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A review by hdbblog
After the Flood by Kassandra Montag
3.0
Being the first book that I’ve picked up in about two weeks, After The Flood had a pretty high bar set for it. I’ve been so busy with school work that reading for pleasure has fallen by the wayside. I made time for this book though, and I’m glad that I did. It’s been a while since I really dove into dystopian world, and it felt pretty good. This book is a little rough around the edges, but I had a good time reading my way through it.
Let’s start with the good. The first few chapters of this book are pure enjoyment. I was captivated by this new world, covered in water, where people fought to survive on what little land was left. The fact that Myra’s grandfather built a boat in their attic fascinated me. This is why I love books like this, because they make my imagination work overtime. It’s both terrifying and enjoyable to think about how I would do in a situation like this. As it stands, Myra was doing a pretty amazing job.
Which is why it pained me to eventually start to feel nothing but annoyance to Myra. I tried valiantly to remember that this post-apocalyptic world was rough, and would whittle people down over time. The problem was that Myra was just selfish, plain and simple. I can forgive selfishness for means of survival. I can forgive it if eventually the character learns from it. Myra just felt so self-absorbed, even after she began to feel like she had found a “family”. I couldn’t forgive her for that. In fact, none of the characters really ever felt like people I could love. It’s tough to root for character surivial when you don’t feel connected.
My other issue was that there are portions of this book that feel like they dragged. The story would pick up when the crew of the Sedna reached land, or narrowly missed being killed, and then it would be right back to day to day life on the new sea. The concept of a woman who, despite anything standing in her way, would fight to look for her daughter was amazing. The execution of that concept didn’t quite pan out. I wanted more action, and honestly more real connection.
So, long story short, this book and I parted ways with a three star rating. The story was good. Solid even. Myra’s quest to find her daughter will resonate with a lot of parents out there, who would also do anything for their children. This just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.
Let’s start with the good. The first few chapters of this book are pure enjoyment. I was captivated by this new world, covered in water, where people fought to survive on what little land was left. The fact that Myra’s grandfather built a boat in their attic fascinated me. This is why I love books like this, because they make my imagination work overtime. It’s both terrifying and enjoyable to think about how I would do in a situation like this. As it stands, Myra was doing a pretty amazing job.
Which is why it pained me to eventually start to feel nothing but annoyance to Myra. I tried valiantly to remember that this post-apocalyptic world was rough, and would whittle people down over time. The problem was that Myra was just selfish, plain and simple. I can forgive selfishness for means of survival. I can forgive it if eventually the character learns from it. Myra just felt so self-absorbed, even after she began to feel like she had found a “family”. I couldn’t forgive her for that. In fact, none of the characters really ever felt like people I could love. It’s tough to root for character surivial when you don’t feel connected.
My other issue was that there are portions of this book that feel like they dragged. The story would pick up when the crew of the Sedna reached land, or narrowly missed being killed, and then it would be right back to day to day life on the new sea. The concept of a woman who, despite anything standing in her way, would fight to look for her daughter was amazing. The execution of that concept didn’t quite pan out. I wanted more action, and honestly more real connection.
So, long story short, this book and I parted ways with a three star rating. The story was good. Solid even. Myra’s quest to find her daughter will resonate with a lot of parents out there, who would also do anything for their children. This just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.