There hasn't been any posts since 2013 on this blog, but now that I am retired I am going to post even though no one will ever read it, guess this is my journaling. It is going to be about books that I have read, mostly Young Adult, but others too.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
" What is a memory? It's not something you can physically hold, or see, or smell, or taste. It's just nerve impulses jumping between neurons. Sometimes it's a matter of choice. Other times it's self-preservation, or protection." So concludes the main character Leigh Chen Sanders at the end of the book.
Leigh's Mom has killed herself. As Leigh alternates from present happenings to past memories, she delves into what may have caused her Mother's death, why it happened, and also the stained relationship with her best friend Alex. Leigh loves art. It is a way to express her thoughts and emotions. There is a game that Leigh and Alex play, when something happens one of them will say "what color?" to express that emotion. After her Mother dies, Leigh believes that her Mother has come to her through a Red Bird. A box is mysteriously delivered to Leigh that contains pictures and notes that obviously are related to her Mother. To answer questions Leigh and her father go to Taiwan to meet her Mother's parents, who where estranged from Leigh's  Mom. There she has sightings of  the Red Bird and the mysterious Feng , who helps her navigate the language and culture and the memories in Taiwan. In the end, it is about finding the right pieces that make sense to you, so that you can move on.
On the whole I liked the book, I never quite bought into the whole color thing, it just seemed that it was a convenient way to tie in her art and the ending when there is acceptance of her Mother's death. I would recommend it to students that like a little romance and a little mystery to solve. You do have to suspend belief quite a bit, but in the end it works.