Review : The Aftermath by Jen Alexander

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : The Aftermath
Author :Jen Alexander
Publication Date : August 26th 2014
Publisher : Harlequin Teen
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Sometimes, I dream that I'm someone else.

A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hunger

or thirst or running from flesh-eaters.

In her world, those sorts of things don't exist.

Since the spring of 2036, when the world changed forever, Claudia and a small clan of survivors have roamed the streets of a very altered Nashville: polluted and desolate, except for the ever-present threat of cannibal Hoarders. Together they must undergo punishing tests of endurance and psychological challenge sometimes with devastating consequences all just to live another day.

With food and water in dwindling supply, and with danger lurking around every corner, no one can be trusted. And as her world starts to make less and less sense, Claudia begins to realize something terrifying: she is just a pawn in some sort of game, and all of her actions are being controlled from afar by a mysterious gamer. So when she meets a maddening and fascinating outsider named Declan, who claims to be a game moderator, she must decide whether to join him in exchange for protection and access to the border.

If they play the game right, they are each other's best hope for survival and a life beyond the only world Claudia's ever known: the terrifying live-action game known as The Aftermath.

Personal Thoughts 

I'm not a gamer. I know nothing about gaming apart from the occasional game of Mario Kart or Bejeweled. However, I'm always on the lookout for new unique concepts in YA books, so I was quick to request a copy of The Aftermath by Jen Alexander. It was an exciting read with a lot of terrifying concepts, great world building and a decent main character.

I will admit that I had a hard time getting into the book because I was confused as to what was going on. While Claudia was figuring out the reality about her situation, I was lost because some of the jargon. I did eventually ease into the story and as soon as I did, I couldn't stop reading. It's a scary concept, knowing that you're stuck in video game and being forced by your gamer to do things you don't want to. I though Jen Alexander did at explaining the crooks and nooks of the game. It was intriguing finding out how the game came about to be and how it was developed. It's filled with secrets and revelations that are terrifying and the author did a wonderful job capturing the evil of the game. Plot wise, the book was action-packed from start to finish. I personally thought that there were no dull moments, especially with all the secrets being unraveled throughout the book and I found myself being very invested in the book. The book did, however, end with a huge and exciting cliffhanger that will have readers wanting for more. The book left me hanging with a million questions, but I'm certain the answers will be explored in the next books.

What The Aftermath was weak at though, was the character building. While Claudia was a likeable and endearing protagonist, I didn't feel like we got to know her on a deeper and more emotional level. I wanted to see more despair, anger and frustration when she realized that she was merely a puppet stuck in a video game. I guess I needed to see a little more angst, although I did appreciate her strength and resilience throughout the book. Her love interest, Declan, also didn't do much for me. I was sure that he was keeping a lot of secrets from Claudia and I was right. His story was interesting and I'm hoping we get to know more of him in the next book of the series. Additionally, as you can guess, I was rather emotionally distant from the romance. It was very minimal and not really a huge part of the book and I'm not complaining. The few intimate moments they did share were sweet though.

While The Aftermath might not have been the perfect book, it's a series that I believe will only become better with more books. It's not a character-driven book, but it's very plot driven and almost cinematic. I'm looking forward to knowing more about The Aftermath.

Rating

Cover : 3/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 3/5
Writing : 4/5

**Overall Rating : 3.5/5**

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for the e-ARC of The Aftermath.