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OLDER FICTION
Forman, Gayle

After Life

272 pp. | HarperCollins/Quill Tree | January, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9780063346147 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 9780063346161 $11.99
(2) YA Seven years have passed since seventeen-year-old Amber died in a hit-and-run bicycle accident, so it's a shock when she walks into her house one afternoon and learns about what happened. She finds that everything has changed in ways for which she feels responsible: she believes her death ruined her parents' marriage, her mother and aunt's relationship, and her boyfriend's future. But is Amber really back? Why now? And does she deserve to be back? Despite Amber's shortcomings in life as a sister and friend, her younger sister, Melissa, is not that surprised by Amber's return, since she's been speaking to her all along: "Memory and love and belief can keep a person around long after they're gone." Helping Amber's loved ones have faith in this idea as they continue to grieve their loss becomes Amber's purpose. Forman's (If I Stay, rev. 7/09) emotion-filled novel grapples with philosophical and religious questions about life and death, and, while it ultimately doesn't answer all of them, it's also full of surprises, twists, and hope that will keep readers engaged. Chapters alternate between Amber's compelling first-person narration and significant, related flashbacks via secondary characters. Among those are several non-family members whose lives were also profoundly affected by Amber's death. The story lines converge at the end as the mystery surrounding the hit-and-run is finally resolved and the reunion of those closest to her brings Amber the peace of knowing that, when she moves on, "my whole family is going to be all right."
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

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