After the End (After the End #1)Author: Amy Plum
Publisher: HarperTeen, 352 pages
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
From Goodreads:
World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.
At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.
When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.
Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.
Review:
I loved this book and here's why:
1. Juneau is such a strong character. She knows how to hunt, make a fire, fight, etc. She also never loses sight of her mission and even though she's overwhelmed with the modern-day world, she figures things out and adapts.
2. I also liked Miles, although at first he's a jerk. He's soft, spoiled, and used to getting what he wants. I actually loved the contrast between Miles and Juneau because it was so different. He practically throws up when Juneau hunts and kills a rabbit and skins it right in front of him (he calls her a bunny murderer). Such a refreshing change to have the guy be helpless in the wilderness, you definitely don't see that often. I enjoyed them both being suspicious of each other, but needing each other at the same time. Juneau knows she can't trust him, and at first she thinks he's an idiot, and Miles basically thinks she's crazy. But that changes and I loved the evolution of their relationship.
3. The plot. Having this group of people living in isolation and keeping all of these secrets and Juneau gradually putting together the pieces of why. Fascinating. There's a road trip, survival in the wilderness, bickering, and different groups chasing them.
Yes, it ends abruptly with a cliffhanger, but other than that I have no complaints. I can't wait until the next one. Enjoyed this one immensely!
Posted by: Pam
I'm glad you enjoyed this one! I didn't enjoy it that much unfortunately. I just had a really hard time connecting with the characters I think. And the ending was way too abrupt for me. But this just goes to show that books are very subjective and that's what I love about them. :)
ReplyDeleteI am glad you liked this one! I really like that the boy is the helpless one!! I might try to grab this one at BEA :)
ReplyDeleteI actually hadn't really paid much attention to this one, but you make it sound great! I do like the dynamic of a girl who has survival skills and the boy who doesn't. But I'm getting a little exhausted from all these new series with cliffhangers. I think I'll wait for the next one to invest. But thanks for making me take notice of this!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see you enjoyed this one. I didn't enjoy anywhere near as much if I'm honest. I was a little bored at times as I felt the story was dragged out. It doesn't feel like a story that requires being a series. Plus, that end is way too abrupt for me. I'll be excited for your review of the sequel when there is one.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this one. It does sounds interesting. I love that the main character is so self-sufficient. I also adore that cover so pretty. Thanks for the heads-up about the cliffhanger. I might wait to start this series. Great review!
ReplyDeleteOoh this sounds so cool! I enjoyed Amy Plum's first series, so I was curious about After the End, but I'm super interested after your description of Juneau. She sounds like an awesome character!
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