MS Review – The After – dystopian

​Book Title: THE AFTER by Joanne Taylor
Category:  Middle-Grade Fiction & YA Fiction (10 to 15 yrs old),  183 pages
Genre: Fictional Dystopian
Publisher:  FriesenPress
Release date:  October 2024
Content Rating: G. No swearing, drug use, sex scenes, violence (minimal)

“The After introduces an intrepid teenage heroine as she explores a changed world… this first series title lays ample groundwork for the coming volumes.” – Foreword Clarion Review

Despite the deadly virus that caused borders to close and governments to fall ten years earlier, fourteen-year-old Charlotte and her family have lived a challenging yet relatively peaceful life, isolated on their acreage in rural Nova Scotia. However, when Charlotte discovers that an interloper has infiltrated their property, she must decide between keeping the potential threat a secret or embracing the potential for companionship that the intrusion represents. As the chaotic world that lurks outside the fence surrounding her farm disrupts Charlotte’s life even further, she must reach deep within herself and find the courage to become the mature young woman she claims to be—or risk losing everything that she and her family have worked so hard to build.

My Kid Review

Taylor, J. The After. Altona, MB: Friesen Press, 2024

I haven’t read many dystopian novels for middle schoolers, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from The After. J Taylor did an excellent job with The After. It is a can’t-put-it-down book. 

The story is set in a future where everyone is isolated and a bit afraid. A virus has killed many. Charlotte and her family live an isolated life on the family farm in Nova Scotia. Charlotte has never seen another child her age (early teens). She lives with her father, brother, and grandmother. Several times a year, her father and brother travel to several farms some distance away to trade for things they do not grow on their farm. When interacting with these other families, they keep their distance and cover their faces. 

Charlotte discovers a break in their fence. She later discovers a girl about her age who has been visiting their farm and helping herself to eggs and milk. The two become friends. Charlotte and Anna become friends.

The story is an intriguing one. Circumstances occur that require Charlotte and Anna to use their wits as they need to leave the only place Charlotte has ever known. Throughout the story, Charlotte learns to trust and rely on Anna, the first non-family member she’s ever trusted.

Taylor ends the book with a cliffhanger, making me anxious to read the next book in the series. 

The After would be appropriate for a K-12 Christian school library. Mature fifth graders and up would enjoy this dystopian story. One thing librarians will need to be aware of is that Canadian English spellings are used throughout the book which may be confusing to some readers located in the US.

I received a complimentary copy of The After. This is my honest review.

J. Taylor is a mother of five and a classroom teacher who revels in the magic of storytelling. Like the protagonist of her novel, she grew up in Nova Scotia. However, she has since lived in Resolute Bay and Hall Beach, Nunavut, as well as Kelowna, BC, before settling in Calgary, AB. Her love of writing was inspired by her love of reading, which she has made a priority in her home and in her classroom. When she’s not reading, writing, or teaching, J. Taylor enjoys sports of all kinds, visiting her grown children, and getting out into nature.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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