Amazon.it:Recensioni clienti: After the End: The powerful, life-affirming novel from the Sunday Times Number One bestselling author (English Edition)

allanwhittle

Remarkable

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 1 luglio 2019

I've read other books from this author and enjoyed them.
hence downloaded this without really paying a deal of attention to the subject matter , just anticipating , like all the others , it would be good .
A little way in I realised this was not really my thing and not what i expected , shall we say "Not a book a bloke would choose "..far too deep and potentially grim .
Still i persevered and am glad i did , this is a remarkable read on so many fronts , simply a masterclass .
Yes ..it get a shade confusing when two scenarios /endings are mandatory to read , don't be put off , it pulld back into line brilliantly ...Excellent stuff !

15 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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NB

Disappointingly led on a painful path that did not lead anywhere worthwhile getting to!

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 3 agosto 2020

Acquisto verificato

I read this book despite having spent time sitting beside a bed in the kind of children's hospital ward described. Perhaps that was my first error.
I really wished I had not persevered when I got to the end. I do not like to leave a book halfway through, despite not enjoying the experience. If you have purchased this book or had it given to you, and it is currently sitting on you 'to read' shelf, I recommend reading everything else on the shelf before getting to this one. I actually felt quite annoyed with myself at the ending, at the fact that I had chosen to spend my free time reading this.
I would not in any way describe this book as life-affirming.

5 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Iris

Depressing and boring

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 17 giugno 2020

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There is only one other book I haven't been able to finish. I read at normal speed to start with, then skipped bits, then pages and finally at p 69 decided it wasn't going to improve. As another reviewer said, it was more like a documentary than a book of fiction. I also didn't see anywhere that it was about 3 year old child with cancer - I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole. It was also mostly written in the present tense which is a no-no for me. Each character had a chapter which made it bitty and I couldn't connect with a single one. I want a story to draw me in and help me forget about the miserable times we are living in.

3 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Patti8

Confusing and disappointing

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 9 febbraio 2021

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I've never read such a muddled story. The first half was interesting, if depressing, but it felt like the second half had been written by a group of people who hadn't read the first half. Each chapter jumped backwards and forwards showing the reader different scenarios from the perspective of the 3 main characters, the Mother and Father and the Hospital consultant treating the poor child. I honestly didn't know what the heck was going on and just skimmed through it waiting for the end. But when I did eventually get there, I was so confused, I had to keep re reading the last few chapters, trying to understand the ending.
Why would the author completely ruin an interesting story, with all those alternative story lines, what was the point? I was taken in by the rave reviews, such as 'Life affirming', but it was far from it. Waste of money and energy reading it.

4 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Hiawyn Oram

Not moving, depressing

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 19 settembre 2019

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I cannot understand why anyone could bear to immerse him or herself in a detail by detail story of a child dying of a brain tumour and or the medical procedures involved. Why? I have to admit I abandoned the book long before the end having zero interest in either of the characters of the parents of the dying child. For me another book I paid for having read ‘rave’ reviews which I then found close to unreadable. Happening again and again. Help.

10 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Not a comfortable read.

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 1 novembre 2020

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This is a painful book to read and a difficult one to review, since clearly the contents are closely related to the author’s personal experience. At the heart of the whole narrative is Dylan, the brain-damaged son of the main characters, the parents Pip and Max. In the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital, the comatose Dylan is presented alongside two other seriously ill children: Darcy, the son of Tom and Alastair and the Slater’s son, Connor. Tension arises as we move towards the outcomes of complex and prolonged treatment. Tension is ramped up further through the relationships and attitudes of the parents and the growing issues in the minds of the six individuals. Overseeing all is the Iranian doctor who is responsible for the treatment each of the children receives, monitors their progress and liaises with their parents. Hers is the nearest we come to an objective standpoint, but she too, becomes emotionally involved.

The book falls naturally into two halves, the second half shifting constantly in time in the years that follow the events of the first half, which is narrated largely through the principal participants in the drama.

The book raises major moral issues, especially in the earlier section. There is no question as to where Clare Mackintosh stands on the key issue. Perforce, decisions are made and it is the consequence of these choices that dictate the pattern of the second half of the book.

I am reluctant to criticise what must derive from deep and distressing personal experience. At the same time, I think that there are faults. All seems just a little too rooted in the politically correct climate that currently prevails: Leila Khalili, the almost over-dedicated Iranian doctor, the positive presentation of the gay couple, Tom and Alistair, the deeply caring NHS, the negative views of the press and the social media and so on. In addition, although I would not expect the second half of the novel to carry the intensity of the first, it seems to me rather weak and the strange shifts in time more confusing than enlightening. At the same time, I am lost that anyone could describe the book as boring. I found much of it extremely upsetting, which is most certainly not a criticism.

2 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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mosaic

The second part is a bit confusing

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 5 gennaio 2020

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This is undoubtedly a good book - it usually takes me weeks to finish a book but I read this one in just a few days as it kept me interested. I knew it was going to be incredibly sad and depressing, so I set out to read it quickly so I can move onto something more cheerful. The first part of the book was heart-breaking and very scary for any parent to read. I found the second part with the alternative eventualities intriguing but also very confusing. I lost the thread completely and I never really knew which version of the possible outcome I was reading. I think this part of the book could have been more straightforward. Part of the confusion was due to the fact that the same new characters were introduced in the form of Lars and Blair in both story lines - if these characters had been different people (as surely in an alternative version of reality, they almost certainly would have been) - it would have been easier to follow the plot. Or if the two plots were linear to each other - first one and then other - instead of being woven together. As it is, it's almost impossible to untangle the two threads and I didn't find the year reference any helpful in that respect either. I'm still not sure what happened in which alternative thread. I'm sure this was clear in the author's head who must have plotted the story in a linear fashion but the two scenarios were not made self-evident for the readers. I would have to read the book again and take notes to find out.

4 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Mrs M

So much promise but sooooo confusing !

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 30 dicembre 2019

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Never felt the need to write a review before but I feel cheated. I bought this book on the strength of the brilliant reviews. I like this author and have read other books. First half was great but the second half was so confusing going backwards and forwards far too much and I got fed up trying to work out what actually happened. I still don’t know although I guess that is the whole point but it was too ‘bitty’ going backwards and forwards in years and also giving you conflicting info about what actually happened. ? Very disappointed. Also cross that I paid £6.99 for the hard copy as the kindle price was the same and a few days later it is 99 p on kindle !!

4 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Ismay1012

Thought-provoking, poignant, full of emotion but also life-affirming and full of hope.

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 23 marzo 2022

Acquisto verificato

Pip and Max are delighted when their son is born. They are in love and they both know each other so well. Their’s is a forever love, strong and beautiful. Their new-born son Dylan is such a joy to them and confirms their love, in fact it is the icing on their cake. Max is a hands-on Dad; nothing is too much trouble for him. He loves taking Dylan swimming and being involved. Pip is a wonderful mother and as Max watches her playing with Dylan, his heart beats with the pride of having such a loving wife and beautiful baby son.
Time flies by but then Dylan falls ill. In hospital his doctor Leila arranges a multitude of tests to try to find out how best to treat Dylan. It is heartbreaking for Max and Pip to see Dylan deteriorating. At last the results confirm that he has a tumour on his brain. The operation reduces the tumour but cannot take away everything – it would be too dangerous, the margins are so tight. It could cause further brain damage that would take away the Dylan they love so much and leave him unable to communicate, walk or even worse. Dylan is sent back to PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care). Leila explains that the team have discussed the case and decided that the best outcome for Dylan is palliative care with full pain relief and gentle care. The couple are devastated. It is time to make a decision; they take time, wondering what to do.
In the meantime Max starts researching other remedies, if indeed they are even available. He stumbles on a Doctor in America (where Max was born) who assures him that Proton Beam therapy would be the best option for Dylan. At the very least it would give Dylan more time with his family. Max is desperate to help his beloved son and this is the right decision for him. Pip thinks about all the procedures Dylan will face all the pain he will feel. She cannot agree with Max. She thinks Dylan has suffered too much already especially for almost three years of life. This is the first time they have disagreed. Max moves out of their home in disgust and the hospital start proceedings that will eventually end in a court case fight-out between the hospital doctors legal team supported by Pip against Max who has already started fundraising. The media are intrusive and bray for interviews or comments. Newspapers vie for the most dramatic headlines to instigate public opinion. It is awful.
I am a great fan of Clare Mackintosh and her beguiling psychological thrillers. This gripping story is totally different. It brings forth powerful and complicated issues: love, family, marriage, parenthood, ethics, despair, grief and personal choices. I think the greatest triumph of all is what happens ‘after the end’: hope, redemption and recovery. The storytelling is passionate, beautiful and meticulously researched. The characters are relatable, eclectic and expertly created and nourished. This story is a real page-turner, full of emotion, compassion, empathy and understanding, and also so obviously personal to the author. I truly believe this story is flawless and unmissable and I am so glad I have read it, albeit belatedly. It is an excellent and very enjoyable novel. It reaches for your heart. Although it is hard to read at times, because of the content, it is still irresistible and so rewarding and full of hope for the future. It’s a well-deserved 5* review from me.

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jenny47

Would I recommend it? Not sure

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 20 dicembre 2020

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I have read all of this authors previous books but was a little disappointed with this one. The “before” story is very depressing whilst the “after” confusing.
I found as I read the “after” that I had to keep reminding myself what the judgement was for each character. I was also put off by the American spelling and expressions in Max’s story. Ok he was American but I couldn’t understand why the author had to use American spelling for his narrative. It was very off putting and I found myself looking at the publisher notes at the front of the book to confirm that it was in fact published in the UK.
As I came to the end of the book I must say I was willing Max to get back with Pip but it was a very strange finish to this story. I can’t decide whether I’d recommend it or not!

2 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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5 stelle		60%
4 stelle		23%
3 stelle		10%
2 stelle		4%
1 stella		2%

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