Aftercare Instructions: A Novel
4/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Everyone is talking about Aftercare Instructions, Bonnie Pipkin’s electric debut novel:
“Important, fierce. Pipkin stole my heart with this book.” —A.S. King, author of Still Life with Tornado
“Mighty, innovative, and nearly impossible to put down.” —David Arnold, author of Kids of Appetite
“Incredibly honest and empathetic.” —ALA Booklist
“Big-hearted, sensitive, and engrossing.” —Publishers Weekly
“Troubled.” That’s seventeen-year-old Genesis according to her small New Jersey town. She finds refuge and stability in her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter—until he abandons her at a Planned Parenthood clinic during their appointment to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The betrayal causes Gen to question everything.
As Gen pushes herself forward to find her new identity without Peter, she must also confront her most painful memories. Through the lens of an ongoing four act play within the novel, the fantasy of their undying love unravels line by line, scene by scene. Digging deeper into her past while exploring the underground theater world of New York City, she rediscovers a long forgotten dream. But it’s when Gen lets go of her history, the one she thinks she knows, that she’s finally able to embrace the complicated, chaotic true story of her life, and take center stage.
Aftercare Instructions, a debut full of heart and hope, follows Gen on a big-hearted journey from dorm rooms to diners to underground theaters—and ultimately, right into readers' hearts.
Bonnie Pipkin
Originally from California, Bonnie now lives in Brooklyn. She has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, teaches literature courses at Kean University, officiates weddings, and looks after a very cute cat. Aftercare Instructions is Bonnie’s first novel.
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Reviews for Aftercare Instructions
11 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is almost enough to turn a normal person into a republican. Enough self-centeredness to clog a toilet.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I wasn't certain I would like this book, but I kept getting pulled in by the good writing. It turned out to be a surprisingly quick read, as the pages flew by and I genuinely wanted to know more of Genesis's story. All in all, this made for an very compelling story and one not likely to reap the praise it definitely deserves for tackling a sensitive issue impacting teens.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Genesis fully relies on her boyfriend Peter. He's her rock and she thinks their relationship is solid and forever. This changes drastically when Peter abandons her at Planet Parenthood. Genesis has to go through the termination of her pregnancy on her own without anyone who loves her by her side. This makes her question everything and everyone she knows. Genesis is going through a heavy crisis and she never expected she'd have to do this without Peter.
Where did things go wrong between Genesis and Peter and how can she go forward when so much unresolved pain of the past is holding her back? Genesis can't fully control her emotions, she questions old friends and family and she makes new friends in a time when that might not seem to be the best idea. Will she eventually survive the traumatic experiences that keep piling up and can she trust on her best friend and cousin to pull her through?
Aftercare Instructions is a fantastic emotional story. Genesis is a strong girl with plenty of talent, but her life is often tough. When she finally thinks she's found safety with someone he abandons her at the worst possible moment. My heart ached for everything Genesis is going through. I had tears in my eyes when I read her story and admired her determination to keep going. She might mess up from time to time, but she does the best she can. She slowly has to learn she can trust people and that she isn't completely on her own, which is a beautiful process to witness.
Bonnie Pipkin combines regular chapters with flashbacks about Genesis and Peter in the form of a play. I absolutely loved that. It makes the story dynamic and it paints a very good picture of what's going on between them and what went wrong. I'm a big fan of the theater and I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. Aftercare Instructions is an incredible compelling and poignant book. I was impressed by the rawness and openness of it. I was also blown away by the writing and the thought-provoking subject is fantastic. I can't praise this story enough, it's absolutely brilliant and I highly recommend it.