Word Out 2014

After the End by Amy Plum

Reviewed by Ishanee

When I first started reading After the End, I was afraid it would be just another generic YA dystopian fiction novel, a genre that has become increasingly popular in recent years. As I kept reading, I was pleasantly surprised. Juneau believes she is one of the few survivors of a nuclear war that destroyed Earth as we know it today, and is a part of a community of survivors that live off the Alaskan land. Very early on, the rest of her tribe is abducted, and the events following this tragedy reveal that everything she knows is a lie: there was no nuclear war, the rest of the world is living on, business as per usual, and her way of life is based on deceit. The plot unravels as Juneau heads into the world to find her family and friends, making new friends, making peace with this new world, and rediscovering herself along the way.

All the characters in this novel are believable, and to some extent, relatable. The plot moves at a reasonable pace and, while at some points a little predictable, is still a fun read. I enjoyed finding out about Juneau’s paren'ts’ past and how their community’s isolation from the world came to be. The sci-fi aspect of the novel, The Yara, a life force connecting everything on earth, is a little iffy. While I like the idea of a spiritual connection between all life forms, it felt like the magic was used to solve plot problems as a quick fix at some points. It was nice to see Juneau battle the ever-present internal dilemma of questioning one’s faith –- does she believe in the Yara or not? If everything else she’s known is a lie, how can she know if that’s real? While this isn’t explicitly explored in the novel, the material is there for those of us who enjoy reading between the lines.

The blossoming romance between Juneau and Miles, the errant son of a wealthy pharmaceuticals CEO, was entertaining and interesting. It developed slowly, as the two went from being untrusting allies, to a loose friendship, to light romance. Although it felt a little forced at some points, it was overall enjoyable. Their dialogue was humourous and very entertaining; at some points, I was actually laughing out loud!

As well, Miles’ perspective provided insight into how our society views outsiders who don’t necessarily fit in. From Miles’ perspective, Amy Plum masterfully depicts Juneau as “Tarzan or something – raised by wolves in the deepest, darkest forest,” simply because they have differing beliefs and ways of life. At the same time, Juneau’s narrative as she navigates modern-day America provides a fresh perspective on our fast-paced, consumerist society without being preachy or reproachful.

While Plum could have gone deeper with some themes and some of the emotional material, the novel was a fast and easy read that delivered what it promised: a bit of action, a bit of romance, a little intrigue, and some good story-telling sprinkled with humour and great visual imagery. The only thing I truly disliked was the big cliffhanger at the end!