Being a teenager is HARD!!
Teens have to deal with a lot of stress; the big burden of expectations from friends and family, which makes them insecure and nervous about everything they do.
After reading After Ever After, your perspective toward teenage life might change. You may realize that being a teen is not just about grades or being better than everyone; sometimes it can also be about sitting back and relaxing and being thankful for what you have in life.
After Ever After is a book written by Jordan Sonnenblick. The book talks about Jeffrey Alper, who is the main protagonist in the story. Jeffrey had cancer at a very young age, but cancer didn’t hold him back, even though it put him through some rough times. It still didn’t stop Jeffrey from living his best life; while reading the book readers will recognize Jeffrey’s growth from an insecure lazy kid into a hopeful and confident teenager.
During his remission from cancer, he will realize that he is not alone; he has his best friend Tad as moral support (who also had cancer), his parents who will always be proud of him no matter what, and his girlfriend who made him realize the importance of all these people in his life.
Sonnenblick’s book has everything it needs for interacting readers; it is comical, sentimental, touching. Jeffrey had his ups and downs during the book, but he always had his best friend tad helping him in everything.
Tad also had cancer when he was very young; after cancer, Tad never had a reason to be positive. He blamed about everything in his life. Even though he was wiser than Jeffrey, he saw life as a crisis. During the book, the readers will recognize a brotherhood between these two characters and will fall in love with these two totally opposite characters.
Another person who had a big influence on Jeffrey’s life was his girlfriend Lindsay. Lindsay was a Californian reading about Lindsay will make the readers smile every time because of her kindness and laugh because of sassiness.
Sonnenblick mentioned a lot about true friendship in this book which makes the reader realize that friendship doesn’t always mean sharing; it’s also about the sacrifices we make for each other. Reading about the sacrifices, the encouragement the characters gave each other in their tough times will make the readers cry.
If you are a fast reader and love good books, you can maybe read this in one day because it has lot suspense and emotion in the book which will make it hard for the readers to stop reading it. After reading the book readers may even realize the true meaning of true friendship.
According to a review in The Horn Book Magazine, “Sonnenblick [will] have the readers holding recognition, sighing in sympathy, and gasping for laughter often on the same page.” Sonnenblick would never want the readers to totally relate with Jeffrey, but it may motivate the reader to come out of depression, stress, and anxiety. It will help them realize that they are not alone in this thing called life; they will always have someone beside them encouraging them to face the unfair part of life by wearing a big smile on their face.
