aews222's review
5.0
Terrifying and fascinating. Almost perfect, except it made me so afraid. Scared in the best way; but still, I hoped it was unrealistic.
dapper's review
2.0
It gets star number 2 for the concept. Lost the other 3 stars for the execution.
There’s a common phrase in the writing community; “show don’t tell.”
Unfortunately, it seems that quote has somehow missed this author.
“She looks at him like she's unsettled by him. When he gives her a quizzical look, she looks away. He leaves it alone. His hands slip away as she shifts to rise. His eyes follow her over to the side of the bed. She turns to face him, and then he rises, too, and moves toward her.”
This was one of the last paragraphs I read before really calling it quits. There’s no way for me, as the reader, to actually indulge into this story. There’s not enough fluidity, it comes off clipped. Kind of like if a caveman was speaking; “She go here. She look at man. Man say hi. She say hi back, too.”
But yeah, I was into the concept. Bummed out it didn’t work for me.
There’s a common phrase in the writing community; “show don’t tell.”
Unfortunately, it seems that quote has somehow missed this author.
“She looks at him like she's unsettled by him. When he gives her a quizzical look, she looks away. He leaves it alone. His hands slip away as she shifts to rise. His eyes follow her over to the side of the bed. She turns to face him, and then he rises, too, and moves toward her.”
This was one of the last paragraphs I read before really calling it quits. There’s no way for me, as the reader, to actually indulge into this story. There’s not enough fluidity, it comes off clipped. Kind of like if a caveman was speaking; “She go here. She look at man. Man say hi. She say hi back, too.”
But yeah, I was into the concept. Bummed out it didn’t work for me.
pleasureinatrocities's review
3.0
I would say it's more of a 3.5 but I can't bring myself to give it four stars because I hated that part two was so many years after part one which caused me to put off finishing the book for months. But once I picked it up again, there were some really great descriptions of what trauma can do to a person and how some people cope with it.
Summary: After the apocalypse that kills most of the women, Eva, a woman, is caught and taken to an army base filled with men. In part two, twenty years later, the world is a lot worse off in the west and we follow a resistance fighter as she rescues women from sexual slavery and constant rape.
Summary: After the apocalypse that kills most of the women, Eva, a woman, is caught and taken to an army base filled with men. In part two, twenty years later, the world is a lot worse off in the west and we follow a resistance fighter as she rescues women from sexual slavery and constant rape.
tendercuriosity's review
4.0
I'm particularly fond of books that are extremely dark and disturbing. I'm talking about R. Lee Smith disturbing. So if you're a fan of RLS, I highly suggest you pick up this book.
Intense, dark, disturbing. After is about a horrifying post-apocalyptic world where the human population has been decimated and men severely outnumber women, so much that women are reduced to breeding machines.
This story explores how different characters react and change in the face of such a bleak future. the cast is truly fascinating, the plot is engaging (if horror is your thing), and although the book was very long, I remained captivated the entire time.
I think that the person who really stole my heart in part 1 was Riggs. He starts off as a bad person, but he grows, he truly does and I could not help but pity him. I really liked him. It was interesting to see how the past was intertwined with the future- I can't tell which part I liked better, both sides were equally engrossing. And disturbing. And depressing. This is a very sad book.
There isn't a happily ever after, so don't expect one. What there is, is a sense of hope for the future. It was a fitting ending for this story, I was satisfied.
Intense, dark, disturbing. After is about a horrifying post-apocalyptic world where the human population has been decimated and men severely outnumber women, so much that women are reduced to breeding machines.
This story explores how different characters react and change in the face of such a bleak future. the cast is truly fascinating, the plot is engaging (if horror is your thing), and although the book was very long, I remained captivated the entire time.
I think that the person who really stole my heart in part 1 was Riggs. He starts off as a bad person, but he grows, he truly does and I could not help but pity him. I really liked him. It was interesting to see how the past was intertwined with the future- I can't tell which part I liked better, both sides were equally engrossing. And disturbing. And depressing. This is a very sad book.
There isn't a happily ever after, so don't expect one. What there is, is a sense of hope for the future. It was a fitting ending for this story, I was satisfied.
turquoisethreads's review
5.0
This book is so excellent. People have said it's not a HEA, and maybe it isn't. But I thought the ending was satisfying. I also liked how this book explored the redemptive, caring side of sex. If everyone used their sexuality the way Eva did, I think the world would be a much better place. Aside from some of the people in Part 2, there were no villians in this book - only humans, weak and imperfect, but filled with sparks of grace. I never thought reading about a dystopic future could leave one so filled with hope. The future is bleak, but it can be made better.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
4.0
Wow what a ride. Massive book, 1000 pages long. Difficult reading in places but I loved it!
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