After Story

After Story follows Indigenous lawyer Jasmine and her mother Della on a literary pilgrimage through England. Their tour group visits sites connected to classic works by authors like Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. The journey becomes a catalyst for both women to process their family's past traumas and losses. As they travel between historic locations, memories surface about Jasmine's sister's disappearance years ago and Della's experiences with Australia's policies toward Aboriginal children. Through parallel timelines and alternating perspectives, the novel explores the connections between storytelling, memory, and identity. The contrast between British literary heritage and Indigenous Australian oral traditions creates a framework for examining colonialism's ongoing impacts on families and culture. The narrative weaves together themes of intergenerational healing, the power of both written and spoken stories, and the complex bonds between mothers and daughters. At its core, After Story examines how different cultures preserve and transmit their histories.

Readers emphasize the book's honest portrayal of Indigenous Australian experiences and mother-daughter relationships. The parallel narratives of literary tourism and personal discovery resonated with many reviewers. Liked: - Authentic depiction of intergenerational trauma - Educational aspects about Indigenous history - Balance between literary references and emotional storytelling - Character development of both mother and daughter Disliked: - Some found the literary tourism sections overly detailed - Pacing described as slow in the middle sections - A few readers wanted more resolution to certain plot threads Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon AU: 4.3/5 (100+ ratings) Better Reading: 4.5/5 Reader Quote: "The way Indigenous storytelling weaves through a modern narrative about books and travel creates something unique" - Goodreads reviewer Critical Quote: "Sometimes gets bogged down in literary references at the expense of the central story" - Amazon reviewer

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🔷 Larissa Behrendt, the author, is an Aboriginal Australian of the Eualeyai/Kamillaroi people and has won multiple literary awards, including the Victorian Premier's Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writer's Prize. 📚 The book explores parallels between Indigenous Australian storytelling traditions and classic British literature, particularly through the characters' tour of literary sites in England. 🎓 The novel draws from the author's personal experience as both a Harvard-educated lawyer and someone deeply connected to Indigenous culture, reflecting the complexity of navigating different worlds. 🌿 The book's mother-daughter journey mirrors traditional Aboriginal concepts of intergenerational knowledge sharing and healing through storytelling. 🏆 "After Story" was shortlisted for the 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize and received widespread acclaim for its sensitive handling of trauma, family relationships, and cultural identity.