Devon is a fifteen-year-old soccer star who makes good grades and has a bright future. That is, until she puts her newborn baby in trash bag and throws her away in a trash can outside her apartment. After tries to explain what led Devon to this tragic outcome. We follow along as Devon is arrested, goes to trial, and spends time locked up. We also learn about her mother, who had Devon when she was sixteen, and how Devon strives to be nothing like her.

I liked this book because it was very real. It lets us see into why a teenaged girl would do such a thing. Devon is hard to like at times, but it is understandable considering all that she has been through. The ending is good, just rather abrupt. I still wanted to learn more about what happens to Devon after her trial. ( )

'After' is a beautifully written book detailing the life of 15 year old Devon Davenport after she gives birth to a child she then threw away with the trash. In such denial over the fact that she was pregnant at all, she comes to face what she did in a juvenile detention facility while waiting to hear if she will be tried as an adult or juvenile. Her story of slowing remembering the facts that led up to it and her ultimate acceptance of how her life has turned out is often hard to read at times but very compelling. ( )

Could you go through nine months of pregnancy and not know you were pregnant and then give birth and throw the baby in the garbage and still not realize what you've done?
Pretty disturbing reading, but you come to empathize with Devon as she begins to understand and take responsibility for herself. ( )

Devon Davenport has everything she could want out of life. She is a star soccer player, an Olympic hopeful and she excels in school. She doesn’t have too many close friends, but she’s alright with that. Then IT comes and turns her whole life upside down.

Devon is charged with attempted murder, abandonment of a dependant, criminal mistreatment, and assault. She gave birth to a baby in her bathroom at home, then wrapped it in a garbage bag and threw it away. Devon says that she never knew she was pregnant… but something inside her is nagging, doubting.

A young adult version of a Jodi Picoult novel, Amy Efaw’s After forces its readers to question their own morals as well as Devon’s. ( )

Definitely engaging, slightly long, especially in the courtroom scenes, but highly enjoyable and gripping throughout. A great teen read! ( )