By Emily X.R. Pan
4 Stars
The Astonishing Color of After is a well-written and well-crafted novel written by Emily X.R. Pan as her first novel. It focuses on many themes of self-identity, racism, suicide, and the struggle of overcoming one's fears or grief. The protagonist, Leigh, is the daughter of Brian Sanders, who is Irish American and Dory Sanders, who is Taiwanese. Leigh's mother battles depression but eventually dies due to suicide. Leigh grieves her mother's death when, suddenly, one day, a red crane appears at her doorstep. Leigh believes it to be her mother who has come back for her. The bird comes with a package of photographs and a letter sent by her grandparents, who reside in Taiwan. Leigh travels to Taiwan with her father and searches for her family's secrets and her own self-identity.
This book was really well written and had a great balance of fictitious ele
ments, including magic and mythology, along with real-life issues faced by Leigh's grief. The story follows a non-linear plot structure where every other paragraph is a flashback predating the suicide. This results in a deeper understanding of the struggles Leigh's mother faced during her depression. The characters are also very well chosen, and each has different traits which enhance Leigh's own jealousy and lack of confidence. Although it is a great book, I would not recommend reading it under the age of 13 as it involves heavy themes of suicide and trauma. Overall, this book is a must-read, and I highly recommend it.
Reviewed by Divya
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