After the Flood

Kassandra Montag

2019 • 432 pages

Ratings21

Average rating3.3

An unforgettable, inventive, and riveting epic saga with the literary force and evocative imagination of Station Eleven, Zone One, and The Road, that signals the arrival of an extraordinary new talent. A little more than a century from now, the world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, starting with the great coastal cities, rising floodwaters have left America an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water. Civilization as it once was is gone. Bands of pirates roam the waters, in search of goods and women to breed. Some join together to create a new kind of society, while others sail alone, barely surviving. Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious and feisty eight-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting small hamlets and towns on dry land only to trade for supplies and information. Just before Pearl’s birth, when the monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska, Maya’s oldest daughter, Row, was stolen by her father. For eight years Myra has searched for the girl that she knows, in her bones and her heart, still lives. In a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment of raiders on the coast of what used to be Greenland. Throwing aside her usual caution, she and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas to rescue the girl, now thirteen. On the journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship, a band of Americans like them. In a desperate act of deceit and manipulation, Myra convinces the crew to sail north. Though she hides her true motivations, Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers, men, women, and children who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten to capsize their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers. A compulsively readable novel of dark despair and soaring hope, After the Flood is a magnificent, action-packed, and sometimes frightening odyssey laced with wonder—an affecting and wholly original saga both redemptive and astonishing.

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Jess N

Being the first book that I've picked up in about two weeks, After The Flood had a pretty high bar set for it. I've been so busy with school work that reading for pleasure has fallen by the wayside. I made time for this book though, and I'm glad that I did. It's been a while since I really dove into dystopian world, and it felt pretty good. This book is a little rough around the edges, but I had a good time reading my way through it.

Let's start with the good. The first few chapters of this book are pure enjoyment. I was captivated by this new world, covered in water, where people fought to survive on what little land was left. The fact that Myra's grandfather built a boat in their attic fascinated me. This is why I love books like this, because they make my imagination work overtime. It's both terrifying and enjoyable to think about how I would do in a situation like this. As it stands, Myra was doing a pretty amazing job.

Which is why it pained me to eventually start to feel nothing but annoyance to Myra. I tried valiantly to remember that this post-apocalyptic world was rough, and would whittle people down over time. The problem was that Myra was just selfish, plain and simple. I can forgive selfishness for means of survival. I can forgive it if eventually the character learns from it. Myra just felt so self-absorbed, even after she began to feel like she had found a “family”. I couldn't forgive her for that. In fact, none of the characters really ever felt like people I could love. It's tough to root for character surivial when you don't feel connected.

My other issue was that there are portions of this book that feel like they dragged. The story would pick up when the crew of the Sedna reached land, or narrowly missed being killed, and then it would be right back to day to day life on the new sea. The concept of a woman who, despite anything standing in her way, would fight to look for her daughter was amazing. The execution of that concept didn't quite pan out. I wanted more action, and honestly more real connection.

So, long story short, this book and I parted ways with a three star rating. The story was good. Solid even. Myra's quest to find her daughter will resonate with a lot of parents out there, who would also do anything for their children. This just wasn't quite my cup of tea.

September 11, 2019

Judy

Don't be fooled by other reviews stating this was about climate change, or how unreaistic it was. This is FICTION. It is unfair when reviewers try to compare fiction to real life, and then use that to rate a book.
I completely enjoyed this book. I was captivated immediately and engaged throughout. Like a good fish tale, this one was almost believable. The author did a great job with explaining many things, and putting just enough detail into the story to allow me to visualize.
This story also made me feel that everyone should be taking more time to become more self reliant. I can't say this specific type of event could happen, but something on a much smaller scale could, and we all need to be prepared.
The characters in this story each had their strengths and flaws. It is well written, and I hope to read more by this author in the future.

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Phyllis

What a mess! At first, Montag does a decent job of world building and depicting a post-flood apocalypse works in which little land is left. But, the book devolves from there.

How is it that there are only a couple of ports when there are many mountains over 10,000 feet above sea level? Also, how are any of the remaining ports producing crops when the tops of mountains are not good bases for agriculture? I hat happened to all of the aircraft carriers and other types of boats? However, let's say we can suspend disbelief on the “science” in this story.

The characters are either sloppily sketched or just stupid and annoying. Myra consistently makes the most idiotic choices available; I find it hard to believe she'd survived 6 years on a ship with just her daughter being that ridiculous. Pearl would also not have made it that long by being so disobedient and bratty. But, who wouldn't be with a mother whose entire focus is on her other daughter?

Then there's the crew of the Sedna; as soon as they get into a port, they immediately head for a bar and split up, never bothering to look around for raiders, which were everywhere.

The plot could have been interesting, but it's really just boring and I found myself skimming the last 100 pages.

November 29, 2019