After

This book took me on a roller coaster of emotions and I think that was her intent. One second my heart went out for Devon and the next, I wanted to throttle her. I spent most of the book trying to come to terms with why and what would cause Devon to do what she did. I just couldn't wrap my mind

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around it. I was horrified by what Devon had done and felt myself making judgments before I really had all the facts. By the end of the book, I was still horrified by her actions but at the same time I had a clearer picture of what might make someone do what she did. I say might because my mind still doesn't want to wrap itself around what Devon did.

I still want to deny that it happens at all. But the sad truth is, it does. I think it's an important subject and like eating disorders and such, one that doesn't get enough attention until it happens to another baby somewhere in some city.

Even with the rough subject of the book, I really enjoyed it. Amy did a wonderful job writing it. I was instantly pulled in and I didn't want to put the book down. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about reading it.

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Being an, *ahem, slightly more “mature” woman, I don’t read much young adult or teen fiction. (Oh yeah, Twilight cured me of that urge….) But I picked up After mostly because of the subject matter. Not only did it seem timely, since it seems like even with Safe Harbor laws, there are still

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babies found in dumpsters all over the country, but like everyone else, I wondered how a girl DO such a thing.

Efaw addresses those questions very well in this book. Although we find Devon’s behavior incomprehensible, we are slowly lead to the place where we can understand it. The book is an empathetic study of the expectations that we and all of society often place on our teenaged daughters. I had an appreciation for the person that Devon was trying to be, and by the end of the novel was almost saddened by the outcome. It was refreshing, in this day of, “it’s not my fault..” to see a character assume the burden of personal responsibility.

After is a well-written and interesting book. The subject matter begs for a follow-up discussion when your teen reads it, and it is well worth the time spent to read it yourself.

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Fantastic. Brilliant. Heartfelt. Emotional. Those are just a few of the adjectives that crossed my mind while reading this. I am not normally the kind to get emotional and choked up by things, but this book caused me to feel such strong emotions more than once- and not just because of the subject

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matter. Efaw is one of those rare writers who can infuse intense emotion into their writing and elicit such responses. I felt for and sided with Devon from the start- there was never any intense surges of hatred towards her for me because of how this story was written.

It is not secret to those who knows me that my favorite author is Jodi Picoult. I completely adore her writing and work and this book is on a similar level for me, although obviously meant for a younger group. The writing style and court proceedings are not nearly as in depth and detailed as in Picoult's works, but those are written for an older generation. The character development, the emotions, the casting of a negative character in a good light- the things that make me adore Jodi's writing- were all present in this work and at least in my opinion, that is a huge compliment.

Efaw has taken a sad, often misunderstood and somewhat ignored topic and cast it into the spotlight. She has shown how it can happen- why it still happens in such a privileged society. It even goes a step further to show how even mature, smart, competent women and girls can be doing this. She has taken you into the mind of the supposed murderer and shown you why things are not as black and white as most want to believe. This book gripped me from the start- the imagery is all there, along with the emotion and even the stark contrast and differences in characters. I loved some and hated some and was able to see and understand why the different characters were there- they did serve a purpose and weren't just random, space filling occurances.

I felt for Devon and I could relate to her. By the end of the book, it was easy to understand how and why she has done this- but above all, I especially liked the ending. At first, it came as a shock and I wanted to be outraged but I appreciate it and understand it. It is beautiful and understandable and bittersweet. Initially, I wanted more- wanted more details of what happened, of the future, of even the baby's future but after a few moments of just thinking about it, I started to appreciate how this ended and how things were left. The full effect of things would have been negated, I think, if there was more and I applaud

I give this book 5 stars because it gripped me and kept me turning the pages, I adored the characters, and because of the topic. I highly recommend this to people of any age. It is written on a level for younger generations to be able to enjoy and understand but it is great for all ages. This book is definitely going on my favorites shelf and is the kind of book that I will reread.

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A good attempt at diving into the area of neonaticide.

Devon who is 15 and becomes pregnant goes her whole 9 months denying to herself what is really happening. She is so successful in her denial that others in her life go unaware as well. But as we all know when it's time to have a baby....the

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baby can no longer be ignored. Devon's baby ends up as a dumpster baby and the story climaxes from there. Still with memory loss, we find her in court on serious charges and facing being put in adult court. Slowly and I do mean slowly we get to know the why's and how's of what led her to make the choices she did.

For me, I needed just a bit more from Devon. Her indifferent attitude did not come off as confused or scared to me. It came off as self indulgent and it got on my nerves real quick.
I do believe this was likely the authors intent, for character and ending purposes, but it was just to much of it. I feel the story would have gone much better if she had spent less time with the 'why me' 'I don't belong here' 'Did I really do that' and all the other denial and selfish behaviour and gotten more into the real meat of the story and the best part the acknowledgement and the acceptance. By the time I got to the end of the book I had little sympathy or understanding as she was so undetached emotionally for what was going for to long in the story making her undetached to me.

Still I feel it has merit in the young adult world.....and that is the audience it was projected to hence the 3rd sta

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This book was about a girl, Davon Davenport, who is put in Juvenile because she attempted to murder her own baby. But sadly, Davon doesn't remember anything. With her lawyer, Dom, she starts to slowly remember the things in her past life. But will she remember in time for her court, where she might

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be tried as an adult? This book was really interesting! The beginning was a bit boring, but as I read more into it, it started to be so awesome! I think my favourite part was when Davon talks about what happened before she got to Juvenile. Her soccer life, her friends, her family, those were all really intersting to read about!

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A fifteen year old, straight A student athelete puts her baby in the trash. Devon is arrested for her crime with little memory of the possibility she was pregnant. I was shocked how I kept wanting to pick up this book with its sad disturbing tale.

Devon never knew she was pregnant. As a straight-A student, soccer star, and all-around girl next door, she’s done everything possible to avoid being the teen mom and general screw-up her mom was. But after one night with a very kind boy, everything spun out of control, and now Devon is awaiting

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trial for leaving an infant in a dumpster. But how can she be guilty if she can’t recall a thing? And what will happen to the life she planned? This book is 100% un-put-d0wn-able. While the story may sound grim, Devon’s plight is touching, not shocking, and her voice reels you in from page one. After is absolutely one of my top picks for August 2009.

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After, by Amy Efaw, is the story of Devon and what happens to her in the days after she gives birth in her bathroom and throws the baby in a dumpster. Before you turn away in disgust, consider that Devon is fifteen years old and has convinced herself that she wasn't pregnant. She's also a great

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student, star soccer player, and all around good girl. Does she belong in the juvenile court system, where she can have a clean record and the potential for a productive life after her sentence? She's being charged with attempted murder, was it premeditated or a reaction to a situation beyond her understanding?

My first reaction to Devon was anger. I was angry that she would do that to her baby. Eventually I realized that she never gave any thought to it being a baby. Certainly not her baby. I was angry that she was so lost in her own world that she couldn't grasp what was happening to her. I wanted to yell at her and tell her to listen! Pay attention! I couldn't relate to someone so distant, while faced with something so serious.

The beauty in this book is that as Devon begins to realize what happened to her and what she did, we - the readers - begin to realize why Devon reacted the way she did. We are given the information we want as Devon takes responsibility and remembers what happened. Her awakening out of denial is what makes us understand the why and how.

This is a book written for young adults and it is certainly appropriate for teens. The hard reality is that this happens all the time. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone. My only disappointment is that the Safe Haven program wasn't mentioned in the actual body of the story. It's a program that saves lives.

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Devon Davenport is a straight-A student, a soccer star on both her high school and club teams, with aspirations for college and the Olympics. So why is she being held in jail on charge of attempted first-degree murder…of the baby she supposedly didn’t even know she was carrying inside

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herself?

As Devon goes about her routine in the detention center, she continuously talks with other adults—as well as herself—in order to try and figure out what was running through her mind for those past nine months, up until that fateful morning when she had given birth and tossed the baby in the dumpster behind her apartment building. What unfolds is a shocking exploration into one teenager’s mind—a mind that is perhaps not much different than any one of ours.

Writing a story featuring a protagonist that readers might find hard to sympathize with maybe be rewarding eventually, but it is certainly difficult. Attempting to unravel the complicated minds of a teen girl who has committed an atrocious act is even more challenging. I’m not sure how successful I thought Efaw’s attempt at this goal was, but I appreciated her effort nonetheless.

As I mentioned above, Devon is hard to like. Not just because of the deep denial she’d immersed herself in—a denial so thorough that she nearly killed a helpless baby. She also has a personality that does not easily appeal to people. For instance, in much of the beginning Devon is often listless and unresponsive to others talking to her, to the point where I wanted to reach into the story and shake her, hard, by the shoulders. Even as we continue to see different aspects of her, we find that she is intense, driven, and quiet, leaning towards the loner side. Devon is exactly the kind of person I’d always wanted to get to know in high school but found it impossible to.

AFTER moves through lengthy and ever-present conversations, encounters, and periods of thoughtfulness. Because so much of the book occurs inside Devon’s head, it’s best for those who are patient enough to reap the rewards of dealing with a difficult, unlikable protagonist. I would almost consider it more an intense character study than a novel. In fact, AFTER often blurs the line between fiction and reality. Naming a great number of her supporting characters after real people who helped her in her research, the disarming accuracy of details such as locations and statistics… these and more contribute to the uncomfortable feeling you might get while working your way through this book. AFTER is not afraid to shake you up and make you wonder about the effects of fiction on reality, and vice versa.

AFTER is a difficult but moving read, and a great choice for adult readers—especially fans of writers like Jodi Picoult—looking for something they can love in YA fiction.

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Devon, a high-achieving academic and soccer player, finds herself in denial after getting pregnant. She's so far in denial that, when she gives birth to "IT," she throws it away in a dumpster and assumes it will never bother her again.

Harrowing and upsetting, this book gets into the mind of a

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teenager who isn't willing to acknowledge her new reality. The book flashes between pregnant Devon and the Devon who is now on trial for attempted murder.

The book will resonate with teens because of its subject matter, but I think adults will be interested in it as well. The legalese is never too much to handle (I really enjoyed Devon's lawyer) and the trial is both fascinating and dull, like real-life trials.

Definitely recommended.

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Starting from the fact of a baby thrown away in the trash we work our way back and forth between Devon's past and present. Slowly the reader and Devon herself come to understand how she could have made this huge mistake.

'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

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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.

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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,

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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.

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What a touching story. The subject matter of this book brings to attention situations that really do exist in our society. Pretend it's not there and it will go away. As the main character finds out, it won't go away. It was a great surprise for me to see the main character take responsibility for

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her actions in the end instead of taking the easy way out. I can't wait for my daughter to be older so she can read this book. All daughters should read this book.

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Devon is a young, athletic girl with a bright future as a soccer player. The Olympics have even been linked to her name. How could a girl like this end up doing something as horrible as throwing a newborn baby in the trash along with other refuse from around the house?While canvasing the apartment

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building looking for information about the abandoned baby, a police officer finds his way to Devon’s door. Her mother, recently home from a night shift at Safeway, answers the door and starts her usual flirting. She informs the police officer that her daughter, Devon, stayed home from school that day because she was sick. It didn’t take long for the police officer to put two and two together.Very quickly, Devon is thrust into a world she never imagined for herself. A world filled with kids with problems more complicated than she ever experienced. A world in a juvenile detention facility under observation 24 hours a day. A world without anyone she can call a friend.The reader witnesses Devon’s story unfold piece by piece, almost as if we are understanding what transpired at the same time Devon does. What readers will find most amazing about the entire story is the level of denial Devon immerses herself in order to function everyday. Devon isn’t a likable character, mostly because of the strict discipline holds herself to in terms of school work and soccer. She rarely lets herself loose, which means people don’t know who she really is – including the reader.I didn’t want to stop reading. I needed to find out what pushed Devon to do something so horrible. Through conversations with her lawyer in preparation for a trial to determine whether or not she’ll be judged in the juvenile system or be sent to the adult courts, we get a good pictures of what was going through Devon’s head.

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After by Amy Efaw is a well-researched examination of teen pregnancy and what's known as the "dumpster baby" phenomenon.

As an undergraduate considering a career as a social worker, I participated in field experiences in both a group home and juvenile detention facility. The book provides an

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accurate portrayal of these facilities and the mix of professionals and juveniles in the system.

Efaw's characters are well-developed. Although it was difficult to empathize with some of Devin's actions, I cared about her character. At first, I had a hard time believing that Devin didn't realize she was pregnant. However as the story unfolded, I was drawn into the reasons for her denial. I wanted to shake, hug, and yell at her.

While realistic fiction isn't my first choice of leisure reading, I found this book to be a quick, interesting read. Because of the timely topic, it would be a great way to draw in readers to this genre.

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At 15, Devon Sky Davenport was a high school soccer star, she volunteered with youth soccer and held one-on-one training sessions with young players, she worked as a babysitter, and she maintained top grades and took honors classes. She also hid an unwanted pregnancy, gave birth in her bathroom,

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and threw the baby away in a garbage bag that she put in the trash can behind her apartment. The baby was found alive and Devon was found, barely conscious, bleeding on her living room couch by the police investigating the crime. She was taken to the hospital, then a juvenile detention center to await a hearing to determine if she should be tried as an adult for multiple charges, including attempted murder.

Everyone has heard stories of young mothers, unable to cope with motherhood, who give birth then leave their newborn babies in dumpsters, etc. This book offers a realistic and graphic story that offers insight into just how someone might be driven to these actions. Devon at first represses everything that happened then slowly begins to deal with the choices she made and the consequences of her actions as she meets with her lawyer and adjusts to life in the juvenile detention center. Her development throughout is powerful and believable. It is a tough read, but one that will resonate.

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After, by Amy Efaw

"After" is one book that will stay with me for a long time.

Devon Davenport is the ideal teenager - superstar athlete, straight A student, ultra responsible. She's everything her mother, who had Devon as a teenager, isn't. But Devon has a huge secret - one that could destroy her

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entire life, but does she even know about it?

Her mom comes home from work one day to find her daughter on the couch, skipping school. While this is unlike Devon, her mother is brimming with a story - an abandoned baby was found in a dumpster behind the apartment. A few minutes later police officers knock on the door, canvassing the neighborhood for any possible witnesses. The terrible truth is then discovered...the abandoned baby is Devon's.

Efaw takes her reader on an emotional journey as Devon is arrested and incarcerated in a juvenile facility. Constantly thinking that the nightmare is going to end and she'll go home, Devon can't face what she's done. She can't remember what happened. She swears she didn't know she was pregnant. Efaw peels back the layers of Devon's story like an onion, as Devon's lawyer fights and works with her to save her from being tried as an adult. If tried as an adult, the teen could end up spending the rest of her life in jail.

"After" is a raw, thought-provoking book. I read it in one sitting, literally unable to put it down until I had finished. The author clearly did her research, on both the legal system and the "dumpster baby" problem. I'd recommend this to anyone - parents and teens - because I think it could spark some valuable discussions.

5/5.

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I'm pretty sure this book was a Law and Order episode. (Or several.)

Devon is a 15 year-old, straight-A soccer playing high school student. Devon later claims that she didn't know she was pregnant, and isn't particularly clear on how the baby she gave birth to wound up in the dumpster outside her run-down apartment. Regardless, her life changes fast: she is

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arrested, and after a short but troubled stint in the hospital, she lands in jail. Author Amy Efaw tells a believeably shocking story that takes readers inside the juvenile justice system. Devon believes this is something she can get out of quickly, but is terrified to learn that one decision can have disastrous consequences. Shortlisted for the 2012 Missouri Gateway Readers award.

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Devon Davenport is a straight-A student and star soccer player. She is always responsible, hardworking and mature. One day Devon’s life suddenly changes, and the person she is now is scrutinized.

Unable to cope with an unexpected pregnancy, Devon blocks it all out. Then one lonely night she gives

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birth to It. Devon can’t cope, can’t understand or comprehend what has just happened. Then hours later there is a knock at the door, it’s the Police and they are investigating the discovery of a “Dumpster Baby”. After questioning the connection is made, Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers.

After is a compelling novel, written with compassion and empathy. Amy style of writing hooks you into the book from the start and keeps your attention to the very last page.

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This is one of those books that reminds me why I love reading fiction. I could have read a non-fiction book telling the same story, and I don’t think I would’ve been able to get through it. However, telling a realistic story through fiction allows just enough disconnect from the story to

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stomach some painful realities. Knowing that, though this happens and it’s something that our society deals with too often, this exact story, this exact person is fictional allowed me to put aside my pre-conceived notions of who a person in this situation is.
As I was reading this book, I found myself growing annoyed that I wasn’t finding out anything about Devon’s past that was relevant to her pregnancy (i.e. – Was she secretly dating someone? Was she raped? Didn’t she get suspicious when she hadn’t had a period for over two months?). But after reading the entire story, I actually look back on it and appreciate the way the story was presented. This made the story a little more difficult to get through, but I think it was worth it.
It’s tough to truly get into specifics about Devon as a character without giving away too much of the story. What I will highlight is the skill with which Efaw wrote a character that is easy to hate from the beginning. I don’t know that there’s ever a point where I thought, “Oh, well, if that’s the case, then I guess I can like her now.” But she was written in such a way that, although I thought it would be impossible, I could sympathize with her. The path she takes as a character, through all that she endures in the story, is worth the time it took to read the book.
After is what my husband and I call a “Good Not Good” book. The subject matter itself is disturbing, but the way the story is told is remarkable. Reading through the Author’s Note, too, I came to fully realize what an undertaking writing this book was. I applaud the author’s diligence in telling the story honestly, and I think the result of the effort is a significant contribution to YA literature.

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Devon Davenport is 15 years old, she is a superstar athlete on her soccer team, straight-A student, and all around perfect teen. She strives to be everything that her mom isn't - strong, independent, reliable and definitely not a teen mother like her. She has set some very strict rules and

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regulations that she follows in order to stick to her goals.

But all that changes one morning when a baby is found in a dumpster behind her apartment building. The police begin their search and find themselves on Devon's doorstep. Her mother, flirting with the officers, believes that maybe her daughter can help since she stayed home from school because she was feeling sick. It doesn't take very long for them to realize that Devon is the person they are looking for.

The story mostly revolves around Devon - pre-baby and post-baby, or rather "IT" as she calls the infant. She now finds herself in a juvenile detention center facing some rather severe charges. Yet throughout it all she doesn't remember much of anything revolving around "IT" or "THAT NIGHT". She can't face what she's done. She swears that she did not know she was pregnant. The story unfolds little by little as you get more and more insight into Devon's life as her attorney does her research in order for her to be tried as a minor rather than an adult - meaning she could face life in jail if tried as an adult.

I entered into reading this book with some trepidation. I knew it would be an emotional rollercoaster. Ms. Efaw has created a character that, although not always liked, you can't help but to care for.. to sympathize with her. I was really surprised that I would feel this way about her, but in the end I did. I couldn't help but hope that it somehow worked out for her. What I truly enjoyed about this story is that Ms. Efaw does not try to sugar coat any of Devon's actions. They are what they are. Ugly. Raw. Emotional. It is a tough subject to read about, but definitely one that we've heard about more than once on the news.

My only complaint, and the reason why I did not give it 5 stars was because of the ending. It just felt too abrupt for me. I would have liked a little more. But still don't let that deter you from reading this. I'd recommend this to parents and teens - because it is a very thought-provoking subject and one that I think could spark some important discussions.

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This book is about a 15 year old girl. She's a superstar soccer goalie and an A student. Then she's arrested for trying to murder a baby by throwing it in the trash- her own baby. The story tells us about her experiences in jail and the memories leading up to what got her there.
Devon is so

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relatable and you really sympathize for her situation. The author makes you feel what Devon feels throughout the book- the fear, the shame, and the confusion. A really great read.

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