After the Party is a beautifully touching tale that is strongly rooted in its vulnerable and sensitive main protagonists; Peyton and Chase are so real, so human, that they literally walked off the pages and into my consciousness.
The writer mentions in her bio that her work is strongly influenced by music, and that is clearly demonstrated throughout the book. The story centres around the music world, with Peyton (our main character, through who’s POV the story is told) as a retail worker by day and devoted blogger by night. Her blog focuses primarily on the music world and her review of Chase’s band, Forever July, is what draws the two together initially. Chase’s music is interwoven throughout the novel, and I found myself totally sucked into their world, wishing that I could hang round with the band myself. The music provides an amazing backdrop to the main novel, and I was really taken with how certain lyrics developed as the book unfolded, to reflect the position of the characters.
Ultimately, this book is a love story, which is evident from the first page. It’s also a believable one at that with the damaged parts of the main characters shining through as they tread carefully and sort out their current mess rather than just diving into straight out ‘I love yous’ as is typical of many young adult romances. My only slight criticism is the inevitable problem that always occurs at some point in these types of novels. I understand that both characters are anxious and cautious but I felt that their hiccup was just that: a tiny hiccup, and that their subsequent reactions weren’t possibly as warranted as I believed they should be.
The driving force behind this novel are the characters and the writer has an incredible talent for creating people with depth who a reader can completely relate to. Peyton and Chase have detailed and intricate backstories that feature heavily as key themes within the story and as a reader, I was able to understand and explain their actions and personalities from their history. In fact, without this well-developed aspect, I’m not sure the book would be as gripping and thought-provoking as it is. However, the other characters are only presented in their current form with small hints at their past. As a reader, this left me curious and wanting to know more. I don’t know if the reader has plans to develop the other characters within the book, in which case, she has created the perfect hook for a sequel, but if not, I would be a little disappointed by this aspect.
This book is perfect for older teenagers wanting to find their way in the world, and for those who do find themselves unsure or hiding from what they really want. However, with references to domestic abuse, drug and alcohol culture throughout the novel, I would recommend that only older teenagers (16+) actually read the book as it does require some maturity to read these experiences. Having said that, I really loved the novel personally and was rooting for Peyton and Chase the entire way through. Real and gritty, The Book Dragon has the joy of reviewing this on behalf of the author and awards it 5 stars.
Not Available to Buy at The Book Dragon
