Growing up in the United States, Leigh never had to speak Taiwanese – beyond a few words – and upon arriving at Taiwan, felt alienated and like an outsider within her family. In particular, The Astonishing Colour of After explores how language is integral to identity and belonging, and can result in feelings and experiences of disconnect with our own identities and family. Told with a dual narrative, The Astonishing Colour of After oscillates between the present, predominantly set in Taiwan, and the past, leading up to the time when Leigh’s mother takes her life, and thus offers juxtaposition that highlights the contrasting socio-emotional landscape of Leigh’s identity. Leigh’s struggle with belonging, through her identity and language, was something that I related to immensely. And thus she follows her mother’s feathers to Taiwan where, there, she not only meets her estranged grandparents but also discovers her family history, the secrets, and the truths about her mother.Ī STORY ABOUT IDENTITY, FAMILY, AND BELONGING It tells of a biracial teenage, Leigh, and her search for her mother, who Leigh believes has transformed into red bird following her suicide. The Astonishing Colour of After is a poignant and evocative story about mental illness, family, identity, and grief. Note: The following review will discuss depression and suicide. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.Īlternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.
In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.
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