Afterwife | Book Review

Afterwife by Polly Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"So I get run over by a bus and I am wearing my worst knickers. Huge banana-yellow knickers."

With these hilarious first words, I was completely hooked to Polly Williams' ghosty romance novel Afterwife. I read it in two short sittings in the library two days in a row. That said, it's not a perfect book. Here's the review breakdown:

Writing Technique: ★★★★ I love Williams' way with words. I found her hilarious and emotional and addicting to read. Like a grittier Cecelia Ahern - she blends comedy and drama very well. And what made me read this book cover to cover in two sittings was the writing style. It was spot on for me (although beware of a lot strong language and sexual content).

Character Development: ★★1/2 Agh. This is where the book lacked for me. The richest character was of course the dead wife/ghost, Sophie. But she didn't change through the book. And while the blurb makes it sound like Sophie plays matchmaker for her husband, (minor spoiler????) she actually doesn't contribute to the plot of the living characters at all. So I was puzzled in the end of the book as to the purpose of her character. Jenny and Ollie were the other protagonists, but they didn't change much either. Perhaps Ollie's perspective would have shown the most character growth as he is the widower who must cope with being without his wife and learn to move on etc. But we don't get a peek into his head. So :/

Plot/Story Development: ★★ While I looooved the language and style of the author, the actual plotting was subpar. The world is huge with possibilities at the prospect of a ghost wife setting up her living husband and best friend, and I think all the best opportunities were wasted. I strongly disagreed with most of Williams' writing choices here. The romance between Ollie and Jenny was weak. The Big Secret That You Wait Forever To Find Out wasn't that big of a deal. The Guy You Just Know Is The Absolute Worst really was the worst and there was no twist or anything, just the waiting for the other characters to catch up. I dunno, in the end, the plot was where I was really disappointed. Bottom line: it's a love story lite with a haunty undertones.

Message/Theme: ★★★ life, death, family, friendship, lies, betrayal, soulmates, urban v suburban lifestyles, grief, closure...you know, the usual.

Rating: R for sexual content and strong language.

Overall: ★★★1/2 I was addicted to this book because the writing was funny and intriguing. Sadly the plot was predictable and uninspiring. For a light, feel-good, escapist read, look no further.



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