Before. During. After.

by Philip Charter

Before. During. After. is a novella-in-flash which presents a sequence of life-changing moments for a cast of twenty interconnected characters. The book is set in a small town in the USA, and focuses on the lives of students, teachers and parents of the local high school.
The action begins at the end-of-year ceremony in the sport halls, with Coach Primley set to address the students. Each character's story connects to the next moment of change before the action returns to the gymnasium. The event is marred by tragedy, as Primley suffers a heart attack on one of his last days at work. Other characters struggle with unjust legal cases, loan repayments and a fatal shootout at a local cafe.
Before. During. After. explores the themes of family, inequality and loss in modern American society.

123 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2024

About the author

Philip Charter is an British author who lives in Spain.

His stories have won and placed in international competitions and have featured in over 100 magazines and anthologies.

In addition to publishing four books of short fiction, he edits the 21 Futures anthology series.

Reviews

[Sara Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m new to the novella-in-flash genre, but this was a great introduction. The author takes you on a journey that spans 20 characters around a pivotal moment that connects all their stories in a whirlwind of emotions, tough decisions and life-and-death moments.
I was immediately hooked to the 2-page stories in the book. Characters fly by with such a speed that the author only has a few lines to grab your attention. I had to control myself not to read the whole book in one go. I wanted to be with it, to experience the characters’ drama just a little bit longer, like when you don’t want to wake up from a nice dream.

[Franklin Velásquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book. I like the way it has been written, with short stories but all interconnected. It talks about modern topics from a human perspective. Book highly recommended.

[Thomas de Saavedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always interesting to me how writers with a background in short stories end up having such delicious prose. Bangers found within include the following:

- Heaven is blocked by faded tiles and a ceiling fan.
- No time like the present to better my Arabic, roll back years of American culture, and settle into an abusive marriage.
- No one else can see us, but we see each other.
- A real notebook, so I can stop writing lists on torn newspapers, and start writing down all the things I can’t say to Kayleigh from CPS.

I will admit to needing a refresher on some characters' prior chapters. Given the veritable constellation of a cast it might be hard for you to remember everyone your first go through, but that doesn't detract from the experience. Indeed, the format lends itself well to re-readability, and as an enthusiast of literary fiction I'm willing to put in the work.

All in all, though I am more particular to the themes in Charter's last work--Fifteen Brief Moments in Time--BDA's romp through Americana is an equally enjoyable read with the same tight, accessible prose I've come to enjoy from this master of the craft.

[Elizabeth Horst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty different people take you around small town America, passing the baton from one to the next in first-person perspective as tragedy takes place in each person’s life in different ways and in varying levels of intensity. An easy and fast-paced read, the author writes in such a way to draw you in and live it out right beside each of the characters. Each of the people are real and gritty, offering no excuses and provoking much food for thought after the story is over.

[Flogerta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, but this one was such an interesting read for me. A first of it's style for me, I would say.

All the characters that seem unrelated to each other merge so well into the storytelling and each of them's so real and raw that you can't help but relate to them.

There is so much food for thought and so many parts of it are worth stopping by and thinking through. I liked this book very much and it's a must-read on my list.

[Ольга Мельник · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to get the signed copy directly from the author. The book starts with a cast of characters, followed by their intertwined stories, divided into three parts (before, during, and after). The connections between the characters highlight the events, people, and their perceptions from different viewpoints. The central event ("the during") is different for each of them (at least, there is more than one life-changing event). The book is thought-provoking and has a rich vocabulary.

[Pohai Müller · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Before. During. After." follows 20 different characters in an intertwining narrative marked by calamity and unexpected tragedy. Charter allows each character to consider his or her situation in short chapters, with lasting decisions and realizations that reflect the tough reality of modern day America. Embedded within are thought-provoking conclusions that never come across as heavy-handed; rather, poignant moments await the interested reader.

This book is the latest in a string of recent works by Charter that explore the human condition in unusual circumstances. You won't regret reading this one.

[Hannah Wolfram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before. During. After. is the first novella-in-flash I've ever experienced, and my goodness was it an experience (in the best possible way).

As someone who writes flash fiction myself, I can only imagine the blood, sweat, and tears that Philip Charter must have put into Before. During. After., and it certainly shows. The stories interweave seamlessly to bring you a diverse cast of characters who are each tangentially related to the person directly before and directly after them, creating a narrative arch that is as compelling as it is thought-provoking.

If you're looking for a book that you won't be able to put down, Before. During. After. is a phenomenal choice. But don't just take my word for it. Grab yourself a copy, get comfortable, and cancel your afternoon plans... once you get started, you're not going to want to stop anytime soon.