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autistic_dragon's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
In my humble opinion, E. K. Johnston is one of the most underrated YA authors out there right now. I started with the action-packed Star Wars: Ahsoka, before later finding the haunting but ultimately optimistic Exit, Pursued by a Bear, and was eager for more.
So then I found out she was writing a high fantasy novel. One of my favorite authors + my favorite genre? What’s that? It’s intersectional feminist high fantasy?
Needless to say, I was one very happy reader. I should note to any prospective readers reading this that while it’s a fantasy setting, there is much more emphasis on emotional arcs and not much by the way of actual violent action. The main premise of the novel is a focus on what happens after the Grand Quest to Save the World™, hence the title. Thus it deals with its heroines’ struggles of dealing with attempting to return to normalcy as both ultimately find it impossible. The cast is diverse, and Johnston chooses to make such diversity and progressiveness part of the world rather than try and create an oppressive world for the characters to rebel against, which is often the wiser choice when coming from a privileged background regarding high fantasy, where everything is up in the air for world-building and “realism” is often a fig leaf.
At the same time, Johnston doesn’t make a big fuss about how progressive the world she’s created is. There is exactly a single mention that Sir Branthear is transgender, and two that Sir Terriam is asexual. As it is a fantasy world, there are no explicit identifiers as to characters’ correspondence to real-world ethnic or racial groups, though neither heroine is white as we would understand it.
That is not to say the world is utopian. True Utopia (as opposed to False Utopia, e.g., The Giver) is boring. Class boundaries are still very evident, and there are numerous hints at darker subject matters such as prostitution and the horrific implications of the intersection of mind-affecting magic relating to sexual attraction. While Johnston is not the kind the kind of author to hide away from such matters, she doesn't dwell on them here for the sake of Grimdark Brownie Points.
The Afterward puts a delightfully modern twist on classic fantasy and its tropes, and leaves the reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling of optimism in defiance of worlds’ darkness.
So then I found out she was writing a high fantasy novel. One of my favorite authors + my favorite genre? What’s that? It’s intersectional feminist high fantasy?
Needless to say, I was one very happy reader. I should note to any prospective readers reading this that while it’s a fantasy setting, there is much more emphasis on emotional arcs and not much by the way of actual violent action. The main premise of the novel is a focus on what happens after the Grand Quest to Save the World™, hence the title. Thus it deals with its heroines’ struggles of dealing with attempting to return to normalcy as both ultimately find it impossible. The cast is diverse, and Johnston chooses to make such diversity and progressiveness part of the world rather than try and create an oppressive world for the characters to rebel against, which is often the wiser choice when coming from a privileged background regarding high fantasy, where everything is up in the air for world-building and “realism” is often a fig leaf.
At the same time, Johnston doesn’t make a big fuss about how progressive the world she’s created is. There is exactly a single mention that Sir Branthear is transgender, and two that Sir Terriam is asexual. As it is a fantasy world, there are no explicit identifiers as to characters’ correspondence to real-world ethnic or racial groups, though neither heroine is white as we would understand it.
That is not to say the world is utopian. True Utopia (as opposed to False Utopia, e.g., The Giver) is boring. Class boundaries are still very evident, and there are numerous hints at darker subject matters such as prostitution and the horrific implications of the intersection of mind-affecting magic relating to sexual attraction. While Johnston is not the kind the kind of author to hide away from such matters, she doesn't dwell on them here for the sake of Grimdark Brownie Points.
The Afterward puts a delightfully modern twist on classic fantasy and its tropes, and leaves the reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling of optimism in defiance of worlds’ darkness.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Sexual content
Minor: Blood, Death, and Sexual assault
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