Book: After the Flood
Author: Kassandra Montag
An evocative, atmospheric story, After the Flood by Kassandra Montag is a dystopian novel that I enjoyed a lot more than expected.
Set 100 years in the future, the world is flooded, with the only habitable land the mountain peaks.
The lead protagonist Myra is living on a boat with her daughter, endlessly searching for the daughter she lost, after her husband sped off with her on a motorboat.
It is an exquisitely written novel that expresses very well the lengths one woman will go to rescue her daughter.
Myra was pregnant with her young daughter before her husband left with Row – the older daughter.
With the landscapes in dire condition, humanity is forced to take a chance on rafts and boats to escape.
After her husband leaves, she boards a boat with her grandfather, where she gives birth to Pearl.
Seven years after her grandfather’s death, Myra gets a glimmer of hope that she may find her long-lost daughter.
It was a really approachable read, something I find uncommon among sci-fi books that I’ve read with a futuristic element to an apocalypse.
Though the plot unfolded slowly, it wasn’t predictable and effectively holds the reader’s attention, while reminding of the struggles of day-to-day living for the characters – which were also developed thoroughly.
I really enjoyed the development of the story and characters; it wasn’t too slow and didn’t give too much away about the latter end of the book as you progressed through the early pages.
The talented author presented such clear imagery and a sense of reality to the story which was a welcome discovery.
I love books that absorb you into their imagery and help you live out the story like a film in your imagination.
After the Flood really reminded me of the recent Netflix hit Birdbox starring Sandra Bullock.
Overall, a really solid book that I would definitely recommend reading if you’re into post-apocalyptic storylines.
You can purchase a copy of After the Flood from all major online e-book retailers including amazon.com for around $20.