After the End

Divergent. Clare Mackintosh’s emotionally taut novel is titled, After the End. Parents Max and Pip face a difficult choice in how to treat their brain damaged child, Dylan. The tension in the novel comes when the parents diverge in choosing the best approach in caring for Dylan. Mackintosh explores these relationships, the heart wrenching decisions that need to be made, and the meaning of quality of life. She reveals ways in which the divergent paths might play out over time. I learned at the end of the novel that the story is a personal one for the author who faced a similar situation. Writers are often advised to write about what they know, and it is with emotional depth and great skill and personal knowledge that Mackintosh describes the most difficult choices that parents may ever make. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase After the End from amazon.com.