A review by avalydia
After the Fall by Kate Hart
4.0
More like 3.5.
This book was right up my alley and also eerily similar to a story I once wrote. Partly because of that story, I went into this one assuming Raychel would end up with Matt.
I'm still not quite sure I understand why she didn't. There were definitely hints at the beginning that she was attracted to Matt, hoping he would make a move, and leaning towards Andrew because she thought she couldn't have Matt. But then after Andrew died, she completely lost interest in Matt, and the conclusion seemed to be that he was an asshole for never asking her what she wanted (except he had planned to ask her the day Andrew died)? And then at the end he finally asked her for her side of the story and she told him about Carson, but she had definitely already done that earlier on the book?
Also, the more I think about it, Andrew never really had much substance as a character - he was just everything that Matt was not, and somehow oddly sensitive when Raychel and the plot needed him to be. (I should note that I didn't think Matt was particularly sensitive/aware, either.) It was sad when he died because Raychel and Matt's grief felt so raw and real, but I didn't mourn him as a character.
I did like that, towards the end, Raychel started forming closer bonds with her female friends. That was a nice touch and something that isn't focused on too often in other YA books I've read.
Anyway, despite my dissatisfaction with the resolution, I enjoyed reading this right up until the end, and the writing was quite good.
This book was right up my alley and also eerily similar to a story I once wrote. Partly because of that story, I went into this one assuming Raychel would end up with Matt.
I'm still not quite sure I understand why she didn't. There were definitely hints at the beginning that she was attracted to Matt, hoping he would make a move, and leaning towards Andrew because she thought she couldn't have Matt. But then after Andrew died, she completely lost interest in Matt, and the conclusion seemed to be that he was an asshole for never asking her what she wanted (except he had planned to ask her the day Andrew died)? And then at the end he finally asked her for her side of the story and she told him about Carson, but she had definitely already done that earlier on the book?
Also, the more I think about it, Andrew never really had much substance as a character - he was just everything that Matt was not, and somehow oddly sensitive when Raychel and the plot needed him to be. (I should note that I didn't think Matt was particularly sensitive/aware, either.) It was sad when he died because Raychel and Matt's grief felt so raw and real, but I didn't mourn him as a character.
I did like that, towards the end, Raychel started forming closer bonds with her female friends. That was a nice touch and something that isn't focused on too often in other YA books I've read.
Anyway, despite my dissatisfaction with the resolution, I enjoyed reading this right up until the end, and the writing was quite good.