Title: After the Flood
Author: Kassandra Montag
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2019
A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water.
Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her oldest daughter, Row, who was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Then, in a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra suddenly discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Artic Circle. Throwing aside her usual caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there.
On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship and Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers.
Review
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to write this review as soon as I finished reading it, but I kept typing than deleting because I couldn’t find the right words to eloquently explain how incredible After the Flood is. I came to the conclusion that I would just keep it simple. Here are three things I loved about Kassandra Montag’s debut novel:
I loved that After the Flood was a heavy read. The entire time I was reading this, I felt I was sharing a sense of burden not only with the protagonist but every other character on page. The emotions that were bouncing between the characters were so intense, I was forced to feel and process them as well. However, despite being so emotionally invested, not once did I feel mentally exhausted and had to put the book down. It was a one day read, because I just wanted to continue on the journey with the characters.
I loved that the Montag made me think. Not only does she make the setting in a world that could possibly happen to us, with the effects of climate change ever increasing, she also makes her characters and the situations so realistic that I had to question myself on everything that was happening. What would I do if the world began to flood? How would I survive? How far would I go to survive? And do I think about myself only or those around me as well? Themes of loyalty, humanity, sacrifice, guilt, family ties and love are explored in After the Flood, amongst others, and it really made me think hard on it all.
I loved that the characters were so flawed. Each and everyone of them carried a secret, a burden, a trait that, peeled away, revealed so much history. It’s hard not to empathise/sympathise with them but also at times dislike them. The choices the characters made stemmed from their previous lives, what they’ve encountered and the losses they’ve endured. The best part was that it wasn’t just the main character that had depth. It really was every character that was introduced and played a large part in the novel. Such a realistic portrayal of people. No one is perfect and everyone carries scars, and Montag creates such a great representation of that through her characters.
I wholeheartedly give Kassandra Montag’s debut novel a full five stars because it was that amazing. It’s not my first five star rating for the year, but definitely the first read, in awhile, that had me engrossed from the very first page. I’m struck by how much I still think about it want to discuss it with others who have read it. Please do yourself a favour and pick this up.
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