After in Penguin's Point of View Books

Jan 11, 2011 Audrey rated it it was ok

Read the full review on my blog, Holes in my Brain.

I was disappointed by this novel, AFTER tries to delve into the psychological aspect of Devon's mind but it comes up short on several fronts. Immediately from the beginning, I couldn't connect with Devon, and I think this was due to the third person POV. I think this novel would have had so much more potential had I been in Devon's head, especially since a lot of this novel is focused on her state of mind. It would have been fascinating to read Read the full review on my blog, Holes in my Brain.

I was disappointed by this novel, AFTER tries to delve into the psychological aspect of Devon's mind but it comes up short on several fronts. Immediately from the beginning, I couldn't connect with Devon, and I think this was due to the third person POV. I think this novel would have had so much more potential had I been in Devon's head, especially since a lot of this novel is focused on her state of mind. It would have been fascinating to read about her denial from her own POV.

The characters were okay for me, I was interested and, yes, I actually sympathized with Devon, but none of the other characters caught my attention. I didn't care about, and probably won't be remember any of the other girls in the detention facility, Devon's mom, lawyer or friends...

The plot is where I felt the novel really took a dip, I did really enjoy the beginning with the discovery of the dumpster baby and Devon's arrest. I felt the immediacy and urgent-ness of the various actions, the vulnerability of the characters and the Devon's spinning emotions. The plot lulled in the middle, and when everything kind of settled down and approached the trial... well it just turned into a John Grisham novel. If I want to read a John Grisham novel, I will read one.

I have read a lot of those lawyer books, and this one felt no different, it felt as if Efaw tried to hard to make the trial interesting and CSI-like that she lost sight of what it really should have been about: Devon. Character development took a hit in the last 100 or so pages, we have about 90 pages trial, 10 pages character development. I'm not saying there was no Devon-news, but I felt there definitely could have been more. My disconnect from the novel is reflected in the fact that I went ahead and read the last couple pages, which is something I haven't done in a ridiculously long time. Hmm.

2/5 because it wasn't my favourite book. Characters didn't grab my interest, I was never emotionally invested in the plot and while the trial stuff in the last third was entertaining, I felt much of it was unnecessary. I feel a story like this has so much potential but this one didn't impress me as much as I would have hoped. ...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Videoclimber(AKA)MTsLilSis rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya

I am glad that the author ended the book the way she did. It was interesting to read the story from the point of view of the mother. I think this would be a wonderful book for teen girls to read, very eye opening and bare bones truthful. I was glad the author included the postscript I thought it added to the story. This one really makes you think!

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Dec 26, 2010 Lacie Solt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist

This book was so good, I'm hoping that there will be a sequel. It definitely kept me on my toes. The characters were great and this is the first book that I read from my Pandigital Reader! ...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Elena rated it liked it

I was really excited to read this because the summary seemed so good. I just feel like it was drawn out way too long. The story could have been cut in half.

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