esseastri's review
5.0
This is my favorite book of all time. I can safely say that because I've only had the ARC since August, and I've already read it twice.
I feel like that's all I really need to say, but I can't shut up about this book, so I'm going to go ahead and say a lot more things.
EK Johnston is an absolute master of character. Her people feel like people, her dialogue reads like people actually might say it, her voices are distinct and diverse and real. Olsa and Kalanthe make my heart sing. Johnston captures their viscerally different backgrounds and experiences and makes you love both of them in a matter of pages. The After sections show just how much they both care about each other despite both of them being reluctant to actually admit to caring so much, and the Before sections show their slow-and-sudden fall into love gorgeously, with hints and smiles and then, you know, saving each others' lives. I love these two so much.
The worldbuilding is seamless and beautiful. There's nothing I don't love about this--the expansive geography, the mage city and their magic of will and intent, the sprawling city you love to hate. It feels like every generic fantasy world, but there's something special about it; possibly it's nostalgia, but possibly it's something else: the obvious love and care that went into building the world. Honestly, that really goes for the whole book. Johnston's joy in writing this comes through in every word, and it makes the reading of it even more enjoyable, to share in a bit of that joy.
The dual narrative--or, quadruple narrative?--seems like it should be confusing, but it works so well. Kalanthe and Olsa's voices and tones are distinct enough that I never once got lost in whose chapters I was reading, and though I ached for more of the Before story, from both our narrators, the After story--the main focus of the book, as is obvious from the title--was just stunning. Because Johnston is right--no one ever does talk about what happens after the Quest. And her exploration of it is beautiful and rough and aching and lovely. How does one go back to normal after saving the world? Olsa and Kalanthe do a brilliant job of explaining how you don't.
You don't have to know anything about David and Leigh Eddings to get this book. There's a lot of hype about how it's inspired by the Elenium, but it's totally okay to go into this one blind--it will still be a perfect, beautiful book. It will be an actually epic fantasy with knights and Quests and Magical Thingamabobs, with characters of honor who are strong and vulnerable and just...Good. They are so Good. It will be a story about love and life. It will be a brilliant exploration of what happens after. But if you have read Eddings...then you notice all the little easter eggs hidden in the character names and events of Before, and it's like the book is giving you a hug and saying, "I loved them too."
And I can't thank EK Johnston enough for that. I can't thank her enough for the feminist, queer retelling of my childhood faves. For the heartwarming, heartwrenching, achingly lovely story that she poured into the Afterward, seemingly so that I, personally, would melt into a puddle of emotions and reread this book several times before it's actually published. Because it's my favorite.
And, simply speaking, I love it.
I feel like that's all I really need to say, but I can't shut up about this book, so I'm going to go ahead and say a lot more things.
EK Johnston is an absolute master of character. Her people feel like people, her dialogue reads like people actually might say it, her voices are distinct and diverse and real. Olsa and Kalanthe make my heart sing. Johnston captures their viscerally different backgrounds and experiences and makes you love both of them in a matter of pages. The After sections show just how much they both care about each other despite both of them being reluctant to actually admit to caring so much, and the Before sections show their slow-and-sudden fall into love gorgeously, with hints and smiles and then, you know, saving each others' lives. I love these two so much.
The worldbuilding is seamless and beautiful. There's nothing I don't love about this--the expansive geography, the mage city and their magic of will and intent, the sprawling city you love to hate. It feels like every generic fantasy world, but there's something special about it; possibly it's nostalgia, but possibly it's something else: the obvious love and care that went into building the world. Honestly, that really goes for the whole book. Johnston's joy in writing this comes through in every word, and it makes the reading of it even more enjoyable, to share in a bit of that joy.
The dual narrative--or, quadruple narrative?--seems like it should be confusing, but it works so well. Kalanthe and Olsa's voices and tones are distinct enough that I never once got lost in whose chapters I was reading, and though I ached for more of the Before story, from both our narrators, the After story--the main focus of the book, as is obvious from the title--was just stunning. Because Johnston is right--no one ever does talk about what happens after the Quest. And her exploration of it is beautiful and rough and aching and lovely. How does one go back to normal after saving the world? Olsa and Kalanthe do a brilliant job of explaining how you don't.
You don't have to know anything about David and Leigh Eddings to get this book. There's a lot of hype about how it's inspired by the Elenium, but it's totally okay to go into this one blind--it will still be a perfect, beautiful book. It will be an actually epic fantasy with knights and Quests and Magical Thingamabobs, with characters of honor who are strong and vulnerable and just...Good. They are so Good. It will be a story about love and life. It will be a brilliant exploration of what happens after. But if you have read Eddings...then you notice all the little easter eggs hidden in the character names and events of Before, and it's like the book is giving you a hug and saying, "I loved them too."
And I can't thank EK Johnston enough for that. I can't thank her enough for the feminist, queer retelling of my childhood faves. For the heartwarming, heartwrenching, achingly lovely story that she poured into the Afterward, seemingly so that I, personally, would melt into a puddle of emotions and reread this book several times before it's actually published. Because it's my favorite.
And, simply speaking, I love it.
csamura's review
5.0
This. Book. This book is everything. Epic quest. Nuanced, fully developed main and secondary characters. Easy inclusion of diverse perspectives without feeling pushed or overdone. Lady Knights. This book literally has it all. The writing was fresh, the narrative moved at a quick pace, the plot was intricate and beautifully woven. I cannot sing enough praises for this book. I've not read E.K. Johnston before but now I want to read anything of hers I can get my hands on. Kalanthe and Osla are my new OTP.
lavender04's review against another edition
3.0
maybe a 3.5? an action packed fairytale that was cute from start to finish. felt somewhat underdeveloped, though.
jonknightknighthunterbooks's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I picked this up on a whim based on the jacket and cover copy and was pleased when I enjoyed it as much as I did.
It featured a diverse cast - and it didn't feel like box ticking diversity, with it impacting the world building a little. It was quite nice to read something with a pseudo medieval setting that felt like it had something interesting to say about reform, what people might try and how it might go wrong. (It also featured the most deus ex-y macguffin that ever macguffined - but that is explicitly lampshaded and played with, which I enjoyed.)
It got a few laughs, and a cry - when.
It featured a diverse cast - and it didn't feel like box ticking diversity, with it impacting the world building a little. It was quite nice to read something with a pseudo medieval setting that felt like it had something interesting to say about reform, what people might try and how it might go wrong. (It also featured the most deus ex-y macguffin that ever macguffined - but that is explicitly lampshaded and played with, which I enjoyed.)
It got a few laughs, and a cry - when
Spoiler
an honourable man explained he was trying to pick the best possible widowstenaros's review
4.0
Read for Librarian Book Group
E.K. Johnston builds us a world where a group of knights, a mage and a thief have successfully completed a quest and now it's back to the everyday. But the everyday is tough. Some of them have battle trauma, some of them have to do things to survive that become increasingly hard. Some of them are in love, and can't be together for various reasons.
This book constantly challenged my mental pictures, and I love it for that. It's also a fantasy book that doesn't take place today that I was still interested in reading. Big wins! Hopefully it will get a better cover in the future.
E.K. Johnston builds us a world where a group of knights, a mage and a thief have successfully completed a quest and now it's back to the everyday. But the everyday is tough. Some of them have battle trauma, some of them have to do things to survive that become increasingly hard. Some of them are in love, and can't be together for various reasons.
This book constantly challenged my mental pictures, and I love it for that. It's also a fantasy book that doesn't take place today that I was still interested in reading. Big wins! Hopefully it will get a better cover in the future.
emeelee's review
4.0
3.75 stars. You've heard the tale before: five knights, a mage, and a thief set out on an epic quest to find a sacred object, defeat a great evil, and save the realm. But what becomes of the heroes once their great deeds are accomplished? This is the story of what happens after the world has been saved.
The Afterward is told in alternating POVs and timelines; we see bits and pieces of the grand quest interspersed with the extended epilogue storyline. Personally, I'm a big fan of falling action, so having a whole book primarily centered on falling action was like a personalized gift. I liked the flashback quest scenes to give context, but TBH could have done with less action in the "present-day" timeline-- the focus on the characters and their relationships were honestly of more interest than the sudden heroic mission.
The main conflict is the seemingly doomed romance between knight-in-training Kalanthe and street thief Olsa that developed before the book begins, while they were questing together. They both knew that Kalanthe would need to marry, but since they might die on the quest anyway, why not explore their feelings for each other? But they didn't die, and now they're facing down futures without each other in it.
Kalanthe, a lesbian, is far too honorable to disrespect a husband by straying-- in fact, she is honorable to a fault. She seems to have prepared herself so thoroughly for a dissatisfying future, that she has come to believe she doesn't deserve a satisfying one, much less a happy one. Olsa, meanwhile, is poor, uneducated, and used to being brushed aside and relegated to the shadows. Without the promise of a future with Kalanthe, she can't imagine a place for herself anywhere other than where she's always been. So she returns to thieving. Basically, they just saved the world, but are now miserably trying to return to "normal life" and follow the paths that society has laid out for them.
What I found most interesting about The Afterward is its focus on societal expectations and the constraints of class. Kalanthe, noble but not wealthy, must marry in order to pay off her debt for knight training. Olsa, born poor and disenfranchised, doesn't have the means to try and better her situation, even after saving the world. This is partially because the friends in high places that Olsa made along the way don't understand her situation enough to realize what she needs. Just because Kalanthe and Olsa are heroes doesn't suddenly mean that all their problems disappear.
This book also has an incredible amount of representation. Women are so incredibly centered in the story-- the entire questing squad is female, other than the token male mage. Almost every side character is female as well, from the helpful scholar to the villainous mage to the sea captain to the inn worker. It was so refreshing to see so many diverse female characters, without any sort of remarks about it-- the representation is casual and un-noteworthy in the world of the story. However, the fact that the characters were women wasn't inconsequential: there is discussion of the complications of menstruation and long hair for lady knights; one character wears a hijab-esque headscarf, for which she has experienced some discrimination; lesbian relationships are not surprising, but the matter of heirs means that hetero marriages are still sometimes necessary. Olsa, among other characters, is described as dark-skinned, with curly hair that must be tightly braided. Kalanthe is lighter, but still dark-skinned, with dark hair. A significant side-character is transgender. Olsa is described on-page as bisexual (with a reference to the term not being limited to only binary genders). Several characters are disabled or disfigured (saving the world's a dangerous job). The whole cast in general is very inclusive.
The Afterward is definitely a slower-paced book, with greater emphasis on character development and relationships than on action. Still, I was never bored, and became quite invested in the characters' lives. The exploration of society was interesting, and also quite funny at times (elitist academics get torn a new one). My only complaint is that I think the book could have been longer and delved even more into the world-building and dissection of societal mores. Overall, though, this is quite a satisfying read.
The Afterward is told in alternating POVs and timelines; we see bits and pieces of the grand quest interspersed with the extended epilogue storyline. Personally, I'm a big fan of falling action, so having a whole book primarily centered on falling action was like a personalized gift. I liked the flashback quest scenes to give context, but TBH could have done with less action in the "present-day" timeline-- the focus on the characters and their relationships were honestly of more interest than the sudden heroic mission.
The main conflict is the seemingly doomed romance between knight-in-training Kalanthe and street thief Olsa that developed before the book begins, while they were questing together. They both knew that Kalanthe would need to marry, but since they might die on the quest anyway, why not explore their feelings for each other? But they didn't die, and now they're facing down futures without each other in it.
Olsa blinked rapidly, driving away the forming tears before they could fill her eyes. She was done weeping for Kalanthe Ironheart and the life they could not have. It had been a wonderful dream, the best dream, but it was over now. (163)
Kalanthe, a lesbian, is far too honorable to disrespect a husband by straying-- in fact, she is honorable to a fault. She seems to have prepared herself so thoroughly for a dissatisfying future, that she has come to believe she doesn't deserve a satisfying one, much less a happy one. Olsa, meanwhile, is poor, uneducated, and used to being brushed aside and relegated to the shadows. Without the promise of a future with Kalanthe, she can't imagine a place for herself anywhere other than where she's always been. So she returns to thieving. Basically, they just saved the world, but are now miserably trying to return to "normal life" and follow the paths that society has laid out for them.
What I found most interesting about The Afterward is its focus on societal expectations and the constraints of class. Kalanthe, noble but not wealthy, must marry in order to pay off her debt for knight training. Olsa, born poor and disenfranchised, doesn't have the means to try and better her situation, even after saving the world. This is partially because the friends in high places that Olsa made along the way don't understand her situation enough to realize what she needs. Just because Kalanthe and Olsa are heroes doesn't suddenly mean that all their problems disappear.
This book also has an incredible amount of representation. Women are so incredibly centered in the story-- the entire questing squad is female, other than the token male mage. Almost every side character is female as well, from the helpful scholar to the villainous mage to the sea captain to the inn worker. It was so refreshing to see so many diverse female characters, without any sort of remarks about it-- the representation is casual and un-noteworthy in the world of the story. However, the fact that the characters were women wasn't inconsequential: there is discussion of the complications of menstruation and long hair for lady knights; one character wears a hijab-esque headscarf, for which she has experienced some discrimination; lesbian relationships are not surprising, but the matter of heirs means that hetero marriages are still sometimes necessary. Olsa, among other characters, is described as dark-skinned, with curly hair that must be tightly braided. Kalanthe is lighter, but still dark-skinned, with dark hair. A significant side-character is transgender. Olsa is described on-page as bisexual (with a reference to the term not being limited to only binary genders). Several characters are disabled or disfigured (saving the world's a dangerous job). The whole cast in general is very inclusive.
"The kids I ran around with always said I was confused because I dressed as both a girl and a boy," she said. "But I don't think that's how it works. I like who I like, regardless of what I'm wearing." (223)
The Afterward is definitely a slower-paced book, with greater emphasis on character development and relationships than on action. Still, I was never bored, and became quite invested in the characters' lives. The exploration of society was interesting, and also quite funny at times (elitist academics get torn a new one). My only complaint is that I think the book could have been longer and delved even more into the world-building and dissection of societal mores. Overall, though, this is quite a satisfying read.
ren_dragon's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
books4days's review
4.0
Told as a series of flashbacks to "Before," when a group of knights, a mage, and a thief managed to destroy the Old God, and "After," which finds all members of the group prospering well enough -- except Olsa, the thief, who finds she must still live on the street and steal to make a living, The Afterward is a story about what happens AFTER the epic battle has been won, but fame doesn't pay your rent. Olsa tries to deal with her post-quest life as a well-known figure, but finds it hard to break the law with such a famous face. Additionally, Olsa's dealing with her feelings for Kalanthe, a trainee knight indebted to pay for her own training and destined to make a marriage for money to pay off her debt. Though they love each other, what future is there for a knight and a thief?
This book is positively RIFE with diversity and representation-- first of all, the entire group of knights is female, and of the entire main quest group, half of them are women of color and queer women. Add to that one woman who wears a headscarf and one who suffers from PTSD, as well as great messages about interacting with people from other cultures (don't appropriate others' cultures! make the effort to pronounce someone's name correctly!), and you've got a good recipe for an inclusive book. It's a new spin on some classic sword-and-sorcery tropes, and I really enjoyed it, especially it's Alanna-esque vibes when discussing Kalanthe's training (really, the whole thing felt like it was very loosely inspired by Tamora Pierce, though I don't think that was the primary influence).
Just two small quibbles: I wanted to see more romantic backstory, and I felt like the main problems got resolved slightly too easily; however, the latter may be because I wanted just a bit more melodrama. :P
This book is positively RIFE with diversity and representation-- first of all, the entire group of knights is female, and of the entire main quest group, half of them are women of color and queer women. Add to that one woman who wears a headscarf and one who suffers from PTSD, as well as great messages about interacting with people from other cultures (don't appropriate others' cultures! make the effort to pronounce someone's name correctly!), and you've got a good recipe for an inclusive book. It's a new spin on some classic sword-and-sorcery tropes, and I really enjoyed it, especially it's Alanna-esque vibes when discussing Kalanthe's training (really, the whole thing felt like it was very loosely inspired by Tamora Pierce, though I don't think that was the primary influence).
Spoiler
Also, I loved the want/need in the scene where Kalanthe is talking to gem-holding Olsa!Just two small quibbles: I wanted to see more romantic backstory, and I felt like the main problems got resolved slightly too easily; however, the latter may be because I wanted just a bit more melodrama. :P
raygina's review
3.0
Overall I liked it. I'm not a fan of before and after parts in the same book, so I'd probably have enjoyed a book that was the before and the after. I saw someone answered a question about this book by describing it as a loose retelling of a David Eddings series. I didn't really see that in this book. If there was a sequel or another book in this world, I'd read it.
nerfherder86's review
5.0
This is a great high fantasy adventure novel with a diverse cast, and an interesting format. We follow two timelines, alternating between first- and third-person narration: the "Before" story of a knightly quest to stop an evil Old God from wreaking havoc, and the "After" of what happens to the seven questers after they return from their journey as famous heroes. Four knights, all women, travel with a Mage (male), an apprentice knight, and a thief in order to accomplish their mission, and during the journey the 6 women all form close bonds of friendship that will serve them well later, especially Kalanthe the apprentice and Olsa the thief, who become more than friends. But their romance is tested by differences in class and financial circumstance, and especially the looming certainty that Kalanthe will have to marry a wealthy man in order to pay off her debts from knight training. They're going to need all their skills and courage when a new mission is called for.
I was a little put off by the back-and-forthing of the two timelines (I personally tend to prefer straight linear narratives), because I kept forgetting which of the two narrators we were getting at any given point, until I had read far enough along to be sure. (Each of the two characters was used in both first and third person, so it wasn't like all the "I"s were one girl and the "She"s were the other.) It was definitely a sophisticated way to write a story, and I admire that. But I really enjoyed immersing myself in this world of magic and honor, full of strong accomplished women dedicated to their calling as knights. Even the palace and city guards and other authority figures, typically roles held by men, were female in this story, which was quite refreshing. A terrific book to give to fans of Cinda Williams Chima, Tamora Pierce, and Kristin Cashore fantasy novels, or anyone looking for a good lesbian romance in a fantasy setting.
I read an advance reader copy of this book via the YALSA Teens Top Ten program.
I was a little put off by the back-and-forthing of the two timelines (I personally tend to prefer straight linear narratives), because I kept forgetting which of the two narrators we were getting at any given point, until I had read far enough along to be sure. (Each of the two characters was used in both first and third person, so it wasn't like all the "I"s were one girl and the "She"s were the other.) It was definitely a sophisticated way to write a story, and I admire that. But I really enjoyed immersing myself in this world of magic and honor, full of strong accomplished women dedicated to their calling as knights. Even the palace and city guards and other authority figures, typically roles held by men, were female in this story, which was quite refreshing. A terrific book to give to fans of Cinda Williams Chima, Tamora Pierce, and Kristin Cashore fantasy novels, or anyone looking for a good lesbian romance in a fantasy setting.
I read an advance reader copy of this book via the YALSA Teens Top Ten program.