a book to watch. Starred review from School Library Journal. Recently named in the Winston-Salem Journal as the Best All-Round YA book of the year. Expect more awards to come.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
