Francis Chalifour's After is a fictional account of the year after a father commits suicide.
It is not a book I would have chosen to read, had it not been a nominee for next year's Willow Awards.
I don't care for sad books. I don't quite understand the tremendous appeal of Lurlene McDaniel's writing to teenage girls. Perhaps they have not yet encountered their quota of sadness in their own lives, so they must live vicariously.
I, myself, choose to encounter sadness on any level, as rarely as is possible.
But, as it was for my work, I was willing to make the sacrifice.
By the end of this book, however, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The main character of After is fifteen-year Francis, and he is coping with growing up as best he can. Like many young men his age, Francis hates to be different, and, as "the kid with the dead dad", he finds himself always different. On top of that, his dad killed himself, so he is also "the kid with the crazy dead dad." Even worse.
There are absolutely heart-wrenching moments, like when Francis encounters his first breakup with a girl. Francis longs for his father's presence in order to "ask him what you're supposed to do when you're in love with a girl who is so clearly, cruelly, not in love with you".
Also, for a brief moment near the end of the book, Francis gets it in his mind that he will see his father again, so he composes a list of questions he must ask when he does. The list includes (among others) "How did you know you had fallen in love with Maman?", "Were you popular in school?" and "Were you proud of me?" I cried when I read that list of questions. How many of us have wanted to ask those types of questions of our parents?
The book is a tender, heartfelt account of grief. Many times, I forgot how Francis's father passed away, as it is the grief itself the book focuses on: the denial, the anger, the eventual acceptance.
The book vividly portrays those moments when Francis feels he cannot go on, but go on he must, for his mother and his five-year-old brother Luc depend on him. More than once he declares that he will not betray their trust, like his father betrayed Francis's.
After also accurately shows how time heals grief, and, at the end of the book, hope shines on, and we all know that Francis, Maman, and Luc will survive. The gradual retreat of the fog of Francis's grief would be a powerful one for any teenager to read about, but especially one who has experienced a loss.
It is not a book I would have chosen to read, had it not been a nominee for next year's Willow Awards.
I don't care for sad books. I don't quite understand the tremendous appeal of Lurlene McDaniel's writing to teenage girls. Perhaps they have not yet encountered their quota of sadness in their own lives, so they must live vicariously.
I, myself, choose to encounter sadness on any level, as rarely as is possible.
But, as it was for my work, I was willing to make the sacrifice.
By the end of this book, however, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The main character of After is fifteen-year Francis, and he is coping with growing up as best he can. Like many young men his age, Francis hates to be different, and, as "the kid with the dead dad", he finds himself always different. On top of that, his dad killed himself, so he is also "the kid with the crazy dead dad." Even worse.
There are absolutely heart-wrenching moments, like when Francis encounters his first breakup with a girl. Francis longs for his father's presence in order to "ask him what you're supposed to do when you're in love with a girl who is so clearly, cruelly, not in love with you".
Also, for a brief moment near the end of the book, Francis gets it in his mind that he will see his father again, so he composes a list of questions he must ask when he does. The list includes (among others) "How did you know you had fallen in love with Maman?", "Were you popular in school?" and "Were you proud of me?" I cried when I read that list of questions. How many of us have wanted to ask those types of questions of our parents?
The book is a tender, heartfelt account of grief. Many times, I forgot how Francis's father passed away, as it is the grief itself the book focuses on: the denial, the anger, the eventual acceptance.
The book vividly portrays those moments when Francis feels he cannot go on, but go on he must, for his mother and his five-year-old brother Luc depend on him. More than once he declares that he will not betray their trust, like his father betrayed Francis's.
After also accurately shows how time heals grief, and, at the end of the book, hope shines on, and we all know that Francis, Maman, and Luc will survive. The gradual retreat of the fog of Francis's grief would be a powerful one for any teenager to read about, but especially one who has experienced a loss.
13 comments:
sounds like a sad book
Parts of it are really sad, Katy, but there are also some wonderful scenes of hope.
I applaud your courage for reading this book, LM.
I'm like you too...and try to avoid the painfully tragic...especially suicide which always holds an incomprehensible sadness.
I like the cover though.
I too choose to avoid sad books, but I might check this one out after your post. Tuesday with Morrie was another sad book that was actually a good read.
Susan - I know. The main character goes through huge feelings of guilt as well as grief because of his father's suicide.
Turtle - I've heard good things about Tuesdays with Morrie. I loved Albom's For One More Day, but it too was sad; actually more touching than sad.
Word verification: fstzo
How does the computer know I had an extra helping of pasta at supper?
Sounds like a very sad book, but also one that would be valuable for teenagers to read. It would help them have more compassion for kids going through issues like the one in the book.
LM, I wonder if those feelings ever get resolved in the end. The best thing a person left behind can do is to collect a peace from a necessary closure.
Suicide - one of the darker modes of eternity.
Pissy - I think it would be really valuable. Unfortunately, though, books like that attract girls, and I think boys would benefit even more.
Susan - Hey, you have a new name. How did that happen?
Yes, I do feel that Francis resolves his feelings of guilt. Actually, more accurately, I think time and experience resolve his guilt.
Hmmm...maybe Cryptic should read this? I will read it first. Sounds like a good read. I cry over pretty much anything and I am sure this will be hard, but maybe good or healing for me in some way. My parents have sent ideas for books for the kids to read to help them deal with my brother's death, but I am still in such shock and denial that I have not done much about it...maybe I should get on that!
can som1 plz list me the main events of this book so i can make a plot graph for my school project
Thanx in advance
Hmm, Anon, maybe you should read the book. Then you could make your plot graph more easily.
i read it but like i aint to sure
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