Book Review: After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill

This is going to be one of those books that I loved but that I have a hard time writing about, largely because so much of the magic I found in this one has to do with the way I feel personally about writers and writing. That’s a personal experience, and not one that necessarily lends itself well to explanation or explication. But trust me when I say that this is a marvelous book and one of my favorite finds this year!

I love meta-fiction and books that explore the relationship between author/character or art/artist. Anthony Horowitz and Gordon McAlpine are two of my very favorite authors who are masters at this type of story telling. And now I can say without a doubt that Sulari Gentill has entered their pantheon…

This is a book about an author writing a book. But who is the author and who is the book? Gentill has done a brilliant job exploring themes of identity, ownership, madness, creativity, and self. The opening back-and-forth in story lines is engaging. But when things start to overlap, that’s when the magic really happens. The story is engaging and both well-written and well-crafted. I loved the way the perspective shifts flowed seamlessly between Madeleine and Edward; it reinforced the interrelationship between the two and really added depth to the narrative.

I imagine there are some who won’t like the ending. I found it spot-on perfect for the story, a reinforcement of the themes teased out through the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this one, and am definitely going to look for more from Gentill!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy. The book releases in the U.S. on April 7, 2020.