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A review by hanrutous16
After The Fire by Will Hill
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a book for young adults. Therefore as a mid-thirties reader, there are elements of it that felt a little childish, or unrealistic. Some of those elements are the reason it didn’t get 5 full stars.
But none of them detract from the beauty that is this novel. Moonbeam survives the End Times of her cult and she, along with multiple other children, are taken to a secure psychiatric unit to process their experiences.
This is my first complaint. The locking in of children, the lack of activities (one therapy session and one group session a day and the rest of the time locked up in a small room) felt very wrong, especially considering where they had come from. I don’t know enough about secure institutions to know if this is normal or not, but I was uncomfortable with the restrictions and lack of normality that they were asked to endure.
During her sessions with a psychiatrist, Moonbeam reveals her experiences, slowly and disjointedly. I actually really appreciated this narrative style as it felt realistic to what someone experiencing and reliving trauma would be like. I felt like the sessions were a little forced on paper but they were an excellent structure to reveal, and to keep the reader aware of the extent of, the horrors Moonbeam witnessed and participated in.
They are joined by an FBI agent. Whilst he is an entirely loveable character, this again felt very anti-recovery and doctor-patient privilege. Even when taken from the compound… sorry, base, Moonbeam is still not protected to the extent that she deserves.
Other than that, the story is fantastic. The creation of the cult around some Christian and some self-developed principles is very clever. The atmosphere of fear, the indoctrination of the children and the chokehold of power were all well developed and expressed thoroughly. I found Moonbeam frustrating at times, but overall her role as the older child, her position as a thinker and her independence all created a believable and troubled character. Her interactions with the other children were thought provoking, and whilst her understanding of therapy was far too advance for someone who hadn’t even watched TV or had lessons in many years, she was an excellent protagonist. And no awkward romance (just a standard crush)! What a relief.
Overall this was an addictive and really enjoyable read.
But none of them detract from the beauty that is this novel. Moonbeam survives the End Times of her cult and she, along with multiple other children, are taken to a secure psychiatric unit to process their experiences.
This is my first complaint. The locking in of children, the lack of activities (one therapy session and one group session a day and the rest of the time locked up in a small room) felt very wrong, especially considering where they had come from. I don’t know enough about secure institutions to know if this is normal or not, but I was uncomfortable with the restrictions and lack of normality that they were asked to endure.
During her sessions with a psychiatrist, Moonbeam reveals her experiences, slowly and disjointedly. I actually really appreciated this narrative style as it felt realistic to what someone experiencing and reliving trauma would be like. I felt like the sessions were a little forced on paper but they were an excellent structure to reveal, and to keep the reader aware of the extent of, the horrors Moonbeam witnessed and participated in.
They are joined by an FBI agent. Whilst he is an entirely loveable character, this again felt very anti-recovery and doctor-patient privilege. Even when taken from the compound… sorry, base, Moonbeam is still not protected to the extent that she deserves.
Other than that, the story is fantastic. The creation of the cult around some Christian and some self-developed principles is very clever. The atmosphere of fear, the indoctrination of the children and the chokehold of power were all well developed and expressed thoroughly. I found Moonbeam frustrating at times, but overall her role as the older child, her position as a thinker and her independence all created a believable and troubled character. Her interactions with the other children were thought provoking, and whilst her understanding of therapy was far too advance for someone who hadn’t even watched TV or had lessons in many years, she was an excellent protagonist. And no awkward romance (just a standard crush)! What a relief.
Overall this was an addictive and really enjoyable read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury