1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book dealing with grief., February 22, 2010
This review is from: After (Hardcover)
When I came home Friday from the hospital I had the most wonderful surprise - A book from and by my friend Kristin Harmel- AFTER. I was in bed and read AFTER from cover to cover. I would have read it without interruption but I had to take a break to sleep. I have read and loved all of her books and was so excited to read this - preparing to laugh and be amazed at the quirky characters and incredible imaginative situations in which they found themselves. I loved all of her characters but I couldn't exactly relate to most because I believed I lacked the ingenuity and zest to be spontaneous and funny - but they did become my friends.
AFTER is a different book- an exceptional book, a truly wonderful book that will remain in your memory long after you finish it. Be prepared to cry- there is humor of course, but I think this is Kristin at her very best. It is so real. Kristin takes the various stages of grief and applies them to each character differently- as it would be in real life. We all deal with grief differently but we have to go through the stages before we can go on living. Kristin even shows how well meaning friends have no clue what to say or how to treat the grieving.
The main character is Lacey. She blames herself for the accident that takes her father because she was late getting dressed and if she had been prompt she feels the accident would not have happened. She becomes the perfect daughter and sister- trying to hold her family together and deal with each of her siblings and mother's grief. I can relate in part to Lacey as I tried to become the Mom with my sister when our Mother was taken away. I did all the coking and sis did all the cleaning. Our Mother didn't die but she lost her parental rights, was incarcerated and was essentially dead to us. No one knew what to say to us. I can't even imagine what life would have been like if we had lost my Dad.
This is not merely a young adult or chic lit book- it is appropriate for all ages. It is a perfect and necessary book for anyone who has lost a loved one or has had a horrible and disastrous turn in their life. They will relate to it- and will learn from it. It is essentially a beautifully written "How To Deal With Grief" - a compelling guide. In those grief occasions, we feel alone and think no one understands. That is true. At the time of grief it helps to talk to friends who have experienced the same situation. This is what Lacey organized. Kristin bases a part of the beginning healing on a real organization started by someone like Lacey.
I love how Kristin wove one of my favorite rock singers, Star Beck, into the narrative on several occasions. Star is a friend of mine. I was with her when she was waiting tables. You too can have Star as one of your best friends. Just read Kristin's WHEN YOU WISH. Every one of Kristin's books contains wonderful friends you will love and remember.
This is actually one of the best books I have ever read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superbly written book for ALL ages!, February 13, 2010
This review is from: After (Hardcover)
There are so many of us who have had that day; that absolutely perfect day that, in one second, turns into the most horrendous nightmare we could possibly imagine. This author has given the world a story for all age groups; a story that teaches us what happens when life takes joy away, and the wonderous feelings we can achieve when life offers happiness to us once again.
In After, Lacey is taking her time upstairs, fixing her hair and putting on makeup - pretty much doing exactly what any teenage girl would do, while making her two brothers and father wait for her down below. When she finally saunters down the stairs, her brothers roll their eyes and her father offers her that smile...that smile that only a father can give to you, letting you know that you are the one and only girl on the entire planet (besides your mother) who he loves with all his heart. Unfortunately, that smile was one of his last, as a drugged-out driver plows through a stop sign and changes Lacey and her family's life forever.
Lacey took the blame immediately. (If it weren't for her stalling that morning then the accident never would've happened, and her father would still be with them.) As the family begins to crumble, Lacey takes on the role of nurse, angel, and nanny to her mother and brothers. She also must fight the strange looks that she gets in school from friends and teachers, as they try to console her. She feels almost like an alien when people offer her hang-dog expressions and whispers behind her back. In addition, Lacey's best friend has found her first "love" and has decided to spend most of her time with her boyfriend. She, too, has difficulties at home. Although her father is very much alive, her parents are going through a divorce and her mother and father have become changed people right before her eyes.
The author superbly shows how grief can affect every personality differently. In Lacey's household, Mom begins to stay at work very late - doing her high-profile lawyer routine so she can stay away from the house that has so many memories of the man she loved with all her heart. The youngest brother, Trevor, becomes absolutely quiet - choosing to immerse himself in his pet and reruns of The Crocodile Hunter. The oldest brother, Logan, decides to date one of the snootiest cheerleaders in school, and drink himself under the table, trying to forget the man he used to look up to. And Lacey? Well...she becomes the worrier for her family's troubles. She achieves straight A status in school and tries very hard to befriend people who need her help, while feeling alone at all times. One day, Sam Stone, a new kid, walks into the school. Sam is a young man with his own issues, with "eyes like the sea right before a storm." As they begin to talk, Lacey soon discovers that Sam could be her life raft - the one person who could save her from drowning in the hopelessness that has her by the throat.
This book was based on a wonderful organization in Atlanta, Georgia called Kate's Club. A young woman began the Club when she had a loss of her own and wanted to 'build' a place where children could go and talk to others who have felt the same kind of pain that they experienced when losing a loved one. Not only is this book a wonderful way to cope with loss, it also allows people of all ages to work through the pain and anguish that happens when life takes a sudden turn for the worst.
This was very special to me, personally. I also grew up in small town New England, where everyone had known everyone else since birth. I also was unfortunate enough to lose my father. Although I was not as young as Lacey, the pain was still very real. And having to learn that my father was still with me, could still see his granddaughter grow up, and I could still talk to him, took a long time to find within myself. Therefore, I want to thank this author for writing a story that all ages, types, backgrounds, etc. can read, and understand that they're not alone; that there are others out there in the universe who can help you through the rough times.
Until Next Time,
Amy Lignor, [...] Reviewer
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
