The After Life
By Kate Pavao,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mature teens will love this wreck of a family.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
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What's the Story?
Soon after Will meets his half-brother and sister for the first time, their rich father -- who Will barely knew -- dies. He leaves the twins mega-money, but offers Will a deal: He'll get two million if he drives an old Volvo from Florida to New York. Will doesn't have a license, so the twins drive, and they get to know one another along the way -- especially how hurt each of them really is.
Is It Any Good?
Each of the three teen characters in THE AFTER LIFE is a mess, each in his or her own way, and it's easy to understand why. Though they are messy and often jerks, strung out on drugs, alcohol, or just plain exhaustion, they are somehow easy to empathize with and root for. Likewise, their antics, like crashing a "New Democracy" party in the middle of nowhere, are outrageous, anxiety-producing, and still somehow humorous and compelling.
There is a lot about driving in this book: Will's uncle burned up in a car accident learning to drive, Will has yet to get his own license, and the whole book takes place on the road. Readers will understand the author's use of driving as symbol for control -- but they will find the car metaphor appropriate in another way, too: Reading this is a lot like watching a car wreck. It gets ugly, but it's hard to look away.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about other road trip movies and books. What is it about road trips that are so appealing in our culture? What do they symbolize for us? How is this book similar to or different from other road trip stories you've read or seen?
Book Details
- Author: Daniel Ehrenhaft
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Razorbill
- Publication date: October 5, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 14
- Number of pages: 272
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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