After the Fall

Kate Hart — 2018

A YA debut about a teen girl who wrestles with rumors, reputation, and her relationships with two brothers. Seventeen-year-old Raychel is sleeping with two boys: her overachieving best friend Matt...and his slacker brother, Andrew. Raychel sneaks into Matt’s bed after nightmares, but nothing ever happens. He doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a girl, except when he decides she needs rescuing. But Raychel doesn't want to be his girl anyway. She just needs his support as she deals with the classmate who assaulted her, the constant threat of her family’s eviction, and the dream of college slipping quickly out of reach. Matt tries to help, but he doesn’t really get it... and he’d never understand why she’s fallen into a secret relationship with his brother. The friendships are a precarious balance, and when tragedy strikes, everything falls apart. Raychel has to decide which pieces she can pick up – and which ones are worth putting back together. Praise for After the Fall: "Raychel's interactions with Carson raise important questions about what it means to consent to sexual activity." ?Kirkus "Thought-provoking moments regarding such issues as female sexuality, racial microaggressions, and class differences add depth to the characters. Recommend to fans of character-driven novels such as Sara Zarr’s How to Save a Life (2011) or Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places (2015)." —Booklist "[H]art does a good job of handling her ambitious plot...Like Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak and Courtney Summers’s All the Rage, this is an important novel for teens and adults to discuss together." —School Library Journal "This memorable debut novel is told in the alternating perspectives of Raychel and Matt. Both characters are very well portrayed as complex characters with strengths and weaknesses. The supporting cast is also well developed, with most characters avoiding the trap of falling into mere stereotypes...This would be an excellent addition to most high school libraries." —VOYA, starred review "In her remarkably crafted and unforgettable debut, Kate Hart proves herself a force to be reckoned with. After the Fall is a beautiful and brutal exploration of love, feminism, consent and identity; of who we are, who we think we are—and who we have the potential to be. Everyone should read this book." —Courtney Summers, author of All the Rage and This is Not a Test "In After the Fall, Kate Hart will give words to girls who need them, and open the eyes of boys who need them, too." —E.K. Johnston, author of Exit, Pursued By A Bear, A Thousand Nights, and Star Wars: Ashoka "Achingly real characters navigate the complexities of their everyday lives in After the Fall, an honest tale about love, lust, friendship, and the lines in between." —Mindy McGinnis, author of The Female of the Species and Not a Drop to Drink "In her gorgeous and unflinching debut, Hart brilliantly unwinds the many facets of consent and entitlement, and the tragic ways these dynamics can play out, even among friends. Both heartbreaking and heartbreakingly relevant, After the Fall is a must-read." —Stephanie Kuehn, author of the Morris-Award-winning Charm & Strange

Reviews

Tiffany Engler@tiffanygiovino

Oct 17, 2021

Overall Rating: ☆☆☆ 3.5/5 Stars. So I picked this book up due to the fact that it discusses rape. It would have gotten a higher rating from me if there was more justice in this book other than Carson getting his butt kicked. The synopsis states that Raychel is sleeping with two brothers. Matt and Andrew. But, she doesn't really sleep with both. She only really snuck into Matt's room once in this book. It stated that she did previously when they were younger due to nightmares. But she only did it once. I feel like this book's synopsis kind of tricks you there. But all-in-all, I really enjoyed this book. It touched on many sensitive topics that should be taught to younger audiences. Plot Rating: ☆☆ I just really wish there were things I could change in this book. I liked the idea of everything. But I don't like the way it was executed. More than half of the book happens before the fall. Which I was actually shocked that the fall was in regards to someone that wasn't Raychel, the main character. I just really liked the story before the fall than after the fall. But, before the fall wasn't as depressing as after. But also, that plot twist about the fall actually being a fall. I cried. I wasn't expecting that at all even though it basically tells you in the title. Character Rating: ☆☆☆ So I really liked Raychel. She's a young woman stuck in a situation she's trying so hard to get out of. She grew up poor and had to work to save up for college. She's a young woman with dreams and plans. She's such a relatable character. Andrew is my favorite. Even though he can be a dick sometimes. But he's not afraid to go after what he wants and I really admired that of him. I hated Matt. He's the most inconsiderate boy ever. He's annoying and he's a whiny baby. I was not a fan of him at all. Team Andrew all the way. Matt's family, I really liked them before the fall. But after? Hated them. They shut Raychel out like she was nothing to them. Terrible people. All of the side characters were pretty amazing. Minus Carson. Everyone really had a great personality even if their part in the book was small. Romance Rating: ☆☆ As soon as the romance starts, it ends. I can see how it's a problem for this book. But I feel like KH should have let Raychel and Andrew get together a lot sooner than they did. Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆ I really enjoyed KH's writing style. I like that there weren't any chapters. I enjoyed two perspectives. I would have loved to have Andrew's perspective too. I like how it's in two parts: before the fall and after the fall. After The Fall was an extremely quick read and that's due to how she has written this book. It's a unique concept that I hope to see more of in the future.

Emily C Peterson@etrigg

Oct 22, 2021

Léa@lea_n

Sep 26, 2021