Review Detail

POSTSCRIPT is a young adult novel about “after,” about surviving even when life is no longer recognizable to what it had been before. The book takes place Post, the time after the apocalypse, and mainly follows West as he meets other survivors.

West is an intriguing character to follow. Many of the chapters are from his point of view and it shows. There’s a vibrancy and life to his thoughts that isn’t present in the other characters. West is changed by the apocalypse, but he isn’t beaten down by it. His enthusiasm and outlook contrast so heavily with the other characters and it truly makes the book shine.

The flow of this novel is a unique one and may take some getting used to for readers. It flows a bit like the sea, smooth sometimes but rough others. It matches the theme and vibes of the book very well and it allows problems and fights to ebb and flow smoothly.

The writing style is much the same. Some readers will adore it, others may not. It’s particular, jumping from one character’s head to another or one time period to another rapidly. The timeline can become jumbled, the characters’ hard to understand. But in a setting like Post, nothing is like what it used to be.

POSTSCRIPT and its author discuss heavy topics with a grace not formed from beauty but from revealing harsh truths. Through the novel the characters experience or discuss topics like grief and loss, homophobia and transphobia, survival, family. Even with some of the conversation being blunt and stereotypical at times, most of it works well within the setting. People besieged by grief and anxiety don’t care to mince words, so the author didn’t either.

The block-print art illustrations are beautiful and they work almost as scene dividers. Whenever one appears, it feels like the end of one section and the beginning of another. They add to the overall feel of the story, but aren’t present enough to overshadow the story.

The age rating for this book is 14-17 and I think that fits for the most part. It does depend on the reader. This book tackles very heavy topics from politics to loss and more, so it may not work for every reader.

Cory McCarthy weaves together a slow tale that speaks of grief and loss but also of romance and hope. Full of memorable characters and a plot that moves like the ocean, POSTSCRIPT is a short but intense novel about survival.