A review by lenin_lover_69
After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I've never read a MOF book before but I know a lot of people love her so was really excited. This book left me pretty cold, I'm going to try one of her later ones. 

I enjoyed the writing a lot more
after John dies and the writing about grief felt soooo much more authentic than anyhing prior to that.
The main character Alice unfortunately was giving borderline manic pixie dream girl/not like other girls and I'm extremely turned off about female characters for who the primary part of their personality is that they are hot and damaged and therefore men constantly fall in love with them in spite of a pretty unpleasant and annoying personality. The writing around
her and John falling in love and having sex made me cringe sooo much esp when they go to the lake district. Why does this adult man have the inner diallogue of a 12 year old seeing a naked woman for the first time!!!!!
.

I enjoyed the storyline that related to Alice's family much more on the whole, especially her maternal grandmother. 


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