Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong

Abstract

Reviewed by: Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong Karen Coats Armstrong, Kelley Aftermath. Crown, 2018 [384p] Library ed. ISBN 978-0-399-55037-9 $20.99 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-399-55036-2 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-399-55038-6 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 7-10 Family life was already difficult for Skye when her older brother, Luka, was killed in a school shooting in which he and his friends were the perpetrators. Three years later, she's back in town, now living with her aunt, who insists that she face the bullies that have plagued her online since the shooting. That's easier said than done, especially when Jesse, her former crush whose brother was a victim in the shooting, seems to be bearing a grudge against her as well. As Skye waffles between fear and bravado, the threats against her escalate into genuine attacks. She gradually rebuilds her friendship with Jesse, though, and the two set about to learn who's behind the attacks and why; a few red herrings keep the suspense alive until the final climactic reveal. Meanwhile, both Skye and Jesse force themselves to face their complicated feelings about their older siblings. Strong character development, carefully laid clues, and well-played misdirections make this an absorbing read; while Jesse's Bengali Muslim heritage is not ignored as a target for hate and suspicion, those implications don't upstage the narrative or overlay it with a purposive message. Instead, the focus is on how the victims of a school shooting aren't limited to the ones who die, and how Skye and Jesse first lose and then re-find themselves and each other after trauma. KC Copyright © 2017 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois