Afterpains by Anna Julia Stainsby
Set in Toronto—for the most part, The Afterpains follows two families: one consumed by grief and the other by a family curse. The story alternates between the POVs of different characters, such as Vivian, the dead daughter looking over her grieving family; Rosy, the mother struggling to navigate an all-encompassing grief; Isaura, a single mother grappling with past traumas while raising her daughter; and Mivi, Isaura’s daughter, who struggles with a sense of belonging.
What stood out most was the nuanced depiction of grief. Rosy’s pain after the loss of her infant to SIDS was palpable throughout the story. Though I admit I sometimes grew frustrated with her inability to connect with Eddie, her living child, I quickly realized the situation had definitely shifted from grief to pathological bereavement. Loss, and how people deal with it, is not something that can be explained in a palatable way, and I understood that. I also appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from showing how grief affected Rosy’s husband, too.Â
Another theme explored was friendship, and I loved how the author connected the two families and their stories. I thought it was brilliant. It added some tension to the narrative. Anna Julia Stainsby captures complex emotions in a way that feels raw and unflinching. It's weird to say I really enjoyed this, as it wasn’t a happy story but I did.
