Book Review: After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

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Media Type: Print Book
Title: After The Flood
Author: Kassandra Montag
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: Hardcover; 432
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Source: Publisher / TLC Book Tours

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Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian
HDB Rating: 3*

Recommended to: Readers who love slow burn books that deal excellently with climate change as an end of the world scenario.

Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | HarperCollins

An inventive and riveting epic saga, After the Flood signals the arrival of an extraordinary new talent.

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.

A compulsively readable novel of dark despair and soaring hope, After the Flood is a magnificent, action packed, and sometimes frightening odyssey laced with wonder—an affecting and wholly original saga both redemptive and astonishing.

Being the first book that I’ve picked up in about two weeks, After The Flood had a pretty high bar set for it. I’ve been so busy with school work that reading for pleasure has fallen by the wayside. I made time for this book though, and I’m glad that I did. It’s been a while since I really dove into dystopian world, and it felt pretty good. This book is a little rough around the edges, but I had a good time reading my way through it.

Let’s start with the good. The first few chapters of this book are pure enjoyment. I was captivated by this new world, covered in water, where people fought to survive on what little land was left. The fact that Myra’s grandfather built a boat in their attic fascinated me. This is why I love books like this, because they make my imagination work overtime. It’s both terrifying and enjoyable to think about how I would do in a situation like this. As it stands, Myra was doing a pretty amazing job.

Which is why it pained me to eventually start to feel nothing but annoyance to Myra. I tried valiantly to remember that this post-apocalyptic world was rough, and would whittle people down over time. The problem was that Myra was just selfish, plain and simple. I can forgive selfishness for means of survival. I can forgive it if eventually the character learns from it. Myra just felt so self-absorbed, even after she began to feel like she had found a “family”. I couldn’t forgive her for that. In fact, none of the characters really ever felt like people I could love. It’s tough to root for character surivial when you don’t feel connected.

My other issue was that there are portions of this book that feel like they dragged. The story would pick up when the crew of the Sedna reached land, or narrowly missed being killed, and then it would be right back to day to day life on the new sea. The concept of a woman who, despite anything standing in her way, would fight to look for her daughter was amazing. The execution of that concept didn’t quite pan out. I wanted more action, and honestly more real connection.

So, long story short, this book and I parted ways with a three star rating. The story was good. Solid even. Myra’s quest to find her daughter will resonate with a lot of parents out there, who would also do anything for their children. This just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

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FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.