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Cover of After

After

by Ellen Datlow

Book Details

Publisher:Hachette+ORM
Published:2013-02-12
Pages:408
Format:BOOK
Language:en
ISBN:9781423170068

Reading Info

Age Range:6-10

About This Book

If the melt-down, flood, plague, the third World War, new Ice Age, Rapture, alien invasion, clamp-down, meteor, or something else entirely hit today, what would tomorrow look like? Some of the biggest names in YA and adult literature answer that very question in this short story anthology, each story exploring the lives of teen protagonists raised in catastrophe's wake-whether set in the days after the change, or decades far in the future. New York Times bestselling authors Gregory Maguire, Gart

Our Review

This powerful anthology of post-apocalyptic fiction explores how teenagers navigate worlds transformed by catastrophic events, from environmental disasters to alien invasions. Each story plunges young protagonists into vividly imagined futures where survival requires both physical endurance and emotional resilience. The collection presents diverse perspectives on rebuilding society, confronting new dangers, and finding hope when familiar structures have collapsed. These narratives capture the raw immediacy of life after civilization's end while examining what endures when everything changes.

What distinguishes this compilation is its focus on adolescent perspectives during existential crises, making the dystopian scenarios particularly accessible to younger readers. The stories balance grim realities with moments of human connection, showing characters who forge new communities and discover inner strength. Readers who appreciate thought-provoking speculative fiction will find these explorations of resilience both engaging and meaningful, offering much to discuss about adaptation and hope in uncertain times.

Themes

Juvenile Fiction

Subjects

Juvenile Fiction