After

by Marita Golden

In her long-awaited fifth novel, acclaimed writer Marita Golden takes another unflinching look into the face of family, race, love and identity.

For twelve years Carson Blake inhabited a world of his own creation. Scorned by the father who was incapable of showing him affection and nearly consumed by the mean streets of Prince George’s County, Maryland, Carson did what no one else he saved himself.
After joining the police force and building a family with his wife, Bunny, Carson is finally in control of his life in the enclave where African American wealth and privilege shares the same zip code with black American crime and tragedy. Both Carson and his wife have great careers and three beautiful Roslyn, Roseanne, and Juwan. Carson is a devoted father, determined not to be the father that Jimmy Blake was to him. But while Juwan’s astounding artistic talent is his father’s pride, the boy’s close relationship with classmate Will conjures up emotions and questions in Carson that threaten to spill over and poison the entire Blake family.
And then, one night in March, nearing the end of a routine shift, Carson stops a young black man for speeding. He orders Paul Houston to exit the car and drop to his knees. But when Houston retrieves something from his waistband and turns to face Carson, three shots are fired, one man loses his life and two families are wrenched from everything that came before and hurled into the haunting future of everything that will come after. When it is revealed that Paul, a son of educators and a teacher in Southeast D.C., was only holding a cell phone, Carson’s carefully woven world begins to unravel.
After is a penetrating work of discovery for a man whose life careens more than once off the edge of disaster. Golden’s astounding prose will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Marita Golden (born April 28, 1950) is an award-winning novelist, nonfiction writer, distinguished teacher of writing and co-founder of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, a national organization that serves as a resource center for African-American writers.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! It kept me wondering what was going to happen next, from page 1. It was a very moving story that made the reader understand all sides - thought-provoking.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5 for me. I like this author and am glad I read this book for the insights it offered from characters with different life experiences than mine. It just wasn’t a compelling read for me — I didn’t hurry back to pick it up. Appreciated the final third of the book most of all. I highly recommend this author’s book “The Wide Circumference of Love”.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

After: A Novel, by Marita Golden, begins with the shooting of a young African American teacher for brandishing a cell phone in the dark after being stopped for speeding at night with his headlights off. Ironically, the officer who shot him was an African American father of three. Profiling? Patrolman Carson Blake panicked and fired his weapon after shouting at the younger man to drop whatever was in his hand, but instead the suspect brought that hand up in front of him, as if to aim it at the officer. Carson was immediately sickened when he saw the cell phone and that the young man was dead. Why didn’t the patrolman wait for backup before getting out of the patrol car? Why did the teacher, beloved only child of an upper middle class Black family not “remember Rodney King,” as he had been told so many times since he first learned to drive? Placed on administrative leave, as is routine police procedure, Carson is tormented by idleness, guilt and fear. Golden’s powerful portrayal of this good man, his beloved wife and children, the parents of the man he killed, and life after the “justified” discharge of a police weapon is a dark, but satisfying read.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential. After is the story of a black cop, Carson, that shoots and kills an innocent young black man because he thought he was pulling a gun. But it was just a cell phone. Having never shot his gun before and the night mare of killing a man that had a bright future changes Carson's future. It also changes the future for his family and the family of the man that died. I keep waiting to be moved to tears and action. Instead, it kind of just went on. Which I guess is ok but this book could have sparked controversy across the country. The passage in the book that questions "why so many young black men are the only ones that get shot during traffic stops" could have been something that makes you stop and think but is only brushed aside as just another question. The end of the book had me shaking my head. I can only hope that there will be a part 2, maybe....

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. It was well written and gives the reader an honest and emotional view of both sides of a tragedy. It's about a policeman who commits the ultimate act. During a traffic stop, he kills a young black man who he thought was reaching for a gun, only to discover that it was a cellphone. The author paints an open, raw picture of the aftermath of the impact from both sides...the young man's family and the officer that killed an innocent young man. This story gets you emotionally and mentally involved. I felt deeply for both sides, but ultimately for this well loved, well raised young man who had so much promise and the tremendous loss for his parents. This tragedy costed everyone involved dearly, but the possibility of redemption gives hope in the worse of times...

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book pretty much non-stop; it was gripping from the jump. It's a psychologically and sociologically dense fictional story of 2 African-American families dealing with the aftermath of a police shooting of an innocent young black man by a black office. It's a powerful exploration of black family life, what it means to be a black man in America, the agonizing process of grief, and the possibility of redemption. Golden's prose is frequently simply rhapsodic. I had not heard of this novel or author before and was one of those serendipitous library finds that jumped off the shelf; you can be sure I'll be looking at other of her books. There's an interview with the author on NPR.

[Dana Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

With all the police violence that's going on in today's society, this book is definitely very relevant. Just didn't have enough action for me I think. Slightly drawn out.

[Teaguem2005 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 for me. It started out good but it lost some enthusiasm for me along the way. Carson Blake was an officer involved in the shooting of a young Black man who he thought had a weapon. Turns out he didn't. After is how his life changed; how the victim's family lives changed as well. Interesting story. Interesting interaction between Carson and his own son. Loved Bunny!

[London · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting of the novel, After is Prince Georges County, Maryland. The author, who lives in the area recounts a fatal tradgedy with a sudden twist. It keeps the reader on edge at all times by telling of many boring, daily life routines and showing how one wrong decision can change everything you know. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because some parts were just a little too detailed what excatly he did in his daily life and at times moved the story slowly. Overall, the book was a nice thriller and I was happy I pulled this out of my book collection.

The character who changed the most was Carson. He's a police officer who fatallly shot a young, unarmed, African-American male teacher. In the beginning of the novel Carson seemed to be more into himself and always very defensive. By the end of the novel he seemed to understand how police officers could be viewed as both the good guys and distrusted at the same time. He still struggled with accepting how his action in the course of his duties was ruining the lives of two families.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had been on my to read list for awhile after I saw it at our library one day. I must have been reading other stuff at the time because I didn't pick it up at the time. Then someone else checked it out and didn't return it for so long that it went to lost status, which I discovered after I had a renewed interest in it after seeing the author speak at this year's Maryland Library Association conference. A few weeks ago I noticed it was back on the new books exhibit so I checked it out.

The book is about an African-American police officer in DC who winds up shooting a young man during a traffic stop thinking he was armed when in reality it turns out he was holding a cell phone. The "after" is what happens to him, his family, and his life after this incident occurs. I enjoyed the book and will be looking into Golden's backlist titles as this is her most recent book.

[Barbera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about After because it won the BCALA (Black Caucus of the American Library Association) award for best novel of 2006. The story is about a police officer who shoots an unarmed man in the course of a traffic stop. Whenever I read about events of this type in the paper, I'm always appalled, but I never took the time to think about how all the different people involved in an event of this kind might feel. That's what this book examines. It's well written and thought-provoking, and it reaffirmed my belief that there are just way too many guns floating around in this country!

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a book I had to read for my book discussion group. I have to say I couldn't get into the book at all. Although the subject matter would be compelling, the book never held any appeal for me. This author is greatly lauded but her writing style just isn't for me. To each their own.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me much longer than normal to read. I agree with some of the other reviewers that it was tedious at times. However once I finished I really enjoyed it. I think that the author could have done a better job at moving the story a long. I did cry at the end because it did touch me.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting idea; hard to imagine being a police officer, much less one who kills someone. Still, this wasn't a 4-star "really liked it" book. It has that something I can't name that makes a 237-page novel tedious.

[Natti R · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute page turner; had me totally engaged from page 1. Immensely thought provoking and full of punch that I couldn't put it down. References of the local area made it even more enjoyable and relatable for me. Thanks Marita for another great book!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Prince Georges County, MD. This very believable fiction exploring what happens AFTER a fatal shooting of a suspect at a traffic stop.

[Debra Odom · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get into this book. It is what I call a "dark" book. It was well written but a sad story about loss and forgiveness.