First off - I am so sorry for missing the publication date on this, I was swamped at work all weekend but feel bad!!
Title: After Hope Dies
Author: Lily Haraden
Release date: 10/20/18
Length: 350 pages
Thank you first to Lilly Haraden and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!
The publisher's warning should definitely be taken seriously, there are multiple upsetting themes and rough language used throughout. Some of those themes include child prostitution, rape, murder, suicide, racism, Lilly Haraden a lot of big ones! On the flip side she also uses some stunningly beautiful language, such as any time when the cranes of hope and despair appear. It feels like an intentional balance the way the passages are placed.
Some of the language forced a slower read for me to keep track of what was happening at times, and I got the feeling that the reader is supposed to shrug and accept the supernatural aspects- much like the characters. Sometimes it was hard to understand what happened but the idea is there. The story has some unique points such as the characters creating monsters that create more monsters/spirits/ entities, very cool.
I really did enjoy the hope, despair and death imagery. I loved Hugo's character, and most disliked the vampire because she felt thrown into the mix and unrelated.
As a social commentary the book does it's job, if nothing else evoking some strong feelings and making us think about class, race, desperation, and despair among brighter aspects. It definitely is not meant to be a happy story but it is a good one. I would rate 3.5/5 stars and recommend this to those with a strong stomach and big imagination. Fans of the supernatural and fantasy won't be let down.
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