Book Review: All the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi

“Here’s the thing. I don’t want to be angry. I don’t want to feel the heat inching up the back of my neck like a fever that won’t quit. The ugliness in my own head is exhausting. Sometimes I think it’s waning, leaving room for other things. Contentment. Peace. Until it rears its giant head again. I just want to be. But I don’t know what that is anymore. Who am I, even?”

Joanne Yi, All the Tomorrows After

Review:

I added this book to my Book of the Month box on impulse, and I’m so glad that I did. I’m not always a huge fan of coming-of-age stories, but this one was so well done that it felt relatable to read as an adult. 

Winter has been planning and saving for her escape with her grandmother for most of her life. Raised by a mother who makes it known that Winter has done nothing but cause her grief and rob her of her own life, eighteen can’t come fast enough. But her mother thwarts her plans, forcing her to have to take an opportunity to reconnect with her estranged father that arises. 

Although she’s resentful of her father for leaving and starting a new family without her, the contrast between his and his family’s welcome compared to her home life slowly sinks in. She hesitates to trust it, especially as things are made more complicated the more time she spends with him. Through this experience, she also starts to reevaluate other relationships. 

I loved the writing in this book. Although I’m not in the same stage of life as Winter is, I felt like I was able to immerse myself in her experiences. Themes of grief about different forms of loss, what is, what could have been, and what never will be are done so well. I was mostly interested in the family dynamics rather than the romance subplot and high school situations, but they complemented each other well. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The navigation of not only complicated family dynamics, but also emotionally abusive family dynamics.
• Captures the day-to-day experience of grief well.

What I didn’t like:

• Some of the high school scenes didn’t feel entirely necessary. I found them distracting from the main story.

Afterthoughts:

It’s always such a good feeling when you go into a book blindly and end up loving it!

Where to buy the book: