Review Detail

Previously published on my blog: http://fictionfervor.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/review-hereafter-by-tara-hudson/

Amelia doesn’t remember her past. She can’t remember her last name, who her parents were, when she died, how she died … She only remembers that she died in the river underneath High Bridge. And then all that changes when she meets Joshua –

Hold up a second. Does this sound like deja vu? I mean, maybe not exactly, but don’t you think it’s a little cheesy that everything starts piecing together once — ooh — the hot love interest walks in? Very Twilight-esque, I’d say. Or maybe just corny.

But, believe it or not, Hereafter is actually pretty unique. Maybe I’m just saying that because I don’t read that many ghost stories, but at least it isn’t the same old, same old. The plot is actually decent; instead of focusing entirely on the romance of the story, it’s put off a little bit to the side. Instead, the plot focuses on how Eli, another ghost who wants Amelia to help him capture souls, pursues Amelia, trying to convince her to be his apprentice. In fact, he wants to convince her so badly that he might capture her and banish her to become just another of his little minions if she doesn’t.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Amelia though. I adore kick-butt heroines, and though Amelia was pretty strong-minded, she wasn’t kick-butt. Which disappoints me greatly. (Spoilers for this next sentence.) I know, I know, she broke High Bridge with her mind and could glow like a firefly, but she didn’t know how she did it. And that rules out “kick-butt.”

And Joshua … Joshua irritated me. He seemed like just another Marty Stue, just another pretty boy who falls in love with the pretty girl. That bores me. I mean, I could find nothing wrong with his character! And though most people would shout for joy for finding someone like that in real life, that’s not the case in books. ‘Cause it’s not realistic. Or, well, realistic even with ghosts.

But if you want to know who my favorite character was … it was Ruth. No offense to Amelia and Joshua, but any grandma who can see ghosts — and exorcise them — is pretty awesome. (Now that’s a kick-butt grandma.)

Hereafter was a haunting love story with a sappy romance, but the intriguing plot — though not perfect — made up for it. I wouldn’t say that I absolutely adored it or loved it, but I generally enjoyed reading and watching as Amelia discovered her past … and her future.

Source: ARC/galley received from publisher for review