Caroline's brother, Dylan, was taken. When Dylan was found, so was Ethan, who'd been taken four years ago. Dylan is autistic and can't talk about hat happened to him, so Caroline goes to Ethan to try to get information to help her brother. When Ethan can't really answer her, because his memory is blank in spots, she feels guilty for asking. But she can't stay away, and they end up playing music together, forging an unlikely friendship.

I really like this one. I think I say that about all of Ms. Mathieu's books. Her topics are timely, well researched, sympathetic, and cleverly told. Ethan and Caroline's lives are so different, but linked by tragedy, they are heartrendingly similar. I'd recommend this book to anyone. ( )

Afterward
There are so many things interwoven into this story…two boys are abducted, but then later rescued, the older boy’s relationship with his parents and friends, coming to terms with the event and his sexuality with a caring therapist, and trying to live a “normal” life, the younger boy’s autism and his caring sister who tries to find out what happened to him. Good plot and realistic characters make this a book teens will love.
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Very Good
Audience: High School
Recommended: Yes ( )

Afterward is a powerful novel about kidnapping, sexual abuse, and its aftermath, focused on how this tragedy affects its victims, as well as their family and even their friends. The beauty of this books lies in its depiction of the challenge of rebuilding a life after a traumatic experience and the necessity of the support and guidance of a good therapist. Afterward also explores a unique friendship between Ethan, one of the kidnapped boys, and Caroline, the sister of the other kidnapped boy. What starts out as Caroline's attempt to befriend Ethan to learn more about the circumstances of her brother's captivity so that she can help him (her brother is autistic and they cannot afford the expensive therapy that Ethan receives), develops into a genuine friendship between two troubled individuals. This novel alternates between Caroline and Ethan's points of view. The author provides resource information at the end of the book and also details her research with experts and victims of similar abuse. Afterward does not sensationalize this situation and is a great choice for reluctant readers in high school. ( )

I love a great kidnapping story, and I really enjoyed this one. This one had a lot of psychological depth. Full of emotion. Beautifully written. Highly recommend. Will stay with you long after you sit the book down. ( )

This is a really tough book for me to rate and review. Before I started listening to this audiobook, I had no idea that the story would so closely follow a kidnapping situation that happened in my hometown. At first, I thought it was a coincidence but the more I listened and the more I realized that the real event had to be the inspiration for this book. I have no problem with books that are inspired by actual events but I do think it is extremely important that enough of the story be changed that it isn't so easily recognizable especially in situations like this one where minors where involved.

The book doesn't exactly follow the actual events. But it is really, really close. The only big differences were the fact that one of the boys in this story has autism and the kidnapper kills himself rather than allow himself to be captured. The other details of the kidnapping are pretty much spot on. One of the boys is kidnapped at age 11 and kept for 4 years until he is found when he is 15. The other boy is kept for 4 days before he was found. The first boy is kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house. All of these things happened. I remember seeing the parents of the first boy begging for his safe return for all four of those years. I remember the absolute shock that I felt when they were found safe. I couldn't believe that they were here just miles from my house for that entire time period. The actual rescue took place a little more than 10 years ago when my girls were 12 and 6 and I remember the absolute fear that I felt that something like this could happen so close to home. I think that this had to be a very traumatic experience for everyone involved and I wonder how having a book like this that tells such a similar story makes them feel.

The bulk of this book does take place after the kidnapping and I doubt that Ethan and Caroline's tale during this time would look anything like the actual victims. I did like the focus on therapy for Ethan's family and I really wished that Dylan would have had the same opportunities. I liked the friendship that developed between Ethan and Caroline. They have both been through a lot and sometimes have trouble relating to other people. Ethan has a lot of issues that he needs to work through and he really doesn't have any friends. His mother is extremely overprotective which is understandable considering what they have been through.

I did like the narration a lot. This was the first time that I have listened to either of these narrators and I thought they both did an excellent job. I liked that the use of two narrators to tell this story. I don't think that the book would have had the same impact without the dual points of view. I would definitely listen to both of these narrators again in the future.

I thought the actual story was well done. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I wasn't constantly comparing it to the event it was based upon. I am probably quite a bit older than the target audience for this book and I think most readers will not be familiar with the kidnapping that inspired this book. I just wish that the events in this story would have been changed so that it didn't so closely mirror the actual events.

I received a review copy of this book from Recorded Books via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. ( )