Reviews

The Astonishing Color of After, by Emily X.R. Pan

charlx_otte's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

You may cry, I did, but everyone's different!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Minor: Racism

ksiazkowisko's review

5.0

Holy cow, this book was amazing. It was magical realism at its finest, where until the very end I did not know if the things that happened were real or just in the protagonist's head. Fantastic. The Taiwanese and Chinese elements of this story were also fascinating. I devoured it in 2 nights, reading well past my bed time.

It deals with depression and suicide, so if you're sensitive to this kind of content, steer aside.

saleen's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

alexcozzey's review

4.0

This book follows a teenage girl and how she handles the death of her mother from suicide.

I enjoyed this book I love the way the author told the story. It was easy for me to follow. I liked the way the story was told through the present of the trip in Taiwan, and the memories and dreams Leigh was having related to figuring out what happened to her mother.

Depression was well represented in this book. The author mentioned it in a way that appears realistic. Of course depression is different for everyone, but I feel that the way it was shown was great representation of emotions going up and down. It teaches the lesson that you don’t fully understand what others go through.

arenzetti's review

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

snarkysharky's review

3.0

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The story and characters didn't grab me as much as I had hoped. However, it was still beautifully written and a thought-provoking read. The feelings portrayed by Leigh were often worded really well, and I loved how she described her moods through colors. Overall the story was enjoyable, and I liked reading about Leigh repairing her world and strengthening her relationships after mother's death. The author did a good job touching upon the topic of depression and suicide, and Leigh's thoughts and emotions seemed really genuine. Even though I guessed the "twist" extremely early on in the story, that wasn't really the focus of the story, so I didn't mind. The ending was satisfying, albeit bittersweet, and ended one a hopeful note. Also, I need to comment on how lovely the cover is.

logarithm's review

3.0

(3.5)

mia_013's review

4.0

hmmm okay many thoughts.
It is definitely sad and a lil painful but it still ends with a :’) feeling when the family evolved together
I think this will make me officially list magical realism as a genre I like??
Leigh is relatable for having a biracial kid crisis where she has mixed features that make her not fully look like either heritage

rubygnz's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

honestly, i thought the pacing was a little odd at first because i felt SO much was happening in too little time since the chapters are very short and would often jump around. it definitely got a lot better after the first 75 pgs and after that it was honestly pure perfection. i think the topic of mental illness, in this case depression, was discussed in such an open and relatable manner it was like a breath of fresh air (i am horrendously sad). i think i may have liked a little bit more of an explanation over what the heck was real in regards to what leigh was experiencing, but at the same time i love that it’s never confirmed whether or not the bird was real or simply just a part of her grieving process. i loved all the different aspects of this book in regards to the relationships created and how each one played a role in the way she is now having to adapt after a huge loss. love this so much and i would love a second book going in deeper into what leigh’s relationships look like now that she has said goodbye to her mother (i need more of her and her grandparents, her and axel, her and caro, her and her dad!!!!, and her being a girlboss artist) 

kaseycanread's review

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. While reading I felt like I was sucked into a whole different world which is the absolute talent of a true writer. The writing was lyrical and I loved how she used colors to describe everything, it was a true testament to the author’s creativity. The storyline was the perfect balance between heartbreaking, devastating, relatable, and inspiring. I’m so happy I picked this book up.