leigh comes to visit his step sister when his sister's dad dies. Leigh has to jugle his plans with Astra his girlfriend and Maia, this girl who is permentially scared on most of her body from her own self. Maia damages herself by, burning her arms with ciggarets, being anexoric, cutting her feet with blades, and biting her nails all the way down. Leigh finds there is more to Maia than all her flaws. He breaks up with Astra for Maia. When leigh breaks up with Astra and takes her out to eat when she is having family problems, maia gets raped. leigh is convinced she sould go to court and sue them, but little does he know, is that the whole thing was recorded by a friend named preston. leigh beats up prenston so bad, that prenston dies. leigh doesnt take anything back other than letting maia go when she cant handel the roumors about her rape. This young adult book by Garret Freymann-Weyr, is about all the emotional intensity and loss associated with first love. Leigh Hunter, is a loving son and brother, athlete and good student. Yet despite all that he has going for him, he is floundering... his future is one big question mark to him. He knows his parents have expectations and that only increases his angst. Enter Maia Morland into Leigh's life... this is where things really get complicated. Maia is a recovering anorexic, alcoholic and self-injurer, who self-describes her life as a 'train wreck'..... And Leigh falls helplessly and hopelessly in love with her.This poignant story of the relationship between Leigh and Maia was one that took me back to those teen years (which I would NEVER want to repeat) and one that I could relate to on a personal level. Being a 'people fixer' myself, I could relate to Leigh's strong desire to make Leigh's life better and to try to fix all of her problems for her. This gave him a sense of purpose and he was just sensitive enough to see the beauty inside this young woman. What happened to Leigh is that he learned what all 'people fixers' ultimately learn... you just can't 'fix' another person. The power to change resides only in that person.After the Moment was a well-written young adult novel which captured the intensity and the bitter sweetness of first love.
What do You think about After The Moment (2009)?
This was a good book that when reading will take you back to your first love.
—dilvaroxana
I wish I had known a boy in high school like Leigh.
—Raiy
