Book Review: The Afterwards by A.F. Harrold (Illustrations), Emily Gravett (Illustrations)

Bloomsbury Children’s Books
TBP: March 19, 2019
208 Pages

Ember and Ness are best friends, completely inseparable. Ember can’t imagine what life would be without Ness. Until Ness dies, in a most sudden and unexpected way. Ember feels completely empty. How can this even be real?

Then Ember finds a way into the afterworld-a place where the recently dead reside. She knows there must be a way to bring Ness back, so she decides to find it. Because that’s what friends do: rescue each other. But the afterworld holds its own dangers. How far will Ember go to make things the way they were again?

Paired with enchanting illustrations from Emily Gravett, A. F. Harrold’s powerfully woven tale explores the lengths we go to for the people we love. -Goodreads

This book was generally hard for me because I recently experienced a death in my family that is taking time to find peace with. I began this book knowing what it was about but not fully understanding that it will come with some emotional investment.

You feel for Ember. You feel for Ember because she is anyone that ever wanted someone to come back. It isn’t that Ember doesn’t understand death, because she does. When she finds that there is a way to bring Ness back, she won’t accept death and that makes the difference with how the book is presented.

There are two parts within this novel that chocked me up. The beginning and towards the end. In the beginning you are in the present looking back. At no point within the novel do you feel that you are looking back in the past. You know you are but the author did a fantastic job making you feel as if everything happening is in the present that you forget what happened in the beginning until the end.

The end . . . I can’t say much because it would give away so much. But what I can say is Ember has one of the best character developments I have seen in quiet awhile. I am extremely glad that she keeps her innocence. She doesn’t let what has happened change her in a way where she is no longer the same person. She changes yes but she isn’t 13 going on 30. I appreciated that on so many levels.

The pace of the novel was fantastic. You are invested within the novel because of the emotional aspect of it and that is more than enough to keep you going. At no point did I feel the book was moving too slow or there wasn’t enough going on. The illustrations matched the feel of the each chapter and if you are a crier you will.

Ember deals with a lot within this novel and it isn’t just the death of Ness that does it. The afterward shows her something that she didn’t know she wanted and how she handles it, makes you wonder where she gets the strength from.

Is this a hard read for a child as in too sad? Maybe; it depends on the child. But as an adult I can see this as a book to help children letting go.

Overall,

3 Pickles

Book Review: The Song From Somewhere Else by A.F. Harrold, Levi Pinfold (Illustrator)

Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Published Nov. 10, 2016
216 Pages

Frank doesn’t know how to feel when Nick Underbridge rescues her from bullies one afternoon. No one likes Nick. He’s big, he’s weird and he smells – or so everyone in Frank’s class thinks.

And yet, there’s something nice about Nick’s house. There’s strange music playing there, and it feels light and good and makes Frank feel happy for the first time in forever.

But there’s more to Nick, and to his house, than meets the eye, and soon Frank realises she isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Or the only one who needs help …-Goodreads

This will be a short review and mainly because I am not sure how I feel about this book. To begin this book was not what you think it is. Although I would consider this a coming of age story it isn’t a typical coming of age story. Frank is a difficult character to love. I say that because there was no real personality to her. She was a very shy girl that was being bullied and cared  a lot about her reputation. But beyond that there was not a lot to her. I couldn’t say she was strong, noisy a bit but she was truthful as much as she could has been. She was very unsure of herself but there was some growth, especially towards the end, which is why I consider this a coming of age story.

However, what shifted in this book was the magical element. It came out of nowhere…nothing lead up to it. I liked that aspect of the book. But I didn’t feel that the magic was the best route for this book. I am not the author, obviously, therefore, I had no right to say that but something was off, maybe misplaced about Nick and his secrets. Maybe it was Frank and the lack of life she brought to the book. I am not exactly sure.

But the entire book felt monotone and it was slow; even when thing were happening. I love this author but this was not the strongest book.

Overall,

2 Pickles