I love sad stories, I think I’ve shared that before. I don’t know why. But so many of us do. We obviously don’t want sad things to happen in real life, but when we see movie or read a book that makes us cry, it’s amazing. Why? So weird.
But Clare Mackintosh is one of those authors who has the rare ability to reach inside my chest and rip my heart out. In the best possible way. She joins the ranks of Jodi Picoult, Louisa May Alcott and John Green. I’m sure there are others that magically weave horrible sad stories that I love, those are just off the top of my head.
Oh my goodness, though. After the End. It has ALL the feels. Perfect for any masochist looking for a good summer read.
From the Publisher:
Max and Pip are the strongest couple you know. They’re best friends, lovers—unshakable. But then their son gets sick and the doctors put the question of his survival into their hands. For the first time, Max and Pip can’t agree. They each want a different future for their son.
What if they could have both?
A gripping and propulsive exploration of love, marriage, parenthood, and the road not taken, After the End brings one unforgettable family from unimaginable loss to a surprising, satisfying, and redemptive ending and the life they are fated to find. With the emotional power of Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, Mackintosh helps us to see that sometimes the end is just another beginning.
My Review:
This one really got me. Max and Pip, a couple who had struggled with infertility finally get pregnant and are able to enjoy just two sweet years with their little boy before he is diagnosed with a brain tumor. It’s horrible.
And in the beginning they are that adorable family where the parents are invested in their child, make sacrifices and are just cute as pie together. And of course, as we all know when someone gets sick–especially a child, that all comes to a screeching halt.
Things get ugly, people don’t agree. But one thing that never changes is Max and Pip’s intense, searing love for their child. Even if they interpret that differently.
I don’t want to say much. I just want to serve this book to you on a silver platter. You must read it! The book’s description compares it to My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which is one of the best books I have personally ever read. And honestly? I feel exactly the same way.
After the End is a story of how life rarely turns out the way we thought, or hoped. It’s a story of love that endures all. And a story about how the choices we make have lasting effects on the rest of our life. I can’t recommend this book more.
Special thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for an e-galley in exchange for my honest review. This one is out June 25, 2019. Pre-order your copy now. You will want this arriving on your doorstep ASAP.
Women in Trouble Book Blog 
Leave a Reply