Review of Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Status: read and on my bookshelf.

Format: paperback.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Darcy Patel is a debut author whose first book Afterworlds has been predicted to be a bestseller. She is receives a hefty advance and a one way ticket to New York, the Disney castle of any aspiring author. I had heaps of fun learning all the secrets of the young adult publishing industry and seeing some of my favourite authors reflected in fictional characters like John Green’s appearance as Standerson, author and internet-cult leader.

But that’s only half of it! The book alternates chapters with Darcy’s life and her unpublished book Afterworlds. Her real-life experiences sneak into the protagonist Lizzie’s story. The opening – as Darcy’s publisher noted- was nail-bitingly scary. Lizzie is in the airport when the first person is shot by a terrorist operative. The helpline woman’s words “Well, honey, maybe you should pretend to be dead,” become Lizzie’s portal to the world of the dead.

Essentially Afterworlds is two fantastic storylines spun into one chunky book. The format feels experimental and artistic. Westerfeld expertly exploits the strengths of paranormal and contemporary youth fiction. I would recommend this book for aspiring writers or readers curious to see some behind-the-scenes of how writers become award-winning authors. I am extremely impressed by the endings of both storylines especially after experiencing Darcy’s angst when writing the conclusion of Afterworlds. I think I actually clapped aloud.

Favourite quotes:

“I’m a tin soldier. Steadfast,” Darcy said tiredly. But the word had lost all meaning. Maybe she would use it somewhere in her rewrites, just to remind herself of this endless day.

“[…] Awards don’t matter in YA heaven, because you get to write all day. No bills, no cooking, no cleaning. Just writing and talking about writing, and everyone has cover approval.”

“Writerly superpowers. Tiny but potent.”