What do readers think of Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton? Write your own review.

"Afterwards" was captivating from the beginning with lots of suspense. I loved this book because it never once gave away who did it and it told another story within that story of just how far a mother is willing to go to save her daughter.

It is hard to read this book without thinking of "The Lovely Bones", but I thought that this book worked very well even though some elements are similar.

In this book a mother and her daughter are hurt in a fire at a school, and while their bodies are in the hospital the mother follows her friends and relatives around to figure out what happened to them. While this is an unusual way to solve a mystery (although it has some common elements with "The Lovely Bones"), I found it to a compelling read. I very much enjoyed the solving of the mystery and by the end of the book I thought that the emotional twists also worked well without getting maudlin or sappy.

Moving at the speed of a runaway train, "Afterwards" propels the reader through an otherworld and a very real, painful reality brought about by an unthinkable act of destruction. Pulled by the emotional and physical thread invoked in her debut novel "Sister", Lupton brings home the truth that there are some bonds which can never be broken. Outstanding work....can be felt on a visceral level.

"I couldn't move, not even a little finger, or a flicker of an eye."
With this riveting opening sentence the journey begins on a wild ride of suspense, incredible plot twists, and convincing characters. This British author is sure to amass many fans in the U.S. This is a thriller based on everyday events. Superb!

A fan of Sister and Lupton's writing style, I really enjoyed reading this book. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 is that I felt the author spun the story of the investigation for too long. I loved that I couldn't figure out who did what for so long into the book; however, the beautifully constructed ending was reached at a bit of a point of exasperation on my part. It just took too long to get there in the out-of-body world she had created. Overall, great writing, character development and a story that made me care!

This is a well written thriller that takes you through the gamet of emotions of a family touched by tragedy. Although it has shades of The Lonely Bones, I actually found it more captivating. The strength of the mother keeps the story together but the ending has a surprising twist...I found this book to be engrossing and entertaining.

I very much enjoyed Rosamund Lupton’s first novel Sister which came out last year – a literary thriller which hooked me immediately. So I was expecting great things from her second novel! Afterwards’ paranormal exploration of a mother and daughter, both hospitalized and comatose, invisibly witnessing their friends, family, and police through out-of-body experiences during their attempts to find out who set the school fire was riveting once one commits to that suspension of belief. But the novel was excessive in length and the mother’s constant introspection was a bit too saccharine for my taste. It’s a good thing that the surprise twist in the ending redeemed the time spent slogging through some of the earlier parts!

An interesting and fresh twist on your typical whodunnit crime story. Lupton takes her reader on a fascinating ride into the supernatural as her ostensibly comatose female narrator attempts to solve an arson mystery which landed both her and her daughter in intensive care. Well-paced, vividly depicted and raising thought-provoking questions around the afterlife and the bond between parents and their children, this book was an easy and entertaining read. Recommended.