After Life
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 4/5
Gayle Forman’s After Life is a hauntingly introspective novel that examines grief, identity, and the profound interconnectedness of human lives. It is a story that does not merely explore loss but dissects the ways it lingers—how it shapes those left behind and alters even the most fleeting relationships.
At the centre of the novel is Amber, a girl caught between two worlds—one she left behind in death and the one she has inexplicably returned to. Her journey is not just about understanding why she has been given a second chance but also confronting the reality of who she was. Forman paints her as neither an idealised nor a tragic figure; Amber is flawed, introspective, and searching for meaning in a world that has moved on without her.
Melissa, Amber’s sister, offers a stark contrast. She has grown up in Amber’s absence, and her grief has shaped her in ways that make her wary of her emotions. The family dynamic is fraught with unspoken words and unresolved pain, and Forman allows these tensions to simmer rather than forcing resolution. The estranged parents, whose grief has divided them, embody different aspects of mourning—one clinging to the past, the other struggling to move forward.
Beyond the immediate family, the novel expands its focus to the broader impact of Amber’s life and death. Forman skillfully introduces characters who knew Amber in passing—friends, a former boyfriend, even strangers—each carrying a fragment of her memory, altered by the weight of her absence. Their perspectives offer a mosaic of grief, showing how loss ripples outward in unexpected ways.
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