After the End

Clare Mackintosh

Jun 2019 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

From New York Times bestselling author Clare Mackintosh comes a deeply moving and page-turning novel about an impossible choice—and the two paths fate could take.

“A beautifully written novel, compelling and clever, tender and true. I can’t stop thinking about it.”—Liane Moriarty

“Tailor-made for book clubs and for fans of Jodi Picoult.”—Publishers Weekly
 
Max and Pip are the strongest couple you know. They're best friends, lovers—unshakable. But then their son gets sick and the doctors put the question of his survival into their hands. For the first time, Max and Pip can't agree. They each want a different future for their son.
 
What if they could have both?
 
A gripping and propulsive exploration of love, marriage, parenthood, and the road not taken, After the End brings one unforgettable family from unimaginable loss to a surprising, satisfying, and redemptive ending and the life they are fated to find. With the emotional power of Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper, Mackintosh helps us to see that sometimes the end is just another beginning.

Ratings and reviews

After the End will leave you thinking well after you finish the book about the wonder and fragility in our everyday lives. This is the first book by Clare Mackintosh that I have read, and I could not put it down. At times this book was not easy to read, my feelings were all over the spectrum, I went from feeling joy to deep sorrow, and everything in between. This author has dug deep in her soul to have written such a beautiful heartfelt story. Clare Mackintosh gives us a story about two people, Pip, and Max Adams, who live a life built on love, trust, and mutual respect. Two people devoted to each other and their toddler, Dylan. They share a life where they are in sync with each other, and then tragedy strikes. Their son is diagnosed with a terminal illness. This illness is monumental, crushing, and it becomes a force all its own, turning their world upside down. Then, they are faced with making an impossible decision; do you let your child pass away with supportive care or do you do everything medically available, which will only delay the inevitable and possibly sacrifice the quality of their life? After the End addresses this very controversial, complicated issue with love and grace. Ms. Mackintosh cleverly writes this book in two parts, "Before" and "After," and the "Before" and "After" can be looked at in different ways. For me, it was not just about before the trial and after the trial, but moreover, it was about before the loss and after a loss how people cope when confronted with the same situation. The "Before" part leads us through the heartbreak of finding out that Dylan has a brain tumor and is subsequently losing the fight against this horrible disease. The doctors have nothing more to offer Dylan but supportive care. However, Max doesn't agree with this, and he finds an alternative treatment. A decision must be made on the future of Dylan's treatment, and a lawsuit ensues between Pip and Max. The second part of this book describes what happens "After" the court hands down their ruling. The twist that Ms. Mackintosh throws at us is the two different scenarios that come from the two different outcomes of the trial, from Pip's point of view and alternating with Max's point of view. Each viewpoint is giving a different perspective and where it leads their life. I enjoyed reading the two different views; each one was equally as heartbreaking: two different roads, two separate decisions, two different outcomes. This book shows us that life is full of choices, but how do you know what the correct choice is. Sometimes you never know. When you finish this book, please read, "from the author." I found this book at times challenging to read and was unsure of how to processes it. However, what helped me understand where this book was coming from was the "from the author" section. One thing I have always said about parenting is that; parenting is the hardest job you will ever love with your whole heart. This book, for me, was about hope and no matter what life hands us, it is always worth living it the best possible way. I highly recommend this book. ***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .***

About the author

Clare Mackintosh is the New York Times and #1 international bestselling author of I Let You Go, I See You, and Let Me Lie, translated into more than thirty-five languages and with more than two million copies sold worldwide. She is the founder of Chipping Norton Literary Festival and is the patron of the Silver Star Society, an Oxford-based charity that provides special care for mothers with medical complications during pregnancy at John Radcliffe Hospital. She lives in North Wales with her husband and their three children.