The author chooses a note-like style, and dialogue is signalled by dashes. This has the effect of enfolding everything into a continuous whole of connected thought, word and deed as the characters seem to engage in a dance around each other. It has an almost hypnotic effect and kept me reading, although having read other reviews, I can see it's not for everyone. Occasionally the structure falters from lack of direction.In this pared-down language Sieffert builds up the story of the relationship that grows between Alice, a physiotherapist, and Joseph, a decorator and plasterer. Around these two characters a cast of friends and relatives circle, lives touched on with careful detail to build up the sense of an interconnected community - down at the snooker hall and pub, in and out of each other's houses, walking in the countryside, dipping in and out if each other's concerns. The narrative revolves around what is said and what is not, and people's sensitivities and moods. Things move tentatively as characters slowly reveal themselves to us and each other.Through the medium of this style and background Sieffert examines the after-effects of the trauma and guilt carried by soldiers. Alice's grandfather is a veteran from the RAF, having served in Kenya during the Mau Mau rebellion. Joseph has served in Northern Ireland. We see how both are affected by memories and knowledge of their times and are drawn to examine the complexity of their reactions - the 'Afterwards' of the title - and the national legacies of conflict.Seiffert's portrait makes the small community she describes seem typical as she builds up detail upon detail to make a rich fabric of a recognisable ordinariness shot through with the extraordinary that exists within. The links from the individual's history to the national history resonate; the ripples move across a still surface. This is another masterful piece of writing from the author of 'The Dark Room'.
"Afterwards" is a seemingly quiet, uncluttered novel. However, some serious themes are being tackled within it's plainly written pages. Themes such as memory, the emotional aftermath of war, broken families, and the complexity of relationships. I liked Seifert's portrait of Alice and Joseph, a couple falling in love. As they guardedly reveal themselves to each other, we also meet their families and learn their histories. This is not a plot-driven novel, but more a window into a new relationship that is learning the nuances of its participants. It is a window through which we see Alice, a woman mourning the loss of a beloved grandmother and learning how to relate to her gruff grandfather. We see Joseph, a painter/plasterer who is morally and emotionally suffering from his memories of being a soldier in Northern Ireland. The two must learn to understand the past in order to be fully in the present. A good read that has many layers beneath the surface.
What do You think about Afterwards (2007)?
This is what a book is like when nothing happens. It is well written and marginally interesting, but I just kept reading. I wasn't compelled to read, wanting to find out: "What next? What next?" This is life happening when you make other plans. Nothing big, but could have been. This book reminds me that something has to happen and it needs to mean something, and if not, the ending needs to be great. So, again it's about CONFLICT, MEANING AND GOOD ENDING. I will get this and I will find a way to do it.
—Pamela
I saw this book in the library and the blurb on the back interested me enough to take it out. It took me a while to get past the annoying way the speech is written and the use of incomplete sentences, I did then get into the story and was expecting something to happen. Basically nothing did, the blurb seemed to imply something dramatic but it was very anti climatic and left me feeling rather cheated. None of the characters are written about in enough depth to make me care about them and by the end I realised I didn't care what happened. Rather disappointing.
—Louise
Never a good sign: I remembered that I had to return this book before getting through it because there were other holds on it at the library--but what I didn't remember was how much I had gotten through before returning it. When I checked it out again months later, I found when I started it that I had actually read most of the book already. I completely failed to emotionally engage with this book. I did admire the writing style, that wasn't the problem. I don't know that I can put my finger on the reason that I couldn't engage, but it's just impossible. I'm still planning to try The Dark Room.
—Maya
