Aftermath

by Suzanne Morris

Springing from the London School explosion in rural New London, Texas, Aftermath begins more than forty years later, when the narrator recalls the dreadful day she lost her mother and many of her schoolmates. As she weighs both the joys and the sorrows of the life, she eventually comes to terms with the reality that the tragedy can never be overcome, but it can, in significant ways, be redeemed. 

300 pages, Paperback

Published July 19, 2016

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delys Lithingate survives a devastating explosion at her school and is whisked away to live with her aunt and uncle in Houston. Delys recounts her experiences in trying to adjust to life without her mother, lost in the explosion; without her father, who headed off into the oilfields to forget his sorrow; without her friends, especially her childhood beau, Bruce, who her aunt and uncle refused to allow her to see.

It's difficult to recreate the past in a story, and I often found myself stepping out of the story to question a line by the author or a decision by a character. It's a book group read later this month, so I will be curious as to what others thought of it.

[Laura Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very powerful and thought provoking book. How does a community tragedy, like the New London School Explosion, affect someone after the fact, especially if one is young and subsequently move away. The use of poems to help flesh out Delys' feelings was fairly novel and added an interesting element to the narrative.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book! It was so interesting to see a different perspective from a victims side of the 1937 New London school explosion (fiction). I live 3 miles from where the actual explosion happened. I drive by the rebuilt school everyday. This book really hit home with me.