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What Comes After
After the shocking death of two teenage boys tears apart a community in the Pacific Northwest, a mysterious pregnant girl emerges out of the woods and into the lives of those same boys' families--a moving and hopeful novel about forgiveness and human connection.
In misty, coastal Washington State, Isaac lives alone with his dog, grieving the recent death of his teenage son, Daniel. Next door, Lorrie, a working single mother, struggles with a heinous act committed by her own teenage son. Separated by only a silvery stretch of trees, the two parents are emotionally stranded, isolated by their great losses--until an unfamiliar sixteen-year-old girl shows up, bridges the gap, and changes everything.
Evangeline's arrival at first feels like a blessing, but she is also clearly hiding something. When Isaac, who has retreated into his Quaker faith, isn't equipped to handle her alone, Lorrie forges her own relationship with the girl. Soon all three characters are forced to examine what really happened in their overlapping pasts, and what it all possibly means for a shared future.
With a propulsive mystery at its core, What Comes After offers an unforgettable story of loss and anger, but also of kindness and hope, courage and forgiveness. It is a deeply moving account of strangers and friends not only helping each other forward after tragedy but inspiring a new kind of family.
In misty, coastal Washington State, Isaac lives alone with his dog, grieving the recent death of his teenage son, Daniel. Next door, Lorrie, a working single mother, struggles with a heinous act committed by her own teenage son. Separated by only a silvery stretch of trees, the two parents are emotionally stranded, isolated by their great losses--until an unfamiliar sixteen-year-old girl shows up, bridges the gap, and changes everything.
Evangeline's arrival at first feels like a blessing, but she is also clearly hiding something. When Isaac, who has retreated into his Quaker faith, isn't equipped to handle her alone, Lorrie forges her own relationship with the girl. Soon all three characters are forced to examine what really happened in their overlapping pasts, and what it all possibly means for a shared future.
With a propulsive mystery at its core, What Comes After offers an unforgettable story of loss and anger, but also of kindness and hope, courage and forgiveness. It is a deeply moving account of strangers and friends not only helping each other forward after tragedy but inspiring a new kind of family.
432 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2021
978 people are currently reading
58762 people want to read
About the author
JoAnne Tompkins
2 books432 followersJoAnne Tompkins was inspired to become a writer by the human resiliency she observed in her first career as a mediator and judicial officer. She lives in Port Townsend, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,494 reviews
June 22, 2022
Oh boy! Another book made me feel like somebody sledgehammered my heart at least dozen times and torn it apart, crushed it with a giant truck’s tires and left it to root at the crime scene!
It might look like over exaggerated definition but I’m truly overwhelmed and I need to wear mask to cover my entire face ( also I need to wear it at home to protect my besties who stop by and husband dearest from screaming! My face is too blotchy, swollen, resembling adult Yoda ( Jon Favreau can choose me to play his oldest self at Mandalorian but I hope he won’t puke on me as soon as he sees the last condition of my face! )
This book is not everyone! It makes you feel TOO MUCH! It’s extremely intense! And if you lost your loved ones recently ( you know what it doesn’t change anything you lost them recently or long time ago: the pain you suffer never lessens , it just develops but it still hurts like hell! ) you have to think it twice before starting to read it!
Even though I heard those alarm bells warm me to stay away because this book is more than a regular tear jerker, heart wrenching novel : I kept reading. I couldn’t stop myself. I let my tears fall! I let my screams cut the silence! I let myself fall apart! Because the characters were so real, so genuine and their experiences are so familiar! The different and beautiful characters interwoven stories hook you up, move under your skin and capture your heart!
Grief, web of secrets, building rage, abandonment, abuse : those are triggering subjects of the book but you already know what you’re getting yourself into from the beginning.
You truly ache for Evangeline who is dealt with one of the shittiest hand, suffering from so many traumatic experience who is only 16. And we’re introduced to 50 years old Isaac who loses his only son Daniel who is killed brutally and Isaac learns to face his true nature and faults of his son. And you may feel deeply sorry for Lorrie who lost his first son when he was a baby and now loses his other son to suicide.
There are so many more memorable characters and when you read some chapters, you feel your heart is bleeding for them. It’s so realistic, earth shattering, soul crushing.
Even it hurt me extremely I cannot help myself and give my five OMG what I just read, it was written amazingly but I think I cannot open my red rimmed eyes for two days stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP/ Riverhead Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
It might look like over exaggerated definition but I’m truly overwhelmed and I need to wear mask to cover my entire face ( also I need to wear it at home to protect my besties who stop by and husband dearest from screaming! My face is too blotchy, swollen, resembling adult Yoda ( Jon Favreau can choose me to play his oldest self at Mandalorian but I hope he won’t puke on me as soon as he sees the last condition of my face! )
This book is not everyone! It makes you feel TOO MUCH! It’s extremely intense! And if you lost your loved ones recently ( you know what it doesn’t change anything you lost them recently or long time ago: the pain you suffer never lessens , it just develops but it still hurts like hell! ) you have to think it twice before starting to read it!
Even though I heard those alarm bells warm me to stay away because this book is more than a regular tear jerker, heart wrenching novel : I kept reading. I couldn’t stop myself. I let my tears fall! I let my screams cut the silence! I let myself fall apart! Because the characters were so real, so genuine and their experiences are so familiar! The different and beautiful characters interwoven stories hook you up, move under your skin and capture your heart!
Grief, web of secrets, building rage, abandonment, abuse : those are triggering subjects of the book but you already know what you’re getting yourself into from the beginning.
You truly ache for Evangeline who is dealt with one of the shittiest hand, suffering from so many traumatic experience who is only 16. And we’re introduced to 50 years old Isaac who loses his only son Daniel who is killed brutally and Isaac learns to face his true nature and faults of his son. And you may feel deeply sorry for Lorrie who lost his first son when he was a baby and now loses his other son to suicide.
There are so many more memorable characters and when you read some chapters, you feel your heart is bleeding for them. It’s so realistic, earth shattering, soul crushing.
Even it hurt me extremely I cannot help myself and give my five OMG what I just read, it was written amazingly but I think I cannot open my red rimmed eyes for two days stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP/ Riverhead Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
December 8, 2023
Here is my one-minute spoiler-free video review: https://youtu.be/-bpUWG1sotk
What Comes After is the debut novel by JoAnne Tompkins set in Washington State. A town is reeling from the loss of two teenage boys involved in a murder suicide. Mysteriously, a pregnant teenage girl emerges from the woods with secrets. Homeless, she finds herself residing with Isaac, one of the fathers of the deceased teenage boys. This is a story of the power of silence and facing hard truths.
This book was on my Top 10 Most Anticipated Reads of 2021, largely because it was recommended to anyone who loved Where the Crawdads Sing. This book did have many similarities with Where the Crawdads Sing while it also had key differences. Check out my video comparing these two books here: https://youtu.be/20i14_hEzkA
This book took a risk by not going the route of a traditional coming of age story or breaking out the traditional damsel in distress storyline. Instead, it focused on forgiveness, facing hard truths (things that are difficult to see or admit), and new beginnings. Additionally, Isaac is a Quaker who turns to his faith to process the loss of his son. The only Quaker that I can remember reading about was Alice in the book Christy so it was interesting to learn more about that faith and the power of waiting for answers and being comfortable with silence.
However, there were a few points where I would have revised the book. The first: Evangeline was not written as a very innocent character and did not resonate with me as much as Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing. One scene that I would cut was the flashback to the time with Evangeline’s mom (trying not be spoil anything…). Also, there were a couple of things that didn’t really move the story along but were very polarizing: there were a couple of paragraphs about a dog (again trying not to spoil anything) and there was a VERY graphic description of hunting.
Overall, this book was really great. I would love to read it again, and I can’t wait for my pre-order to arrive because I look forward to reading it again.
*Thanks NetGalley for providing this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) at no charge in exchange for a fair and honest review.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
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What Comes After is the debut novel by JoAnne Tompkins set in Washington State. A town is reeling from the loss of two teenage boys involved in a murder suicide. Mysteriously, a pregnant teenage girl emerges from the woods with secrets. Homeless, she finds herself residing with Isaac, one of the fathers of the deceased teenage boys. This is a story of the power of silence and facing hard truths.
This book was on my Top 10 Most Anticipated Reads of 2021, largely because it was recommended to anyone who loved Where the Crawdads Sing. This book did have many similarities with Where the Crawdads Sing while it also had key differences. Check out my video comparing these two books here: https://youtu.be/20i14_hEzkA
This book took a risk by not going the route of a traditional coming of age story or breaking out the traditional damsel in distress storyline. Instead, it focused on forgiveness, facing hard truths (things that are difficult to see or admit), and new beginnings. Additionally, Isaac is a Quaker who turns to his faith to process the loss of his son. The only Quaker that I can remember reading about was Alice in the book Christy so it was interesting to learn more about that faith and the power of waiting for answers and being comfortable with silence.
However, there were a few points where I would have revised the book. The first: Evangeline was not written as a very innocent character and did not resonate with me as much as Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing. One scene that I would cut was the flashback to the time with Evangeline’s mom (trying not be spoil anything…). Also, there were a couple of things that didn’t really move the story along but were very polarizing: there were a couple of paragraphs about a dog (again trying not to spoil anything) and there was a VERY graphic description of hunting.
Overall, this book was really great. I would love to read it again, and I can’t wait for my pre-order to arrive because I look forward to reading it again.
*Thanks NetGalley for providing this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) at no charge in exchange for a fair and honest review.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
April 21, 2021
April BOTM selection.
A powerful story about loss, grief, hope, and forgiveness.
Isaac is a 50-something year old who lives alone with his dog, Rufus. Next door to him is Lorrie, who lives with her teenaged daughter. They used to be close, and will always be connected by grief after the shocking deaths of their respective sons, Daniel and Jonah...who were best friends.
Evangeline is a pregnant 16-year old. Due to difficult circumstances, she is also homeless. She ends up in Isaac’s yard. One thing leads to another, and he lets her stay with him. Soon, Lorrie ends up befriending her too. What neither Isaac or Lorrie realizes is that Evangeline has secrets that tie into their grief, but may ultimately help heal them.
What Comes After is a domestic drama with a touch of mystery in the way that the story unfolds from multiple viewpoints and past/present timelines. It’s incredibly moving and gripping, with intriguing characters whose flaws are hardly concealed.
While the pace isn’t breakneck, that works in favor here as it gives the reader time to absorb the rich and atmospheric story. Subtle nuances help create an absorbing tale of loss and sadness, joy and hope, and healing.
I wasn’t aware of the trigger warnings going in, and may not have read the book if I’d known. (Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don’t want to know what they are) TW: Animal cruelty, a violent and graphic hunting scene, death of animals, and suicide.
I am still glad that I read this powerful story even if some sections were extremely hard to get through.
Available now from Riverhead Books.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
A powerful story about loss, grief, hope, and forgiveness.
Isaac is a 50-something year old who lives alone with his dog, Rufus. Next door to him is Lorrie, who lives with her teenaged daughter. They used to be close, and will always be connected by grief after the shocking deaths of their respective sons, Daniel and Jonah...who were best friends.
Evangeline is a pregnant 16-year old. Due to difficult circumstances, she is also homeless. She ends up in Isaac’s yard. One thing leads to another, and he lets her stay with him. Soon, Lorrie ends up befriending her too. What neither Isaac or Lorrie realizes is that Evangeline has secrets that tie into their grief, but may ultimately help heal them.
What Comes After is a domestic drama with a touch of mystery in the way that the story unfolds from multiple viewpoints and past/present timelines. It’s incredibly moving and gripping, with intriguing characters whose flaws are hardly concealed.
While the pace isn’t breakneck, that works in favor here as it gives the reader time to absorb the rich and atmospheric story. Subtle nuances help create an absorbing tale of loss and sadness, joy and hope, and healing.
I wasn’t aware of the trigger warnings going in, and may not have read the book if I’d known. (Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don’t want to know what they are) TW: Animal cruelty, a violent and graphic hunting scene, death of animals, and suicide.
I am still glad that I read this powerful story even if some sections were extremely hard to get through.
Available now from Riverhead Books.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
August 6, 2022
Wow!!! This book was incredible! I cannot believe this was The authors debut novel! It was sooo good! I thought the synopsis sounded interesting so I chose it as one of my BOTM picks and I’m so glad I did! The characters, the storyline, everything about this book was amazing! I was engrossed from the beginning and had a hard time putting it down. Definitely a 5 star read and my favorite book I read in 2021! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 13, 2021
Isaac is alone, his wife has left him, his son tragically dead, his dog his only companion. Alone until a sixteen year old pregnant teenager, Evangeline appears at his door. He is a Quaker, a religion that is used to helping those in need. Through this young girl he will learn things about himself, the death of his son and the strength of his beliefs.
An amazingly mature and well written debut novel. From the beginning we know what happened, what the characters do with this knowledge, how they move on is the story. I learned so much about the Quaker religion of which I had known little. We hear from one of the dead boys on his last days, from Evangeline we learn her back story and more of the recent past and from Isaac we learn of his grief, his doubts, inner turmoil.
A strong novel about the family we make when we have lost the families we had. There is also a wonderful dog, and a bittersweet, heartbreaking story about this loyalist of companions.
ARC from Edelweiss.
An amazingly mature and well written debut novel. From the beginning we know what happened, what the characters do with this knowledge, how they move on is the story. I learned so much about the Quaker religion of which I had known little. We hear from one of the dead boys on his last days, from Evangeline we learn her back story and more of the recent past and from Isaac we learn of his grief, his doubts, inner turmoil.
A strong novel about the family we make when we have lost the families we had. There is also a wonderful dog, and a bittersweet, heartbreaking story about this loyalist of companions.
ARC from Edelweiss.
August 6, 2021
WHAT COMES AFTER started out very promising. Friends' average rating is 4.5 so my opinion is in the minority. Bottom line, I didn't enjoy the story as I had hoped. The opening was gripping and I was hooked. The following happened early so it's not a spoiler.
One missing teenage boy, Daniel. Then his childhood friend/neighbor Jonah died. Jonah left a note with the location of Daniel's remains. A pregnant teen, a grieving father, and a dog. A good mix for a pageturner story. Oh yes, smalltown near Puget Sound. The audiobook was good and I would give it 4-5 stars, all narrators are perfect for the characters. My problem once I was done listening is what's the point? Ok, I get the point (can't say without spoiling) but 13 hours for this? It's 5 hours too long. WHAT COMES AFTER is a miss for me.
TW: Rape, suffering, and death of animals, suicide
"What Comes After" for me will be to read a book by an author I'm familiar with and know I'll enjoy.
One missing teenage boy, Daniel. Then his childhood friend/neighbor Jonah died. Jonah left a note with the location of Daniel's remains. A pregnant teen, a grieving father, and a dog. A good mix for a pageturner story. Oh yes, smalltown near Puget Sound. The audiobook was good and I would give it 4-5 stars, all narrators are perfect for the characters. My problem once I was done listening is what's the point? Ok, I get the point (can't say without spoiling) but 13 hours for this? It's 5 hours too long. WHAT COMES AFTER is a miss for me.
TW: Rape, suffering, and death of animals, suicide
"What Comes After" for me will be to read a book by an author I'm familiar with and know I'll enjoy.
November 13, 2022
“Humans are forever picking their heroes and villains in waves of reversing fashion. Though at times—and this has happened not only with some pit bulls but with all manner of people and entire countries—we name our villains and then treat them in such a way that they prove us prophets.”
Isaac Balch, a high school teacher in the seaside town of Port Furlong, finds sixteen-year-old Evangeline McKensey alone and sheltering in the yard behind his home and takes her in. Evangeline, abandoned by her mother, is homeless having previously lived in a decrepit trailer with her mother and is pregnant and has had to resort to desperate means and measures to support herself. Isaac, a Quaker in faith, sees in her a lost young girl who needs help and out of the goodness of his heart decides to assist her in every way possible. Isaac whose wife left him a year ago is still reeling from the recent death of his teenage son Daniel who was recently murdered by Jonah, their friend and neighbor Lorrie’s son who was Daniel’s school friend and who later committed suicide. We also find out that Evangaline was no stranger to Jonah and Daniel – a fact that she initially keeps to herself. As the story progresses we get to know more about Isaac, Jonah and his mother and sister and the community they shared. We see how Isaac, Lorrie and her daughter Nells, Evangeline and Rufus (Daniel’s pet dog) deal with the aftermath of the horrific tragedy, accept the irrevocable changes in their lives and their relationships and learn to co-exist in the best way possible - learning to live with the guilt and pain of their shared loss and forging new bonds from forgiveness, compassion and acceptance.
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins is an incredible debut novel that revolves around family, grief, guilt, acceptance, kindness, faith and forgiveness. The author touches upon issues such as child and sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy and suicide with the utmost sensitivity. The prose is elegant, the narrative is engaging and the characterizations are absolutely brilliant. The narrative is shared in chapters alternating between Isaac’s and Evangeline’s PoVs with a few chapters from Jonah's final days narrated in his voice. Isaac’s grief, reflections on what he perceives as his shortcomings as a parent, and his kindness towards Evangeline were beautifully written as was Evangeline’s story as she shares her distrust, confusion and the pain of adjusting to life with a child on the way while adjusting to a new town among strangers she whose kindness she is forced to accept. Jonah’s narrative was simply heartbreaking with his complicated friendship with Daniel, his dysfunctional family dynamics and his guilt over his crime that pushes him to take his own life. Each of these voices is distinct and congruent with the profile of the characters crafted by the author. However, I felt that Lorrie’s character should have been explored with more depth and though we get to know some details through Jonah’s narrative,the author could have given a voice to Lorrie and her struggles with her abusive late husband, Jonah’s crime and subsequent suicide, her guilt over her son’s actions and the ensuing strain in her friendship with Isaac. This is a complex and powerful story that will evoke strong emotions and though it might not be the easiest read, it is well worth the time invested.
“You can see the crimes that people commit, see them in their clear brutality, and yet someday, somehow, forgive. It might be the only way. How is forgiveness of what is not acknowledged forgiveness at all?”
Isaac Balch, a high school teacher in the seaside town of Port Furlong, finds sixteen-year-old Evangeline McKensey alone and sheltering in the yard behind his home and takes her in. Evangeline, abandoned by her mother, is homeless having previously lived in a decrepit trailer with her mother and is pregnant and has had to resort to desperate means and measures to support herself. Isaac, a Quaker in faith, sees in her a lost young girl who needs help and out of the goodness of his heart decides to assist her in every way possible. Isaac whose wife left him a year ago is still reeling from the recent death of his teenage son Daniel who was recently murdered by Jonah, their friend and neighbor Lorrie’s son who was Daniel’s school friend and who later committed suicide. We also find out that Evangaline was no stranger to Jonah and Daniel – a fact that she initially keeps to herself. As the story progresses we get to know more about Isaac, Jonah and his mother and sister and the community they shared. We see how Isaac, Lorrie and her daughter Nells, Evangeline and Rufus (Daniel’s pet dog) deal with the aftermath of the horrific tragedy, accept the irrevocable changes in their lives and their relationships and learn to co-exist in the best way possible - learning to live with the guilt and pain of their shared loss and forging new bonds from forgiveness, compassion and acceptance.
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins is an incredible debut novel that revolves around family, grief, guilt, acceptance, kindness, faith and forgiveness. The author touches upon issues such as child and sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy and suicide with the utmost sensitivity. The prose is elegant, the narrative is engaging and the characterizations are absolutely brilliant. The narrative is shared in chapters alternating between Isaac’s and Evangeline’s PoVs with a few chapters from Jonah's final days narrated in his voice. Isaac’s grief, reflections on what he perceives as his shortcomings as a parent, and his kindness towards Evangeline were beautifully written as was Evangeline’s story as she shares her distrust, confusion and the pain of adjusting to life with a child on the way while adjusting to a new town among strangers she whose kindness she is forced to accept. Jonah’s narrative was simply heartbreaking with his complicated friendship with Daniel, his dysfunctional family dynamics and his guilt over his crime that pushes him to take his own life. Each of these voices is distinct and congruent with the profile of the characters crafted by the author. However, I felt that Lorrie’s character should have been explored with more depth and though we get to know some details through Jonah’s narrative,the author could have given a voice to Lorrie and her struggles with her abusive late husband, Jonah’s crime and subsequent suicide, her guilt over her son’s actions and the ensuing strain in her friendship with Isaac. This is a complex and powerful story that will evoke strong emotions and though it might not be the easiest read, it is well worth the time invested.
“You can see the crimes that people commit, see them in their clear brutality, and yet someday, somehow, forgive. It might be the only way. How is forgiveness of what is not acknowledged forgiveness at all?”
April 30, 2021
Audiobook...Library overdrive
Read by Mark Deakins, Kristen DiMercurio, and Kirby Heyborne
I became so wrapped up in this story —especially the weary engaging protagonist- Issac, who was grieving the loss of his son Daniel.
JoAnne Tompkins - debut author - [an author to read again] - wrote exactly the type of mystery suspense novel that I most respect, and enjoy.
And....it works tremendous in audiobook format. From the first sentence I was hooked - intrigued- fully interested - even excited -
Ha.....I knew I had finally found the type of psychological thriller I was looking for. (I’m not confident about choosing these types well)....
However, with much praise, JoAnne Tompkins can stand tall along with William Kent Krueger, Tana French, Emily St. John Mandel, and Liz Moore. ( authors who have also written top notch literary psychological character driven/plot driven/ relationship driven...damn great novels).
Rather than being focused on thriller-twists-and-turns....or gruesome murder details- Jo-Anne focuses on the characters—their emotions ‘from’ a horrific tragedy. Why does a teen kill his best friend and then himself?
The entire small town community is grappling with this question.
The title...”What Comes After”, is perfectly fitting.
There are already at least a hundred terrific reviews- ( 60% rated this 5 stars...25% 4 stars.....and the few stragglers rated it less are less than 10%).....
I’m right there in agreement with the high 5 star ratings.
This book has feelings - atmosphere- wounded characters we come to know well - intelligent narrative - an energy of youthfulness that only a college town has - with more secrecy than brutality.
Loved it ....and look forward to what Jo-Anne Tompkins writes next.
Read by Mark Deakins, Kristen DiMercurio, and Kirby Heyborne
I became so wrapped up in this story —especially the weary engaging protagonist- Issac, who was grieving the loss of his son Daniel.
JoAnne Tompkins - debut author - [an author to read again] - wrote exactly the type of mystery suspense novel that I most respect, and enjoy.
And....it works tremendous in audiobook format. From the first sentence I was hooked - intrigued- fully interested - even excited -
Ha.....I knew I had finally found the type of psychological thriller I was looking for. (I’m not confident about choosing these types well)....
However, with much praise, JoAnne Tompkins can stand tall along with William Kent Krueger, Tana French, Emily St. John Mandel, and Liz Moore. ( authors who have also written top notch literary psychological character driven/plot driven/ relationship driven...damn great novels).
Rather than being focused on thriller-twists-and-turns....or gruesome murder details- Jo-Anne focuses on the characters—their emotions ‘from’ a horrific tragedy. Why does a teen kill his best friend and then himself?
The entire small town community is grappling with this question.
The title...”What Comes After”, is perfectly fitting.
There are already at least a hundred terrific reviews- ( 60% rated this 5 stars...25% 4 stars.....and the few stragglers rated it less are less than 10%).....
I’m right there in agreement with the high 5 star ratings.
This book has feelings - atmosphere- wounded characters we come to know well - intelligent narrative - an energy of youthfulness that only a college town has - with more secrecy than brutality.
Loved it ....and look forward to what Jo-Anne Tompkins writes next.
May 13, 2021
Forgiveness, resiliency, hope. What does it look like? How do you pick up the pieces after a tragedy? This is an introspective, character-driven story of 3 people reeling from unimaginable losses.
Two families are left devastated following the murder-suicide of their teens, Daniel and Jonah, who were best friends. Isaac and Lorrie, the parents who are next door neighbors, are now connected forever due to this tragedy. Each has a painful history which complicates the grieving process.
Evangeline, a 16 year old homeless pregnant girl, is found by Isaac in the woods behind his house and takes her in. With Isaac and Lorrie’s help, she begins her own healing. She has a secret that can shed light on Daniel and Jonah’s relationship and what happened between them.
How these three connect and begin to heal and live again is the main theme in this story. The story is told from several points of view, including Jonah’s, which sheds light on the past and what led to the tragedy.
Isaac’s Quaker faith plays a part in the story and I enjoyed learning about their traditions, a subject I knew little about. I wish we had been given Lorrie’s point of view but we get to know her through the lens of the other characters
Rufus, Isaac’s dog, is the other character in the book. He is the intuitive dog who senses your every emotion and creates strong bonds with their humans. I loved him.
I do wish the author would have toned down certain events with the animals in the book. I don’t like the phrase “trigger warnings”, but I will say there was a section that brought back painful memories, and I had to put it down and walk away several times. Yet, am I still glad I read this book? Yes.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and it inspired a great discussion. It would make a terrific book club selection. We both highly recommend this powerful story.
This is an amazing debut. The author’s work as a lawyer and mediator no doubt influenced the book’s themes of resilience, forgiveness, and healing. I can’t wait to see what she does next!
Two families are left devastated following the murder-suicide of their teens, Daniel and Jonah, who were best friends. Isaac and Lorrie, the parents who are next door neighbors, are now connected forever due to this tragedy. Each has a painful history which complicates the grieving process.
Evangeline, a 16 year old homeless pregnant girl, is found by Isaac in the woods behind his house and takes her in. With Isaac and Lorrie’s help, she begins her own healing. She has a secret that can shed light on Daniel and Jonah’s relationship and what happened between them.
How these three connect and begin to heal and live again is the main theme in this story. The story is told from several points of view, including Jonah’s, which sheds light on the past and what led to the tragedy.
Isaac’s Quaker faith plays a part in the story and I enjoyed learning about their traditions, a subject I knew little about. I wish we had been given Lorrie’s point of view but we get to know her through the lens of the other characters
Rufus, Isaac’s dog, is the other character in the book. He is the intuitive dog who senses your every emotion and creates strong bonds with their humans. I loved him.
I do wish the author would have toned down certain events with the animals in the book. I don’t like the phrase “trigger warnings”, but I will say there was a section that brought back painful memories, and I had to put it down and walk away several times. Yet, am I still glad I read this book? Yes.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and it inspired a great discussion. It would make a terrific book club selection. We both highly recommend this powerful story.
This is an amazing debut. The author’s work as a lawyer and mediator no doubt influenced the book’s themes of resilience, forgiveness, and healing. I can’t wait to see what she does next!
January 8, 2022
“What Comes After” by JoAnne Tompkins is a meditation on grief, healing, compassion, and understanding. It’s a novel that made me cry, and few do. Tompkins does a fantastic job writing her characters as complex, needy, insecure, frightened and judgmental all at once. In fact, all the characters are messily human, full of faults and grace.
Isaac begins the story by informing the reader that his teenage son went missing, and then his son’s best friend shot himself and wrote a note stating that he killed Daniel, Isaac’s son. Isaac’s wife left him years ago, and Isaac basically raised Daniel alone. Daniel’s best friend, Jonah, lived next door with his mother Lorrie and his sister, Nells.
Next, we learn of Evangeline who is homeless, sixteen, and pregnant. Evangeline was abandoned by her drug addled mom who swung between her addiction to drugs and Jesus. In either case, Evangeline was never number one. Evangeline was not raised kindly and wants to be a good mother for her unborn baby.
Jonah narrates chapters entitled “Day of My Death”. Through Jonah’s sparing chapters, we learn of his life at home, with Daniel, and how he met Evangeline. And as the chapter titles suggest, we learn of that last day of his life.
Adding depth is Isaac’s Quaker faith. I am not familiar with the religion, so I found Isaac’s faith, and his struggles with his faith in the face of his grief to be very interesting. Nothing challenges faith like an unexpected death. Add to that, Isaac continues to struggle with his wife leaving him. Isaac’s faith does help him, and I found the tenets of his faith to be insightful. I now know more about Quakers than I had previously.
This is one of my favorite novels of 2021 so far. It’s domestic fiction at its finest. Tompkins is being compared to Anne Tyler and Marilynne Robinson and I agree.
Isaac begins the story by informing the reader that his teenage son went missing, and then his son’s best friend shot himself and wrote a note stating that he killed Daniel, Isaac’s son. Isaac’s wife left him years ago, and Isaac basically raised Daniel alone. Daniel’s best friend, Jonah, lived next door with his mother Lorrie and his sister, Nells.
Next, we learn of Evangeline who is homeless, sixteen, and pregnant. Evangeline was abandoned by her drug addled mom who swung between her addiction to drugs and Jesus. In either case, Evangeline was never number one. Evangeline was not raised kindly and wants to be a good mother for her unborn baby.
Jonah narrates chapters entitled “Day of My Death”. Through Jonah’s sparing chapters, we learn of his life at home, with Daniel, and how he met Evangeline. And as the chapter titles suggest, we learn of that last day of his life.
Adding depth is Isaac’s Quaker faith. I am not familiar with the religion, so I found Isaac’s faith, and his struggles with his faith in the face of his grief to be very interesting. Nothing challenges faith like an unexpected death. Add to that, Isaac continues to struggle with his wife leaving him. Isaac’s faith does help him, and I found the tenets of his faith to be insightful. I now know more about Quakers than I had previously.
This is one of my favorite novels of 2021 so far. It’s domestic fiction at its finest. Tompkins is being compared to Anne Tyler and Marilynne Robinson and I agree.
December 8, 2023
Two teenage boys. Both dead but only one to blame. They had been best friends since they were 3 years old, neighbors, even though the two couldn't be more different. How did this happen?
Isaac, a Quaker, is reeling from his son Daniels death. Divorced from his wife he's left with his dog Rufus as his only companion.
Just across the way is Lorrie a widow. She too lost her son, Jonah. He killed himself after admitting to killing Daniel.
Then there is Evangeline. She is a pregnant 16 year old girl who Isaac finds sleeping in the field outside of his house. He takes her in and from here we read a story about grief and loss and love and hope.
My goodness this book made me emotional on many occasions. I grew to love and care about all of the characters. Especially Rufus, what an amazing dog! I'll admit this book is not an easy read. It's going to grab you by the heart and kick you in the stomach all at the same time. An amazing book, truly, especially seeing that this is a debut. My only very small complaint would be that it ended rather abruptly and I wanted more closure for our characters. I can't speak for everyone but I want to believe they all got the happy ending they deserve. If you recently read
and enjoyed it then this is one that you should definitely pick up. Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead books for my copy.
Isaac, a Quaker, is reeling from his son Daniels death. Divorced from his wife he's left with his dog Rufus as his only companion.
Just across the way is Lorrie a widow. She too lost her son, Jonah. He killed himself after admitting to killing Daniel.
Then there is Evangeline. She is a pregnant 16 year old girl who Isaac finds sleeping in the field outside of his house. He takes her in and from here we read a story about grief and loss and love and hope.
My goodness this book made me emotional on many occasions. I grew to love and care about all of the characters. Especially Rufus, what an amazing dog! I'll admit this book is not an easy read. It's going to grab you by the heart and kick you in the stomach all at the same time. An amazing book, truly, especially seeing that this is a debut. My only very small complaint would be that it ended rather abruptly and I wanted more closure for our characters. I can't speak for everyone but I want to believe they all got the happy ending they deserve. If you recently read
and enjoyed it then this is one that you should definitely pick up. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead books for my copy.
November 23, 2020
"Every mother screws up her children one way or another. It's up to you whether you stay that way."
I don't remember the last book that I had a hard time reading the final pages due to ugly crying. I had no idea when I picked this one up what I was in for - it moved me beyond words, and days later, here I am still thinking about its message.
I don't usually go overboard re-hashing plots, as you can find those everywhere, but as this is an early 2021 release that I hadn't heard much about, I think it's a bit more fitting here. The book opens in the aftershock of the death of two teenage boys in the Pacific Northwest. Isaac, dad of Daniel, is reeling from a recent divorce and now the death of his son. He finds himself living alone with his dog, Rufus (hands down, the best book dog ever). Next door neighbor and working single mother, Lorie, is struggling to comprehend the heinous act committed by her own teenage son, Jonah. Isaac and Lorie are emotionally stranded — until a fiery, homeless teenage girl, Evangeline, shows up and changes everything.
Evangeline is clearly hiding something, but Isaac takes her in anyway. Isaac, a rather stoic high school teacher, with deep Quaker faith, soon finds himself over his head, and reaches out to Lorrie for help. Soon all three of them are forced to examine the events in their overlapping pasts, and what it all possibly means for a shared future.
While there is a mystery at the core of the book, the book is also a masterful foray into loss and anger, and the powerful life-changing effects of kindness, hope, and forgiveness. The exploration of the Quaker faith is interesting and lays the perfect foundation for many elements of the book. The characters are so rich - I hurt for every single one of them at one point or another. Things are not always as they appear on the surface and life experiences, good or bad, go far in shaping mental, physical, and spiritual health.
I also loved, loved, loved the dog, Rufus, in this book! I thought Tompkins was spectacular at weaving the complex emotions of the characters around the dog's actions and characteristics.
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. I believe this is a debut work for Tompkins, which is mind-blowing to me; however, after reading her bio and seeing that her inspiration comes from being a mediator and a judicial officer, it is little wonder that she nails the elements of human resiliency and forgiveness. This book truly spoke to my soul, and I hope it's a huge success for Tompkins. All the stars!
I don't remember the last book that I had a hard time reading the final pages due to ugly crying. I had no idea when I picked this one up what I was in for - it moved me beyond words, and days later, here I am still thinking about its message.
I don't usually go overboard re-hashing plots, as you can find those everywhere, but as this is an early 2021 release that I hadn't heard much about, I think it's a bit more fitting here. The book opens in the aftershock of the death of two teenage boys in the Pacific Northwest. Isaac, dad of Daniel, is reeling from a recent divorce and now the death of his son. He finds himself living alone with his dog, Rufus (hands down, the best book dog ever). Next door neighbor and working single mother, Lorie, is struggling to comprehend the heinous act committed by her own teenage son, Jonah. Isaac and Lorie are emotionally stranded — until a fiery, homeless teenage girl, Evangeline, shows up and changes everything.
Evangeline is clearly hiding something, but Isaac takes her in anyway. Isaac, a rather stoic high school teacher, with deep Quaker faith, soon finds himself over his head, and reaches out to Lorrie for help. Soon all three of them are forced to examine the events in their overlapping pasts, and what it all possibly means for a shared future.
While there is a mystery at the core of the book, the book is also a masterful foray into loss and anger, and the powerful life-changing effects of kindness, hope, and forgiveness. The exploration of the Quaker faith is interesting and lays the perfect foundation for many elements of the book. The characters are so rich - I hurt for every single one of them at one point or another. Things are not always as they appear on the surface and life experiences, good or bad, go far in shaping mental, physical, and spiritual health.
I also loved, loved, loved the dog, Rufus, in this book! I thought Tompkins was spectacular at weaving the complex emotions of the characters around the dog's actions and characteristics.
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. I believe this is a debut work for Tompkins, which is mind-blowing to me; however, after reading her bio and seeing that her inspiration comes from being a mediator and a judicial officer, it is little wonder that she nails the elements of human resiliency and forgiveness. This book truly spoke to my soul, and I hope it's a huge success for Tompkins. All the stars!
June 22, 2021
This was surprising in a few ways. I thought the opening prologue was gruesome and shocking and disturbing and it really grabs you from that first page. But then this story ends up being a lot more emotional and moving than I was anticipating. I loved getting so many different POV's from all the people involved in this situation, and I just thought it was really well done. It started to drag a little in the middle, which is why I gave it four instead of five stars, but I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the different narrators!
January 25, 2022
3 stars.
Sixteen years old, homeless, and several weeks pregnant, Evangeline shows up in the small seaside town where the recent death of two teenage boys has devastated residents. Evangeline becomes involved within the grieving families lives and the towns’ hidden secrets begin to unravel.
I enjoyed learning about Quakers. This was a fascinating and informative aspect that played a large role in the small town community. Rufus, the dog, was my absolute favourite part of the novel. Rufus is a truly unforgettable part of this story. The small town, dark, foreboding atmosphere was done well. The underlying tension and mystery was consistent throughout.
This book will sit heavy on your heart and mind. Several dark and heavy themes are explored and instead of making me feel invested and connected, they weren’t explored in a convincing way and failed to draw me in. The slow and somber tone of this story made me feel hesitant in picking this book back up every time I put it down. Death of a child. Suicide. Child abandonment and neglect. Rape. Homelessness. Longing for a family. Bullying. This is not a feel good story by any means. The heaviness and slow pace made the reading experience a less than enjoyable one for me after the halfway mark because it really dragged. There are a few questionable plot points which took away from any potential connection I may have had to the characters. I usually love a heavy and emotional book that makes me “feel”, but unfortunately this didn’t work out well for me.
Overall, a promising debut novel with several thought-provoking themes explored. Although it wasn’t one that I connected with, I can understand how many will love it.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!
Sixteen years old, homeless, and several weeks pregnant, Evangeline shows up in the small seaside town where the recent death of two teenage boys has devastated residents. Evangeline becomes involved within the grieving families lives and the towns’ hidden secrets begin to unravel.
I enjoyed learning about Quakers. This was a fascinating and informative aspect that played a large role in the small town community. Rufus, the dog, was my absolute favourite part of the novel. Rufus is a truly unforgettable part of this story. The small town, dark, foreboding atmosphere was done well. The underlying tension and mystery was consistent throughout.
This book will sit heavy on your heart and mind. Several dark and heavy themes are explored and instead of making me feel invested and connected, they weren’t explored in a convincing way and failed to draw me in. The slow and somber tone of this story made me feel hesitant in picking this book back up every time I put it down. Death of a child. Suicide. Child abandonment and neglect. Rape. Homelessness. Longing for a family. Bullying. This is not a feel good story by any means. The heaviness and slow pace made the reading experience a less than enjoyable one for me after the halfway mark because it really dragged. There are a few questionable plot points which took away from any potential connection I may have had to the characters. I usually love a heavy and emotional book that makes me “feel”, but unfortunately this didn’t work out well for me.
Overall, a promising debut novel with several thought-provoking themes explored. Although it wasn’t one that I connected with, I can understand how many will love it.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!
May 22, 2021
How do we reconcile our lives after we have experienced an enormous tragedy? Do things ever go back to normal or do we now live through a "new" normal as we piece together a life, we might feel is not quite worth living?
In this debut book, What Comes After, the author, Joanne Thompkins gives us a view of people coping and using whatever it might be to go on. We meet Evangeline, a teenage girl who has been battered by life, and finds herself in an untenable position. She is caught in a revolving door of tragedy, one that has compelled her into a life on the street, hidden in the woods, left destitute. She meets two young teen boys and her life takes a definite turn as it does for the boys Jonah and Daniel.
Daniel is the star of his high school, in reality he has been all his life. Handsome, charismatic, he holds the world at his fingertips yet there is something that makes Daniel something that churns inside with the ability to hurt. Jonah, both his next-door neighbor and best friend, is the polar opposite. He has a hard time making friends, he is adrift not knowing the right things to do to be accepted but he has Daniel. Tragedy, poor decision making and circumstance set the boys on a path to a place they never thought themselves to go.
Then there are the parents, Isac, Daniel's father, and Lorrie, Jonah's mother. They too, have experienced loss, she with her son watching her husband commit a heinous act, while Isaac has had his wife leave him and desert his son. Where do these people go for solace, for comfort, for the ability to find a way to go forward? Isaac tries to resort to his Quaker religion, a very interesting aspect of the story, while Lorrie just retreats into studying for a better life. She holds her daughter close but her character is difficult to comprehend, as the author gives us little clues as to how she reacts.
They all come together because of tragedy as they all search for how they can move in the world that has treated them so poorly. Ms Tompkins gives the reader much to mull over as she gives us no definitive answers except maybe one, the power of forgiveness. This was a complicated story, informing us that people often act and react in a manner that seems unnatural to us. Everyone handles grief and suffering differently and surely, we see through these characters the various ways one can find to carry on. While the reader may question their actions, they will come away with an understanding that at times good can come from something terrible and awful.
This was an amazing debut story and I hope the author continues to write more stories.
As warnings...there are a few,....the scenes the author depicts of the dog, Rufus is not only tragic but also heartbreaking, but then again, the whole book is heartbreaking as well.
Definitely recommend this story for the discussions, the understanding, and the thoughts presented. Life is hard and often has no silver lining, and yet sometimes there is the glimmer of hope.
What a discussion Jan and I had over this one! It was once again a joy to read a book with my bestie!
In this debut book, What Comes After, the author, Joanne Thompkins gives us a view of people coping and using whatever it might be to go on. We meet Evangeline, a teenage girl who has been battered by life, and finds herself in an untenable position. She is caught in a revolving door of tragedy, one that has compelled her into a life on the street, hidden in the woods, left destitute. She meets two young teen boys and her life takes a definite turn as it does for the boys Jonah and Daniel.
Daniel is the star of his high school, in reality he has been all his life. Handsome, charismatic, he holds the world at his fingertips yet there is something that makes Daniel something that churns inside with the ability to hurt. Jonah, both his next-door neighbor and best friend, is the polar opposite. He has a hard time making friends, he is adrift not knowing the right things to do to be accepted but he has Daniel. Tragedy, poor decision making and circumstance set the boys on a path to a place they never thought themselves to go.
Then there are the parents, Isac, Daniel's father, and Lorrie, Jonah's mother. They too, have experienced loss, she with her son watching her husband commit a heinous act, while Isaac has had his wife leave him and desert his son. Where do these people go for solace, for comfort, for the ability to find a way to go forward? Isaac tries to resort to his Quaker religion, a very interesting aspect of the story, while Lorrie just retreats into studying for a better life. She holds her daughter close but her character is difficult to comprehend, as the author gives us little clues as to how she reacts.
They all come together because of tragedy as they all search for how they can move in the world that has treated them so poorly. Ms Tompkins gives the reader much to mull over as she gives us no definitive answers except maybe one, the power of forgiveness. This was a complicated story, informing us that people often act and react in a manner that seems unnatural to us. Everyone handles grief and suffering differently and surely, we see through these characters the various ways one can find to carry on. While the reader may question their actions, they will come away with an understanding that at times good can come from something terrible and awful.
This was an amazing debut story and I hope the author continues to write more stories.
As warnings...there are a few,....the scenes the author depicts of the dog, Rufus is not only tragic but also heartbreaking, but then again, the whole book is heartbreaking as well.
Definitely recommend this story for the discussions, the understanding, and the thoughts presented. Life is hard and often has no silver lining, and yet sometimes there is the glimmer of hope.
What a discussion Jan and I had over this one! It was once again a joy to read a book with my bestie!
January 22, 2023
Three broken hearts. A man who has lost a son, and who has a tendency to rescue strays, animal and human alike. A sixteen year old girl who has been abandoned by her mother and feels worthless. An aging dog who seems to be more aware of things than any of the humans around him. A half-finished Victorian house that seems to grieve right along with its inhabitants. What does love look like? Who deserves it? The value of family, and the ability to fit in. And what a person is really like on the inside.
A stunning debut novel, published in 2021. I came dangerously close to giving it five stars for how much I liked it.
A stunning debut novel, published in 2021. I came dangerously close to giving it five stars for how much I liked it.
March 31, 2021
Tl;dr: Read. This.
What Comes After is JoAnne Tompkins first novel but it sure doesn't read like it! It's so beautifully written and so thoughtful that I assumed the author had published a lot of books. But no, this is the real deal, a first novel that reads so well that the comparison to Tana French are apt. I was reminded of Helen Dunmore, because the writing is so lovely. I have entire sections highlighted because of the writing and the meaning behind it.
Anyway! What Comes After is about Evangeline, a teenage girl abandoned by her mother and determined to try and find a place to stay, even as she's suspicious of everyone and assumes everything will turn out poorly. She ends up at the home of Issac, whose son Daniel was recently murdered by his friend and next door neighbor, Jonah, who then took his own life. Jonah had a troubled family home life--his father was abusive, his death was brutal--but loved Daniel like a brother. Why did Jonah kill him? The answer seems obvious and it is on the surface, but underneath is tangled up not just in who Jonah was, but who Daniel was.
As for Issac? He's drowning in grief but leaning on his Quaker faith, which he feels helps him see clearly. But he doesn't, and his journey to understanding not just Daniel but those around him and, eventually himself, is brilliantly done.
Evangeline also bonds with Lorrie and Nells, Jonah's mother and sister, and Lorrie's all too human mix of weakness and strength, combined with her innante ability to understand a situation, makes her an integral part of both Evangeline's and Issac's journeys.
Despite the murder that drives it, What Comes After is a quiet journey, like the most important ones are. It looks not just at love and loss but the very nature of good and evil and how neither can exist without the other, at least for people. It asks about this world, and what came before as well as what's after, and came the closest to expressing a view of god and the universe as anything I've read. Ever.
If you're looking for a thriller, this isn't it. It's so much more, so much better--a gorgeous examination of the light and dark within all of us and the beauty that lies in death, life, and every moment in-between. It's about the beauty of silence, the quiet of the soul, and the connections that tie us all together.
The most assured debut I've read in ages, with an author who can write teens and adults and philosophical issues with a deft hand and gorgeous prose, What Comes After is an absolute must read and one of the best books I've read in 2021. If you read only one work of literary fiction this year, make it this one.
What Comes After is JoAnne Tompkins first novel but it sure doesn't read like it! It's so beautifully written and so thoughtful that I assumed the author had published a lot of books. But no, this is the real deal, a first novel that reads so well that the comparison to Tana French are apt. I was reminded of Helen Dunmore, because the writing is so lovely. I have entire sections highlighted because of the writing and the meaning behind it.
Anyway! What Comes After is about Evangeline, a teenage girl abandoned by her mother and determined to try and find a place to stay, even as she's suspicious of everyone and assumes everything will turn out poorly. She ends up at the home of Issac, whose son Daniel was recently murdered by his friend and next door neighbor, Jonah, who then took his own life. Jonah had a troubled family home life--his father was abusive, his death was brutal--but loved Daniel like a brother. Why did Jonah kill him? The answer seems obvious and it is on the surface, but underneath is tangled up not just in who Jonah was, but who Daniel was.
As for Issac? He's drowning in grief but leaning on his Quaker faith, which he feels helps him see clearly. But he doesn't, and his journey to understanding not just Daniel but those around him and, eventually himself, is brilliantly done.
Evangeline also bonds with Lorrie and Nells, Jonah's mother and sister, and Lorrie's all too human mix of weakness and strength, combined with her innante ability to understand a situation, makes her an integral part of both Evangeline's and Issac's journeys.
Despite the murder that drives it, What Comes After is a quiet journey, like the most important ones are. It looks not just at love and loss but the very nature of good and evil and how neither can exist without the other, at least for people. It asks about this world, and what came before as well as what's after, and came the closest to expressing a view of god and the universe as anything I've read. Ever.
If you're looking for a thriller, this isn't it. It's so much more, so much better--a gorgeous examination of the light and dark within all of us and the beauty that lies in death, life, and every moment in-between. It's about the beauty of silence, the quiet of the soul, and the connections that tie us all together.
The most assured debut I've read in ages, with an author who can write teens and adults and philosophical issues with a deft hand and gorgeous prose, What Comes After is an absolute must read and one of the best books I've read in 2021. If you read only one work of literary fiction this year, make it this one.
April 27, 2021
This may be a controversial opinion since most of Goodreads LOVED What Comes After, but I really did not enjoy this story. I found Isaac to be cold and unrelateable - his reaction to grief and finding a strange girl in his yard were so far off from how I would react, that I struggled with his part of the story. Evangeline was fine, but I didn’t feel overly invested. The chapters from Jonah drove the story forward and filled in the gaps but ultimately did not reveal much that you couldn’t have insinuated otherwise. I read other reviews about how emotional this book was, and maybe I’m cold hearted, but I just didn’t feel invested in these characters.
May 25, 2021
Spoiler Warning
I really liked the first 100-150 pages of What Comes After, I was intrigued. But I quickly realized this was building to a bunch of nothing. So long and boring. This is a book that is trying to convince you it is deep, but it is actually shallow. It could have been half the length, but if it was, how incredibly melodramatic it is wouldn’t have been able to be padded with a bunch of fluffy words. I’m going to summarize the plot.
What Comes After starts a few weeks after a tragic murder-suicide in a small town. Good boy, Jonah, confessed to murdering his best friend, Daniel, in his suicide note. Daniel’s father, Isaac, recently divorced, lives next door to Jonah’s mother, Lorrie, recently widowed. Then a 16-year-old pregnant drifter, Evangeline, shows up at Isaac’s and just kind of starts living with him. She knew both Daniel and Jonah shortly before their deaths. As the story unfolds we learn that Evangeline took a liking to Jonah, which Daniel didn’t like because, TWIST, he’s a one dimensional alpha male. Daniel buys Evangeline pizza and then rapes her in the woods. Shortly after, Evangeline has consensual sex with Jonah. Daniel and Jonah illegally kill a buck. While Jonah is field dressing the animal, Daniel dickishly tells him that he had sex with Evangeline. Jonah cuts Daniel’s throat with the field dressing knife in a fit of rage. He sneaks home where TWIST, his mother Lorrie immediately suspected something fishy happened with Daniel as she not at all suspiciously burned all of Jonah’s clothes. Jonah then eventually decides to kill himself because he has then same darkness as his father. The father who, TWIST, was super abusive and shot himself in front of his family. So in present time Isaac, Lorrie, and Evangeline all think the baby is either Daniel or Jonah’s until, TWIST, it is revealed to be neither and is instead a middle aged guy Evangeline prostituted herself out to three weeks before she met the boys. At least it was the random dude and not, TWIST, the principal of her new school who picks up underaged prostitutes, including Evangeline. And then Evangeline has a super dramatic placental abruption, emergency c-section, and high fever post birth. She has to stay in the hospital while Isaac and Lorrie take care of her baby. TWIST, they all end up in a messy found family.
That is it. The entire plot. Stretched over more than 400 pages. I just thought all of the plot twists were ridiculous and I didn’t even get into some of the smaller ones. I ultimately thought everything was underdeveloped despite being so long. I don’t feel like I know Daniel or Jonah at all. At first I thought the author was going to use flashbacks to show years of pent up resentment in Jonah. Not really. It is heavily implied that is the real reason Jonah kills Daniel, not just over Evangeline. But it wasn’t developed enough. I never got a feeling of love from the boys, they just seemed to hate each other. Evangeline has four sex scenes with four different guys, three of the scenes are rape. Just why be this bleak?
Isaac was very emotionally removed and didn’t seem to react to anything. His best friend is Peter, the principal of the high school, who is busted for picking up underaged prostitutes. The only reaction Isaac has is to ask if one was Evangeline (yes). And that is literally it. Umm... I would be so horrified and grossed out and questioning my entire relationship with that person. Isaac is just kind of, *shrug*. Lorrie also was in an abusive relationship for years, but not much depth was given to that. It was another “shock value” element. It seemed like there was an attraction between Isaac and Lorrie. That also goes nowhere.
Aside from the violence against people, there is SO MUCH violence against animals in this book. A cat is torn to shreds, the buck illegally killed, Jonah’s dog is shot in the head, various abuses and injuries befall, Rufus, Isaac’s dog. Plus a large part of the second half of the book is taken up with a subplot about Rufus getting cancer and dying. How nice.
The reveal of how and why Jonah kills Daniel is revealed at the half way point, and then the “plot” just kind of meanders from there. There is some time spent of Isaac’s Quaker faith. I like faith being included in stories of people healing, but it, like everything else, felt shallow. The very end was nice where Isaac forgives Lorrie and reaches out to her. Pretty big of him considering she kind of knew Jonah killed Daniel and helped cover it up. But that message could have been delivered more efficiently with maybe minus some of the melodrama. Obviously many people found it moving, I just wasn’t one of them.
I really liked the first 100-150 pages of What Comes After, I was intrigued. But I quickly realized this was building to a bunch of nothing. So long and boring. This is a book that is trying to convince you it is deep, but it is actually shallow. It could have been half the length, but if it was, how incredibly melodramatic it is wouldn’t have been able to be padded with a bunch of fluffy words. I’m going to summarize the plot.
What Comes After starts a few weeks after a tragic murder-suicide in a small town. Good boy, Jonah, confessed to murdering his best friend, Daniel, in his suicide note. Daniel’s father, Isaac, recently divorced, lives next door to Jonah’s mother, Lorrie, recently widowed. Then a 16-year-old pregnant drifter, Evangeline, shows up at Isaac’s and just kind of starts living with him. She knew both Daniel and Jonah shortly before their deaths. As the story unfolds we learn that Evangeline took a liking to Jonah, which Daniel didn’t like because, TWIST, he’s a one dimensional alpha male. Daniel buys Evangeline pizza and then rapes her in the woods. Shortly after, Evangeline has consensual sex with Jonah. Daniel and Jonah illegally kill a buck. While Jonah is field dressing the animal, Daniel dickishly tells him that he had sex with Evangeline. Jonah cuts Daniel’s throat with the field dressing knife in a fit of rage. He sneaks home where TWIST, his mother Lorrie immediately suspected something fishy happened with Daniel as she not at all suspiciously burned all of Jonah’s clothes. Jonah then eventually decides to kill himself because he has then same darkness as his father. The father who, TWIST, was super abusive and shot himself in front of his family. So in present time Isaac, Lorrie, and Evangeline all think the baby is either Daniel or Jonah’s until, TWIST, it is revealed to be neither and is instead a middle aged guy Evangeline prostituted herself out to three weeks before she met the boys. At least it was the random dude and not, TWIST, the principal of her new school who picks up underaged prostitutes, including Evangeline. And then Evangeline has a super dramatic placental abruption, emergency c-section, and high fever post birth. She has to stay in the hospital while Isaac and Lorrie take care of her baby. TWIST, they all end up in a messy found family.
That is it. The entire plot. Stretched over more than 400 pages. I just thought all of the plot twists were ridiculous and I didn’t even get into some of the smaller ones. I ultimately thought everything was underdeveloped despite being so long. I don’t feel like I know Daniel or Jonah at all. At first I thought the author was going to use flashbacks to show years of pent up resentment in Jonah. Not really. It is heavily implied that is the real reason Jonah kills Daniel, not just over Evangeline. But it wasn’t developed enough. I never got a feeling of love from the boys, they just seemed to hate each other. Evangeline has four sex scenes with four different guys, three of the scenes are rape. Just why be this bleak?
Isaac was very emotionally removed and didn’t seem to react to anything. His best friend is Peter, the principal of the high school, who is busted for picking up underaged prostitutes. The only reaction Isaac has is to ask if one was Evangeline (yes). And that is literally it. Umm... I would be so horrified and grossed out and questioning my entire relationship with that person. Isaac is just kind of, *shrug*. Lorrie also was in an abusive relationship for years, but not much depth was given to that. It was another “shock value” element. It seemed like there was an attraction between Isaac and Lorrie. That also goes nowhere.
Aside from the violence against people, there is SO MUCH violence against animals in this book. A cat is torn to shreds, the buck illegally killed, Jonah’s dog is shot in the head, various abuses and injuries befall, Rufus, Isaac’s dog. Plus a large part of the second half of the book is taken up with a subplot about Rufus getting cancer and dying. How nice.
The reveal of how and why Jonah kills Daniel is revealed at the half way point, and then the “plot” just kind of meanders from there. There is some time spent of Isaac’s Quaker faith. I like faith being included in stories of people healing, but it, like everything else, felt shallow. The very end was nice where Isaac forgives Lorrie and reaches out to her. Pretty big of him considering she kind of knew Jonah killed Daniel and helped cover it up. But that message could have been delivered more efficiently with maybe minus some of the melodrama. Obviously many people found it moving, I just wasn’t one of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2021
5 BRILLIANT STARS!! I love stories where the style of writing is lyrical and the characters are flawed yet authentic, so this novel was a knockout for me. It reminded me of those by Kent Haurf…and I am downright monotonous about my love for this author and his stories. Likewise, JoAnne Tompkins’ debut novel sympathetically portrays her wounded characters’ anguish, solitude, and their often, difficult paths to forgiveness. I felt so much compassion for Isaac, Lorrie and Evangeline, the conflicted main personalities in this novel.
My favorite character was Isaac (a devout Quaker) and his rescued Pitbull, Rufus. I’m a YUUUGE dog lover, and I usually avoid stories with dogs because they often break my heart. I completely fell in love with this old and cherished pet. It wasn’t a good idea to finish this novel just before picking up my own rescued dog, Lola at the groomers yesterday. I was wrecked and looked like hell.😭
There are already many lovely reviews of this story on Goodreads, so mine would only be repetitious. I will just encourage you to read this poignant novel. It is beautifully told and compelling to the end. I recommend it highly!
My favorite character was Isaac (a devout Quaker) and his rescued Pitbull, Rufus. I’m a YUUUGE dog lover, and I usually avoid stories with dogs because they often break my heart. I completely fell in love with this old and cherished pet. It wasn’t a good idea to finish this novel just before picking up my own rescued dog, Lola at the groomers yesterday. I was wrecked and looked like hell.😭
There are already many lovely reviews of this story on Goodreads, so mine would only be repetitious. I will just encourage you to read this poignant novel. It is beautifully told and compelling to the end. I recommend it highly!
April 27, 2021
5 stars - no question.
This was an extremely powerful book and I'm kind of scratching my head at how brilliant it was. It's a debut no less! With that said, I want to make my book friends know that while I enjoyed this book immensely, it is very dark at times and there are a lot of trigger warnings. (Please feel free to reach out to me if you're concerned and would like to know a little more before you read.)
At first, I thought this was a literary mystery, but now that I've finished I wouldn't consider it one and would put it solidly in the literary fiction genre. I finished this book almost two weeks ago, but I've wanted to sit with my thoughts for a little while before I wrote my review. As you're reading it, you have such a sense of increasing foreboding as you go and there were times when I almost needed to take an emotional break before I pressed on. I cringed a lot too because there are things the characters do and say that made me uncomfortable. (Which is okay.)
I don't want to give away anything with the plot, but I will say that despite the slower pacing (which didn't bother me), the payoff was huge at the end. I'm very down right now on what I see happening to our country as a whole. We're divided, turning against one another and lack an overall sense of looking out for others like we do ourselves. I think this book is an extension of all of these themes. Good people who are struggling with demons and for one reason or another turn on their neighbor. I think the author did a fantastic job balancing this fact with that of how we come out on the other side.
I can't wait for her next book and I am so thrilled BOTM chose this to feature. Thanks to Netgalley, Riverhead books and the author for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. Another home run for Riverhead Books.
Review Date: 04/27/2021
Publication Date: 04/13/2021
This was an extremely powerful book and I'm kind of scratching my head at how brilliant it was. It's a debut no less! With that said, I want to make my book friends know that while I enjoyed this book immensely, it is very dark at times and there are a lot of trigger warnings. (Please feel free to reach out to me if you're concerned and would like to know a little more before you read.)
At first, I thought this was a literary mystery, but now that I've finished I wouldn't consider it one and would put it solidly in the literary fiction genre. I finished this book almost two weeks ago, but I've wanted to sit with my thoughts for a little while before I wrote my review. As you're reading it, you have such a sense of increasing foreboding as you go and there were times when I almost needed to take an emotional break before I pressed on. I cringed a lot too because there are things the characters do and say that made me uncomfortable. (Which is okay.)
I don't want to give away anything with the plot, but I will say that despite the slower pacing (which didn't bother me), the payoff was huge at the end. I'm very down right now on what I see happening to our country as a whole. We're divided, turning against one another and lack an overall sense of looking out for others like we do ourselves. I think this book is an extension of all of these themes. Good people who are struggling with demons and for one reason or another turn on their neighbor. I think the author did a fantastic job balancing this fact with that of how we come out on the other side.
I can't wait for her next book and I am so thrilled BOTM chose this to feature. Thanks to Netgalley, Riverhead books and the author for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. Another home run for Riverhead Books.
Review Date: 04/27/2021
Publication Date: 04/13/2021
October 19, 2021
This is one of the most unforgettable debuts I’ve read in a long while, an insightful rendering of three wounded souls making their way out of grief and shame and finding a way to forgiveness and redemption.
Tompkins crafts empathetic characters, but doesn’t shy away from their flaws and gives us a raw portrayal of life after tragedy. She also tackles mental health, child abuse/abandonment and bullying, as well as the nature of evil and the meaning of faith, but the subjects are so deftly handled, it never feels expository, only emotional
The writing is stellar with a capital S. Evocative yet also approachable; atmospheric without getting lost in the woods and, most of all, stirring. Tompkins creates scenes that pack a punch. This book is characterized as a literary thriller which is a disservice, it’s literary, full stop.
I’m loathe to throw a bunch of adjectives in a review, that’s just lazy and conjunctions and articles exist for a reason, but this inspires a spewing of attributes…affecting, complex, moving, perceptive, heartrending, uplifting…I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.
I want to thank my GR friend Elizabeth whose review prompted me to move this up the list. When she gives a book five stars, I take note! Please read her compelling review here and then read this book!
Tompkins crafts empathetic characters, but doesn’t shy away from their flaws and gives us a raw portrayal of life after tragedy. She also tackles mental health, child abuse/abandonment and bullying, as well as the nature of evil and the meaning of faith, but the subjects are so deftly handled, it never feels expository, only emotional
The writing is stellar with a capital S. Evocative yet also approachable; atmospheric without getting lost in the woods and, most of all, stirring. Tompkins creates scenes that pack a punch. This book is characterized as a literary thriller which is a disservice, it’s literary, full stop.
I’m loathe to throw a bunch of adjectives in a review, that’s just lazy and conjunctions and articles exist for a reason, but this inspires a spewing of attributes…affecting, complex, moving, perceptive, heartrending, uplifting…I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.
I want to thank my GR friend Elizabeth whose review prompted me to move this up the list. When she gives a book five stars, I take note! Please read her compelling review here and then read this book!
June 24, 2021
A beautifully written, contemplative story about the pain of loss, the power of forgiveness, and the endless, treacherous road connecting the two. I was stunned by the author's ability to present such an authentic picture of the emptiness that accompanies deep, permanent tragedy, as well as the abject pain, fury, and gentleness that often occur together and serve as a thread connecting the main characters. This is an incredible debut. 5 stars
May 23, 2021
What a great debut!
What a powerful story!
I loved the author’s writing style and I thought that the storyline was well structured and very well developed.
There is so much grief, so much feeling.
It’s heartbreaking.
It’s believable.
And it’s about being human.
Simply remarkable.
I couldn’t wait to reach its conclusion.
When I heard that there were some animal cruelties involved, I was terrified. I wasn’t sure if I could read this book. But the scenes were more about the circumstances rather than simply hurting an animal for pleasure (except for one scene, but it wasn’t difficult to read).
Although I did not connect with the characters, I did feel engaged by the storyline.
To resume, I thought that the author did a great job and was very clever with the plot/structure.
I’m looking forward to reading her next work.
What a powerful story!
I loved the author’s writing style and I thought that the storyline was well structured and very well developed.
There is so much grief, so much feeling.
It’s heartbreaking.
It’s believable.
And it’s about being human.
Simply remarkable.
I couldn’t wait to reach its conclusion.
When I heard that there were some animal cruelties involved, I was terrified. I wasn’t sure if I could read this book. But the scenes were more about the circumstances rather than simply hurting an animal for pleasure (except for one scene, but it wasn’t difficult to read).
Although I did not connect with the characters, I did feel engaged by the storyline.
To resume, I thought that the author did a great job and was very clever with the plot/structure.
I’m looking forward to reading her next work.
May 26, 2021
What comes after the death of your child? Although there is a thread of hope and healing running through this melancholy novel, it is at times hard to read. The characters, especially Isaac whose son was murdered, are examined in depth. Tompkins takes her time with each of them - Issac, Evangeline, Jonah, Lorrie, Rufus (yes I'm including the dog) - until we know them well, and care for them. Sometimes this novel felt heavy-handed, but Tompkins is a potent writer and I look forward to more from her.
April 19, 2021
I absolutely love Evangeline's relationship with both Isaac and Lorrie, and it's easily the most character-driven book I've read all year. Characters only second to Rufus the dog, of course.
I wouldn't agree with Goodreads putting "Mystery" as this book's second genre, it definitely came across as more of a coming of age contemporary novel. While there might be a murder at its core, there's more of an emphasis on how people deal with tragedy and how you can overcome it.
My only issue was the chapter length. When trying to build these close emotional relationships to the characters, I thought the constant perspective-shifting only after a few pages was a little bit distracting.
I might not have been on the verge of tears, but the characters themselves felt very genuine to me. I'd buy/loan it if you're really looking to delve deep into a book.
I wouldn't agree with Goodreads putting "Mystery" as this book's second genre, it definitely came across as more of a coming of age contemporary novel. While there might be a murder at its core, there's more of an emphasis on how people deal with tragedy and how you can overcome it.
My only issue was the chapter length. When trying to build these close emotional relationships to the characters, I thought the constant perspective-shifting only after a few pages was a little bit distracting.
I might not have been on the verge of tears, but the characters themselves felt very genuine to me. I'd buy/loan it if you're really looking to delve deep into a book.
August 23, 2021
Review posted to blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
A Gripping, Raw, Character-Driven Story about Loss, Grief, and Forgiveness.
A murder-suicide of two teenaged boys.
Two families rocked to their core.
A pregnant teenage girl, who appears out of nowhere.
Jonah and Daniel seem like best friends. Then one takes the life of the other, for reasons unknown. This tragedy both connects families and destroys the lives of Daniel's father Issac, and Jonah’s mother Lorrie.
When Evangeline, a pregnant 16-year-old girl arrives in the woods behind Issac’s house, he takes her in, thinking she knows more than she is letting on about his son. He, of course, is right.
Struggling to trust, understand and be there for each other, these characters try to find a path forward in the face of tragedy.
Devastating, harrowing, and yes, at times, hopeful, (though I admit that sounds impossible), this is a story of finding forgiveness, and strength and learning to put one foot in front of the other when all hope seems lost. Rufus, Issac’s dog, was one of my favorite characters, though certain scenes broke my heart.
An absolutely brilliant novel, that kept me riveted to the storyline, this was a buddy listen with Ms. Kaceey. So glad we listened to this together and were able to discuss it.
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the audiobook.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.
A Gripping, Raw, Character-Driven Story about Loss, Grief, and Forgiveness.
A murder-suicide of two teenaged boys.
Two families rocked to their core.
A pregnant teenage girl, who appears out of nowhere.
Jonah and Daniel seem like best friends. Then one takes the life of the other, for reasons unknown. This tragedy both connects families and destroys the lives of Daniel's father Issac, and Jonah’s mother Lorrie.
When Evangeline, a pregnant 16-year-old girl arrives in the woods behind Issac’s house, he takes her in, thinking she knows more than she is letting on about his son. He, of course, is right.
Struggling to trust, understand and be there for each other, these characters try to find a path forward in the face of tragedy.
Devastating, harrowing, and yes, at times, hopeful, (though I admit that sounds impossible), this is a story of finding forgiveness, and strength and learning to put one foot in front of the other when all hope seems lost. Rufus, Issac’s dog, was one of my favorite characters, though certain scenes broke my heart.
An absolutely brilliant novel, that kept me riveted to the storyline, this was a buddy listen with Ms. Kaceey. So glad we listened to this together and were able to discuss it.
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the audiobook.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.
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June 27, 2022DNF at 16% bc I legit didn’t care
May 10, 2021
I have developed a weird intolerance for books that feel as if they were engineered for a book club. This is a prime example of Book Club Plot Type One. Grief! Small town on a coast! Unreliable narrators! A troubled teenaged girl with a mysterious connection to two dead boys! (Not that mysterious; what connection would you expect?) Secrets and lies in a small town! This is the first Book Club Plot.
(The second Book Club Plot is a book that alternates between two time periods, one of them being WW2. The third Book Club Plot involves broken people being healed by books. I AM TIRED OF ALL THESE PLOTS.)
There was a thread about the Quaker faith that I liked, because it was original, but that was cancelled out by a dying dog. TWO dead dogs actually.
Anyway. Can publishing please stop publishing the same books over and over? Also: can I stop reading them? Because some of this is on me.
(The second Book Club Plot is a book that alternates between two time periods, one of them being WW2. The third Book Club Plot involves broken people being healed by books. I AM TIRED OF ALL THESE PLOTS.)
There was a thread about the Quaker faith that I liked, because it was original, but that was cancelled out by a dying dog. TWO dead dogs actually.
Anyway. Can publishing please stop publishing the same books over and over? Also: can I stop reading them? Because some of this is on me.
August 10, 2023
WOW!! I went into this book blind. this was an audible version for me. The story gave me all the feels- happy, sad, angry ! I cannot believe that this is a debut novel
Joanne Tompkins captures the humanness of all the characters incredibly. She also gave some insight into Quaker way of thinking which I found intriguing. I’m going to do a little more research into the quakers.
I highly recommend reading or listening to this novel to anyone that like character driven stories and enjoy lots of feelings!!!
I will definitely looking forward to more from Joanne Tompkins!!
Joanne Tompkins captures the humanness of all the characters incredibly. She also gave some insight into Quaker way of thinking which I found intriguing. I’m going to do a little more research into the quakers.
I highly recommend reading or listening to this novel to anyone that like character driven stories and enjoy lots of feelings!!!
I will definitely looking forward to more from Joanne Tompkins!!
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