After Life
Age 16 +
16 January 2025Imprint: Hot Key Books
Synopsis
THE EXTRAORDINARY NEW YA NOVEL FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF IF I STAY, GAYLE FORMAN.
'Gayle Forman reigns as the queen of breaking hearts with a touch of magic'
- Adam Silvera, author of They Both Die at the End
One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It's just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber's mom sees her, she screams. Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she's inexplicably riding now.
This return doesn't only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber's estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber's friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone's turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?
This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity.
'Gayle Forman reigns as the queen of breaking hearts with a touch of magic'
- Adam Silvera, author of They Both Die at the End
One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It's just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber's mom sees her, she screams. Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she's inexplicably riding now.
This return doesn't only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber's estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber's friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone's turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?
This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity.
Details
16 January 2025272 pages
9781471418310Imprint: Hot Key Books
Reviews
Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay, returns to magical realism with her latest novel, After Life, which weaves various stories together as Amber struggles to make sense of her new existence - it's as much a tangled small-town drama as it is an exploration of grief and death. The ending may feel like a cop-out for some readers, though it's very much in line with Forman's previous work; if you prioritise feelings over worldbuilding then it will leave you in an undignified sobbing heap on the floor, as the best books often do.Irish Times
A very powerful and thought-provoking novel, exploring ideas around grief, love and how one person can affect others in varying ways.Reading Zone
After Life is a story capturing a poignant moment in time in the lives of a grieving family and those connected to them. It is an enthralling tale that keeps you guessing until almost the very last page.School Reading List
A brilliantly imaginative and believable 'what if ?' story which leaves YA readers with comfort and hope.The Jewish Chronicle