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Threads of Change #1
After the Leaves Fall
Julia DeSmit can't wait for her life to begin. After her mother leaves when Julia is nine years old, she's raised by an unassuming, gentle father and a saintly, matriarchal grandmother until her father dies just as Julia is becoming a young adult. On the cusp of womanhood, Julia feels jaded by her circumstances and longs for a new identity. College seems like the perfect place to start over. But when Julia makes a mistake that will change her life forever, she returns to her grandmother's farm, defeated and convinced of her own worthlessness. Only through the gentle prodding of her loving grandmother does Julia begin to accept the imprint her childhood has left on her life and look for hope in a loving God who longs to make all things new.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2007
263 people are currently reading
2171 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Baart
17 books1,568 followersNicole Baart is the author of eleven novels, including Everything We Didn’t Say (an October 2021 Book of the Month selection and Amazon Editor's pick) and The Long Way Back. Best known for her “race-to-the-finish family dramas” (People), Baart is also the cofounder of a nonprofit and mother of five. She lives in Iowa with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
November 14, 2007
My review:
The following section contains one of the most beautiful concepts I've read in a Christian novel.
(It seemed like a strange thing to say, but with every repetition she drove a tiny seed of hope further into my heart. I almost didn't want it there--hope is not a promise, merely a wish, a yearning for something that may never materialize--but it sank down deep where I could not extract it and began, even in that moment, to put down fragile roots.
It was the hope that scared me most of all, and only when I had felt it tremble inside me did I begin to cry.)
The above spoke to my heart. It's what we all need when the world seems to be caving in on us. We need hope. We need someone to gift us with it so we will see things from a different perspective. We don't need judgment or condemnation. This fallen world dishes out plenty of that, and what the world doesn't dump on us we heap on ourselves. After the Leaves Fall is about hope.
There were so many beautiful and profound discoveries that Julia made about herself in the story, which is more like a coming-of-age journey, that I don't know where to begin. I don't want to spoil any of the precious treasures the reader will discover along with Julia. My heart broke for her and yet it also understood her. There is a little piece of Julia in all of us. Children need affirmation from a mother, and without it they spend their lives second-guessing themselves. This came out in so many of her internal thoughts and her impulsive decisions. Often as she contemplated her life I found myself doing the same.
After the Leaves Fall is so impressively introspective with it's gorgeous prose that words are inadequate to describe it. And on some deep level, every wounded child wants to do what their parent did, but do it right this time. No one wants to duplicate mistakes, but the deep need to be loved often drives our behavior. It's truly amazing how that works, but it's how God created us...to need love. Anyway, this is one of the most emotional and wonderful books I've ever read and it has impacted my heart deeply. I can't recommend it highly enough. If all authors were as gifted as this debut author, I would never get anything done.
The following section contains one of the most beautiful concepts I've read in a Christian novel.
(It seemed like a strange thing to say, but with every repetition she drove a tiny seed of hope further into my heart. I almost didn't want it there--hope is not a promise, merely a wish, a yearning for something that may never materialize--but it sank down deep where I could not extract it and began, even in that moment, to put down fragile roots.
It was the hope that scared me most of all, and only when I had felt it tremble inside me did I begin to cry.)
The above spoke to my heart. It's what we all need when the world seems to be caving in on us. We need hope. We need someone to gift us with it so we will see things from a different perspective. We don't need judgment or condemnation. This fallen world dishes out plenty of that, and what the world doesn't dump on us we heap on ourselves. After the Leaves Fall is about hope.
There were so many beautiful and profound discoveries that Julia made about herself in the story, which is more like a coming-of-age journey, that I don't know where to begin. I don't want to spoil any of the precious treasures the reader will discover along with Julia. My heart broke for her and yet it also understood her. There is a little piece of Julia in all of us. Children need affirmation from a mother, and without it they spend their lives second-guessing themselves. This came out in so many of her internal thoughts and her impulsive decisions. Often as she contemplated her life I found myself doing the same.
After the Leaves Fall is so impressively introspective with it's gorgeous prose that words are inadequate to describe it. And on some deep level, every wounded child wants to do what their parent did, but do it right this time. No one wants to duplicate mistakes, but the deep need to be loved often drives our behavior. It's truly amazing how that works, but it's how God created us...to need love. Anyway, this is one of the most emotional and wonderful books I've ever read and it has impacted my heart deeply. I can't recommend it highly enough. If all authors were as gifted as this debut author, I would never get anything done.
April 21, 2011
Meh. The protagonist lacks even the faintest trace of personality. I wouldn't even say she is whiny, because that would be giving her too much credit. Rather, Julia is a poorly disguised mouthpiece for Baart's agenda. The book is full chock full of women-hating (Julia's mother, her roommate, Francesca... basically any girl that Julia rejects and refuses to attempt to understand), but it has its fair share of deplorable male characters, too (Thomas, Parker, etc etc). The only thing that makes someone a decent person in this book is whether they are a good Christian or not. I guess this is understandable, since this is Christian fiction, and Baart is the wife of a pastor. I think it would have been nice, however, if she tried to flesh out the non-Christian characters a bit more. Essentially, they are all villains whose sole purpose in life is to fuel Julia's eternal sadfaise. I guess we're supposed to simply hate them for their wicked ways and nothing more, but I found them the most compelling---particularly Francesca and Julia's mother. Ha ha, but they are the MOST neglected in the narrative. Oh well. What do I know.
I also want to comment on the writing style. I've heard a lot of people say it was the book's only redeeming feature, but I have to disagree. This book is chock full of purple prose... it is hard to deal. I feel like Baart was trying to compensate for her flat characterization and stark moral scale. The effect is really off-putting. Yes, I like sentences to read very prettily. Beauty in language is a good thing. But here it feels so contrived, so forced---it isn't good writing, just something that is trying to be good writing.
I also want to comment on the writing style. I've heard a lot of people say it was the book's only redeeming feature, but I have to disagree. This book is chock full of purple prose... it is hard to deal. I feel like Baart was trying to compensate for her flat characterization and stark moral scale. The effect is really off-putting. Yes, I like sentences to read very prettily. Beauty in language is a good thing. But here it feels so contrived, so forced---it isn't good writing, just something that is trying to be good writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2017
Heartbreaking. I didn't know I was going to get into some major sobfest when I picked up this one and so, I spent last night in a pool of tears... on my pillow. My blankie also became a hanky. I am so going to try my best to get the sequel because I need to know what happens to Julia deSmit after all that... Anyway, there's a lot of God talk here and monologues about loneliness, but it's all good. Nothing preachy or annoying. You'll find it easy to relate because it happens to all of us, and that, I think, is the strength of this book—being able to put the readers right into the story, no matter how bad or good they have it in life.
April 14, 2011
Wow. This is one of those books that left me breathless. I need to preface this by saying Ms. Baart is lucky there IS a sequel, otherwise this review might not be pretty. As an author myself, I'm quite selective in what I read. I download a lot of stuff to my iPad. Not everything makes it into my TBR or AM READING pile. I sifted through a couple of choices before I hit on After The Leaves Fall. I'm not sure what it was that hooked me. This is not your average let's all be good Christians and pretend the world is a wonderful place kind of book. I don't write that kind of fiction and I hate reading it. So I have to say that this book holds a certain authenticity that I appreciate. I felt my emotions rise and fall along with Julia's, and I admit to wanting to slap a certain male character more than a few times throughout the novel. I caught myself thinking "How the heck can he be SO STUPID?" on more than one occasion. But then I remembered he's a guy. (No offense, guys, really). Unfortunately, just as I was really getting into this story, it ended. I thought there had been a mistake in my Kindle download at first. But no, it's done and I'm left hanging, wanting to know what comes next. Which is a good thing, because chances are, I'll be reading the book to follow this one. I say well done, Ms. Baart, a little off the beaten path, and just how I like it.
March 7, 2008
An intriguing beginning, but the plot soon sinks into predictability and the characters become more shallow and underdeveloped as the story progresses.
June 19, 2013
I found this to be a very decent book, but I wouldn't say it was especially good. I enjoyed the first half of the book, where the protagonist is dealing with the death of her father and her looming college attendance. However, the exciting older boy at college versus the hometown boy love triangle was cliched and not very interesting. This is compounded by the fact that the protagonist seems dismissive of any other girls her age, which isn't the best message. Suddenly, halfway through the book the protagonist becomes pregnant. It's a plot twist out of nowhere, and partially seems to be a plot twist for plot twist's sake. The author makes some attempts to portray a girl struggling with her faith. It seems her portrayal is too good, because the resulting deep faith in Christianity is sudden and comes out of nowhere. It's a book about the struggles with faith when you're young, written by someone who doesn't understand or remember that well. It's not a bad book, but it's not that great, either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2017
The writing is absolutely beautiful in this novel and the coming of age tale it depicts is mostly accurate but I found it impossible to relate to the characters. The protagonist, Julia, created a very bland POV and seemed to lack a lot of emotions. When her emotions did come in to play, however, they fell short, barely touching the surface. She seemed content with keeping calm at all points in her life, which was fine, but made the character boring. The supporting characters were quite one dimensional as well which caused the reader to anticipate their actions.
I did enjoy the story and the author's attempt to make the story more.... mature through her writing, but the lack of emotions only caused it to fall flat. I'm a bit disappointed and also mostly relieved to have finally finished it.
I did enjoy the story and the author's attempt to make the story more.... mature through her writing, but the lack of emotions only caused it to fall flat. I'm a bit disappointed and also mostly relieved to have finally finished it.
November 17, 2017
Heartfelt
After the Leaves Fall is a compelling, heartfelt story about Julia, a young woman who has suffered great loss and is trying to find her own truth and happiness. Julia’s journey is not easy, filled with disappointment and confusion; my heart shattered every time she was let down, my heart filled with joy when happiness and hope entered her life.
After the Leaves Fall is a compelling, heartfelt story about Julia, a young woman who has suffered great loss and is trying to find her own truth and happiness. Julia’s journey is not easy, filled with disappointment and confusion; my heart shattered every time she was let down, my heart filled with joy when happiness and hope entered her life.
November 29, 2020
Not the worst book, the writing is okay but the story is PAINFULLY slow. The description of the story on the back of the book covers pretty much everything up to page 265 (of about 340 pages total). That last section ends up becoming extremely religious. I don't have a problem with that but it was just a very sudden change in tone.
September 19, 2023
LOVED this story! 4 and a half stars, only because I probably won't ever reread it. It's simple and sweet, just the kind of book I was in the mood for. Some of the coming of age themes had the main character going through hard stuff, but always there's a thread of hope. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
March 2, 2020
I almost abandoned this one, but I'm pretty glad I didn't. I don't read much Christian lit anymore because the theology is often so very terrible or the "niceness" is gaggy and fake. This one didn't suck. I'll probably go for the 2nd one, which I did NOT expect, and have several people whom I think will recommend this to.
July 27, 2017
this book was so depressing 😓
March 3, 2019
This is a book I should have loved. It’s the story of Julia, a young lady whose mother, after being negligent and neglectful, left when she was nine, whose father died when she was a teenager, and her struggle to find herself.
I have no problems with quiet books with quiet plots. I have no problems with self-seeking protagonists…in fact, I love them. And I really have no problem with lovely writing.
This book is quiet, with a quiet plot, with a self-seeking protagonist, and truly DOES have lovely writing, particularly in the first third.
And yet…
Julia is, unfortunately, weak. Okay, so she’s had tragedy in her life. Does that mean she has no interests? No personality?
The reader is never quite privy to the depth of her grief, and so her “I have no idea who I am” just doesn’t ring true. It would have made more sense had the reader seen the impact her mother’s leaving and her father’s death had on her, IN ACTUAL EVENTS, rather than in summaries, I would buy it more.
That is a problem with this book – there’s far too much exposition, and I think it effects the story badly.
She’s far too static. She reacts to what happens to her. She doesn’t act. And when she reacts, she resorts to lying and hiding, which inevitably (and oh so predictably) leads to more issues. She just doesn’t take agency of her own life. She likes the role of victim. Even at the end, it’s not her own actions that bring her to faith. It’s not her own actions that stir her to “looking up”.
What’s worse is that she comes off as entitled all the while protesting that she doesn’t want to be. She doesn’t want people to feel sorry for her, and yet, she wants people to understand her without her actually having to do anything to make that happen. It’s infuriating, in all honesty. She expects people to know how she feels and what she means without giving them the benefit of sharing herself with them. And this doesn't change significantly by the end of the book.
Characters are used to further the plot, rather than the plot resulting from the characters. Which INFURIATES me. In particular, just about every female character, mainly Julia’s female peers, is written with disdain and colored in cliché. And then they are changed when the plot dictates it – Julia’s roommate, written rather warmly and friendly when they first meet, abruptly becomes a bitch when Julia shows signs of wanting to confide; Parker, written as a sensitive, caring, becomes an ass when it’s necessary to get him away from Julia. I. Hate. This. It destroys any naturalness the story may have had.
I suppose this is Christian fiction, although I have a hard time accepting that. To me, this was not a story of faith, not even of Julia finding her way to faith. That’s possibly because of the structure and overuse of exposition. Also, because her sudden faith comes with no build up and in the last ten pages or so.
Disappointing.
I have no problems with quiet books with quiet plots. I have no problems with self-seeking protagonists…in fact, I love them. And I really have no problem with lovely writing.
This book is quiet, with a quiet plot, with a self-seeking protagonist, and truly DOES have lovely writing, particularly in the first third.
And yet…
Julia is, unfortunately, weak. Okay, so she’s had tragedy in her life. Does that mean she has no interests? No personality?
The reader is never quite privy to the depth of her grief, and so her “I have no idea who I am” just doesn’t ring true. It would have made more sense had the reader seen the impact her mother’s leaving and her father’s death had on her, IN ACTUAL EVENTS, rather than in summaries, I would buy it more.
That is a problem with this book – there’s far too much exposition, and I think it effects the story badly.
She’s far too static. She reacts to what happens to her. She doesn’t act. And when she reacts, she resorts to lying and hiding, which inevitably (and oh so predictably) leads to more issues. She just doesn’t take agency of her own life. She likes the role of victim. Even at the end, it’s not her own actions that bring her to faith. It’s not her own actions that stir her to “looking up”.
What’s worse is that she comes off as entitled all the while protesting that she doesn’t want to be. She doesn’t want people to feel sorry for her, and yet, she wants people to understand her without her actually having to do anything to make that happen. It’s infuriating, in all honesty. She expects people to know how she feels and what she means without giving them the benefit of sharing herself with them. And this doesn't change significantly by the end of the book.
Characters are used to further the plot, rather than the plot resulting from the characters. Which INFURIATES me. In particular, just about every female character, mainly Julia’s female peers, is written with disdain and colored in cliché. And then they are changed when the plot dictates it – Julia’s roommate, written rather warmly and friendly when they first meet, abruptly becomes a bitch when Julia shows signs of wanting to confide; Parker, written as a sensitive, caring, becomes an ass when it’s necessary to get him away from Julia. I. Hate. This. It destroys any naturalness the story may have had.
I suppose this is Christian fiction, although I have a hard time accepting that. To me, this was not a story of faith, not even of Julia finding her way to faith. That’s possibly because of the structure and overuse of exposition. Also, because her sudden faith comes with no build up and in the last ten pages or so.
Disappointing.
February 25, 2011
Glenn Beck spoke at my college graduation last spring and I've since been following him on Facebook. On Valentine's Day, he shared that his wife Tania and several of his staff members hadn't been able to put this book down and that for a limited time it is free for the Kindle on Amazon. He said, "Fair warning, while it may not cost you any money, it will definitely cost you some sleep." Well, Glenn, it did cost me some sleep last night and now it's going to cost me some money! After reading After the Leaves Fall in less than two days, I can't help but read its sequels, Summer Snow and Beneath the Night Tree. They're relatively cheap on the Kindle, less than $9 each, but since a local Borders is closing its doors for good soon, I'm going to check there for a steeper discount first.
It was hard to put this book down. Thankfully, I was able to take advantage of Kindle's text-to-speech capabilities again and listened to it during my commute yesterday and while I did some data entry at work today.
Julia was easy to relate to from the beginning. I couldn't help but laugh as I read about her cutting up her mother's cigarettes in an attempt to get her to quit smoking. I can't count the number of times I threw my own mom's cigarettes out the moving car window or flushed them down the toilet in similar attempts. Like Julia's, my attempts failed and my mom still sneaks cigarettes to this day. I would say more about the ways I can relate to and sympathize with Julia, but I don't want to spoil the book for others.
As I crept closer to the end of the book, I couldn't imagine how the story was going to wrap up in so few pages. I was delighted when I realized After the Leaves Fall is part of a series and I can hardly wait to read more. I'm excited to see what happens next for Julia and how she continues to grow and change as she welcomes a new chapter in her life.
My only complaint about the book is that Julia seems too mature or "wise beyond her years" during her preteen and teenage years. This was easy to look past and I imagine it will only get better as Julia becomes older in the following books. I definitely recommend this book!
It was hard to put this book down. Thankfully, I was able to take advantage of Kindle's text-to-speech capabilities again and listened to it during my commute yesterday and while I did some data entry at work today.
Julia was easy to relate to from the beginning. I couldn't help but laugh as I read about her cutting up her mother's cigarettes in an attempt to get her to quit smoking. I can't count the number of times I threw my own mom's cigarettes out the moving car window or flushed them down the toilet in similar attempts. Like Julia's, my attempts failed and my mom still sneaks cigarettes to this day. I would say more about the ways I can relate to and sympathize with Julia, but I don't want to spoil the book for others.
As I crept closer to the end of the book, I couldn't imagine how the story was going to wrap up in so few pages. I was delighted when I realized After the Leaves Fall is part of a series and I can hardly wait to read more. I'm excited to see what happens next for Julia and how she continues to grow and change as she welcomes a new chapter in her life.
My only complaint about the book is that Julia seems too mature or "wise beyond her years" during her preteen and teenage years. This was easy to look past and I imagine it will only get better as Julia becomes older in the following books. I definitely recommend this book!
March 2, 2011
I heard this on one of my talk shows I listen to, said his wife and staff members couldn't put it down and it was offered free on Amazon Kindle on Valentine's Day. I had no idea what this book was about. But I wanted to read it anyway.
Once I started, I was sucked in. The main character was real and down to earth. Her mom left, her dad died, and she went to live with her grandmother on a farm in some small town. Her life turned upside down and semi-bitter, her faith became questionable as she went on through her life trying to find her way. Despite the many differences between her life and mine, I felt I could connect with her on a deeper level. I saw myself in her thoughts many times. Her uncomfortable-ness with others, her feelings of invisibleness, her falter of faith, her independence, and her lack of direction and where she fit in -- I've seen it all within myself growing up.
I really enjoyed reading about Julia's growth and her "one step forward, two steps back" dance with life. Because, isn't that how life operates? And who really is your one constant in life? It wasn't her mother, her father, her grandmother and it surely wasn't Thomas. Julia finally realizes who her constant is at the end.
Julia's story is not complete at the end of the book. Be warned and anticipate purchasing her sequel. :)
Once I started, I was sucked in. The main character was real and down to earth. Her mom left, her dad died, and she went to live with her grandmother on a farm in some small town. Her life turned upside down and semi-bitter, her faith became questionable as she went on through her life trying to find her way. Despite the many differences between her life and mine, I felt I could connect with her on a deeper level. I saw myself in her thoughts many times. Her uncomfortable-ness with others, her feelings of invisibleness, her falter of faith, her independence, and her lack of direction and where she fit in -- I've seen it all within myself growing up.
I really enjoyed reading about Julia's growth and her "one step forward, two steps back" dance with life. Because, isn't that how life operates? And who really is your one constant in life? It wasn't her mother, her father, her grandmother and it surely wasn't Thomas. Julia finally realizes who her constant is at the end.
Julia's story is not complete at the end of the book. Be warned and anticipate purchasing her sequel. :)
October 23, 2013
This is a beautiful story covering many subjects: growing up, family, self-redemption, falling down and getting up again, love, hope...Amidst all what seems to be the grey background dominating most of the scenes, there was always hope; and the end of this first installment was full of it.
Practically all Christian novels have hope as the theme. They differ from one another on the level of "preachiness". As Christians, we get our regular doses of preaching from church; to get more outside would be an overkill. I'd rather that I gleam the message from the book on my own, and not because it was laid out and written as a sermon. After the Leaves Fall is in the non-preachy category; that's why I like it.
I got this copy from Amazon more than two years ago, and it's good to note that I got something for free back then for a product worth more than $11 today. I didn't know then that it was the first in a series of three books...I was a bit disappointed to turn the page and found that I've read the last sentence already; then I saw that there was a sequel. Without another thought, I bought both the second and third installments.
Practically all Christian novels have hope as the theme. They differ from one another on the level of "preachiness". As Christians, we get our regular doses of preaching from church; to get more outside would be an overkill. I'd rather that I gleam the message from the book on my own, and not because it was laid out and written as a sermon. After the Leaves Fall is in the non-preachy category; that's why I like it.
I got this copy from Amazon more than two years ago, and it's good to note that I got something for free back then for a product worth more than $11 today. I didn't know then that it was the first in a series of three books...I was a bit disappointed to turn the page and found that I've read the last sentence already; then I saw that there was a sequel. Without another thought, I bought both the second and third installments.
January 5, 2012
I loved this book and the main character. I didn't realize it was a Christian fiction book until I added it here on Goodreads, but the story and the prose had hooked me enough by then I was willing to give it a chance. Luckily, the book did not disappoint with a heavy-handed, didactic message. Quite the opposite, in fact. The story was genuine, and the anger and struggles of faith were the authentic struggles of everyone as they grow up. The Goddy part didn't come until the very end, and while it wasn't my favorite part, it worked with the story.
The prose was wonderful. A lot of the reviews of this book were critical of the heavy exposition, but that was what made me fall in love with it. It's pretty similar to the way I write too (maybe I'm just in love with myself, but I couldn't put this book down, and it's been quite a while since there was a book I did that with). I'm not sure when I downloaded this, but if I'd known it was Christian I probably never would've given it a chance. I'm sure glad I did, because it was fantastic.
The prose was wonderful. A lot of the reviews of this book were critical of the heavy exposition, but that was what made me fall in love with it. It's pretty similar to the way I write too (maybe I'm just in love with myself, but I couldn't put this book down, and it's been quite a while since there was a book I did that with). I'm not sure when I downloaded this, but if I'd known it was Christian I probably never would've given it a chance. I'm sure glad I did, because it was fantastic.
March 10, 2011
I got this as a free kindle download and wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed it.
Spoiler Alert;
I love how after all of the pain and loneliness and mistakes the main character finds her way and makes this statement: "Janice left, my father died, and Grandma will follow. Who is my constant? Who will walk with me when everyone else has faded to the background to a place where they exist in little more than carefully preserved memories? There is something inside me that knows beyond every rational and irrational doubt that I was not meant to walk alone. That He longs to stand beside me."
Spoiler Alert;
I love how after all of the pain and loneliness and mistakes the main character finds her way and makes this statement: "Janice left, my father died, and Grandma will follow. Who is my constant? Who will walk with me when everyone else has faded to the background to a place where they exist in little more than carefully preserved memories? There is something inside me that knows beyond every rational and irrational doubt that I was not meant to walk alone. That He longs to stand beside me."
February 3, 2011
Having a Kindle, I download lots of freebies. As most Kindle users know, that means lots (and LOTS!) of Christian fiction. I read a fair amount - it's my mindless filler reading. I rarely put it on GoodReads because it's not "real" reading to me - just filler.
This book was different. It wasn't the best book every - it's fairly routine coming of age stuff. But the writing is lovely. I really enjoyed it and would actually pay money to read something else by they author. If you have a Kindle, check it out!
This book was different. It wasn't the best book every - it's fairly routine coming of age stuff. But the writing is lovely. I really enjoyed it and would actually pay money to read something else by they author. If you have a Kindle, check it out!
January 16, 2016
My three favorite things about this book are, one; the author is a Canadian citizen. Funny, so am I. Born and bred! Two; the main character Julia goes through the exact same thing I went through at that age... read the story to find out what... and three; Julia, the main character again, and I share a birthday.
Cool reasons right?!
I really enjoyed this story, and am going to see if I can find more by this author.
Cool reasons right?!
I really enjoyed this story, and am going to see if I can find more by this author.
February 22, 2014
This is one novel that will have your emotions going from low to high. Julia's mom Janice abandons her and her father and the constant wanting to hate her comes out in spurts here and there. Being raised by her dad who dies while she is in her teens and meeting a guy, Brandon who she shares her first kiss and cigarette is just some of the obstacles the author takes you through. I enjoyed this book very much.
August 5, 2016
After the Leaves Fall by debut novelist Nicole Baart is a haunting, stunningly-written novel about lost love, desire, and the beauty of God's simple redemption of one life. I cherished her sentences, applauded the storyline, and left the book sad that I couldn't read on. This is one of those books that stays with you.
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February 23, 2011
Wow, I just didn't really connect with Julia or her problems. I got tired of hearing her complain. Every time she got a chance to create more drama in her life, she made the wrong choice. Every time she could have acted like a mature adult, she blew it. So don't care what happens to her.
March 10, 2008
Girl with absent mom, dad dies. She goes to college and gets pregnant. Lots of telling rather than showing, but well written. Leaves a lot hanging for the next book.
June 19, 2018
Nice story, but found myself wishing it would get a move on. I found the internal monologue of Julia a bit annoying, felt that she just wandered through life with no action and no drive. Found myself very frustrated, and wanting to shake her and tell her to grow up. Sorry!
I was not endeared to Julia in any way. I didn't feel any connection with any of the characters and found Parker rude, Thomas selfish, Grandma seemed so underdeveloped, Julia's college life could have had more to it than just her roommate Becca and Parker.
The way that Julia talked about her waning faith, if she ever had faith, was quite a common thought pattern, but the development of her faith was totally skated over.
The story smacked of someone trying to write as a teenager, but who was a teenager in a very different era. Also the story felt that it was written by someone who has never experienced some of the things that Julia had experienced in her life. I think this is why the story felt flat, as there was no emotional connection to the story. I am a strong believer in writing what you know, therefore, I felt that the characters seemed shallow because there was no emphasis on the emotions that Julia must have had at the death of her father and abandonment of her mother, living with grandma, being in love with someone who doesn't love you, unexpected pregnancy, all big topics, but not enough background, emotion, angst etc.
That being said, I am committed to reading the rest of Julia's story. I hope there is some more life in the next book.
I was not endeared to Julia in any way. I didn't feel any connection with any of the characters and found Parker rude, Thomas selfish, Grandma seemed so underdeveloped, Julia's college life could have had more to it than just her roommate Becca and Parker.
The way that Julia talked about her waning faith, if she ever had faith, was quite a common thought pattern, but the development of her faith was totally skated over.
The story smacked of someone trying to write as a teenager, but who was a teenager in a very different era. Also the story felt that it was written by someone who has never experienced some of the things that Julia had experienced in her life. I think this is why the story felt flat, as there was no emotional connection to the story. I am a strong believer in writing what you know, therefore, I felt that the characters seemed shallow because there was no emphasis on the emotions that Julia must have had at the death of her father and abandonment of her mother, living with grandma, being in love with someone who doesn't love you, unexpected pregnancy, all big topics, but not enough background, emotion, angst etc.
That being said, I am committed to reading the rest of Julia's story. I hope there is some more life in the next book.
January 12, 2019
I read this in 2016, but did not do a review -- just re=read it and liked it less than before. Julia had no sense -- made bad choices. BUT -- how come the TA boyfriend was so nice but when she got pregnant he wanted nothing to do with her. Guess that's the point of this Christiany-based story. And how stupid that she threw away the money he gave her -- a stupid way to make a point to yourself! Anyway, I'm not sure what "statics" is -- is that the same as statistics? If so, I well understand her frustration. I came close to quitting graduate school because of that class. I thought her mother might get back in the picture before the end, but truly, it had gone on far enough. Just not my cup of tea.
December 5, 2021
Julia DeSmit grows up under ther Grandmother's guidance. Her Mother just left one day and she hasn't heard from her since. Now, her beloved father has died and she has no one in the world except her grandmother.
One night she meets Thomas. He is several years older then her, but they form a bond that summer and for the next years through school they are always together. Now Thomas has left for college
and Julia is left alone again.
Julia only has a few years and she will be off to college herself, but she is close enough to still
stay in touch for the love of her life, Thomas. But, times are changing as is Thomas and Julia.
A great book, that will leave you breathless for the next chapter.
One night she meets Thomas. He is several years older then her, but they form a bond that summer and for the next years through school they are always together. Now Thomas has left for college
and Julia is left alone again.
Julia only has a few years and she will be off to college herself, but she is close enough to still
stay in touch for the love of her life, Thomas. But, times are changing as is Thomas and Julia.
A great book, that will leave you breathless for the next chapter.
February 21, 2018
This was an OK read. To my way of thinking it just moved so slowly. The writing was absolutely beautiful, the choice of words was lovely, but the story itself--although very "faith" based--just seemed uninspired. A young girl who's mother abandoned her early in life is currently living with her grandmother after the death of her father. She is on the naive side and is very unsure of herself but is heading off to collage to better her future. After an unexpected situation causes her to move back home after her 1st semester, she looks to her grandmother for the wisdom she needs to face the rest of her life.
December 14, 2019
What happens in the first part of our life tends to define our life-course. Julia Desmit's mother leaves when Julie is nine-years-old. She's raised by her dad until he dies. Julia makes a mistake in college and returns to her grandmother's farm. There Julia searches for understanding and for God who makes all things to the good, even a difficult childhood.
I identify with this story. My dad died when I was nine. It defined my life until Jesus. Change is still occurring and my understanding still increases.
I found this book, at times, hard to follow. I pressed through and enjoyed the story.
I identify with this story. My dad died when I was nine. It defined my life until Jesus. Change is still occurring and my understanding still increases.
I found this book, at times, hard to follow. I pressed through and enjoyed the story.
February 14, 2021
I didn’t go looking for this book. I actually picked it up for a dollar in the used section of my favorite local bookstore. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It wasn’t filled with profanity or scenes I would want out of my head later, and it wasn’t a love story with a necessarily “happy” ending. It was real and exposing, and I found it strangely refreshing. The insert said it was a first-time novel for this writer, and that was another reason I wanted to read it. I always hope when, or if, my book gets published someone will do the same with me...finish it.
I liked Nicole Baart. I think we could be good friends.
I liked Nicole Baart. I think we could be good friends.
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