I was a late arrival to the Maggie O'Farrell party - the first book I read by her was Instructions for a Heatwave. And I have devoured everything since, but it has taken me a while to work through her backlist. So it was great to finally read her debut novel - After You'd Gone.
The structure threw me off to begin with - with no break even in chapters to lurch from one character or time setting to another. But in time it seemed to me that this was reflective of the potentially chaotic state that Alice's (the main character) brain was in following a traffic accident that has left her in a coma.
Alice is the middle of 3 daughters to Ben and Ann - and granddaughter to Elspeth. Elspeth and Ann are the main sub characters in the story - which is both a multi generational tale of women, their relationships and family, and also a love story between Alice and John. It is clear early on that John is no longer around - but we don't know why. But piece by piece the backstory is built, and piece by piece we discover all the things that have shattered Alices's life and heart.

I think it is great that the publisher is putting a real focus on this authors backlist and really encouraging her later fans to discover her early work. I think I only have one or two more to read!

Beautiful written with interesting snd engaging characters. I found the timeline tricky to follow at the start but soon got into O’Farrell’s rhythm. A worthwhile read.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This is well worth a read (or reread). I would describe it as having someone’s life flash before your eyes. But it’s slower than that…more of an unraveling and mingling. You get to know different stories of a family across timelines, showing their lives, loves and losses. Although things are mixed together, you’re never lost as a reader.

Such an emotional roller coaster of a book. The story is told, not from beginning to end in the conventional manner, but moves from one time or event in the story, to another. I personally love this form of story telling but you do have to concentrate so as not to become confused.
The story of Alice and John’s love is so powerful; so emotional. I felt I wanted to cry with her and felt her crushing heartbreak. To have had and lost such a love.
There is suspense at every turn and secrets spilled that had been kept for years.
It is a book that has stood the test of time and remains an all time favourite.

Oh my God, what a roller coaster of emotion i have been, I feel a bit battered by it!
This is so well written and beautiful to read, but it's a lot.
This is the first book ive read by this author and it won't be the last.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

April 9, 2025
After you'd gone, follows Alice's life from Birth in North Berwick through the events that led to a suicide attempt in her late twenties. (This is not a spoiler the books first line is 'The day she would try to kill herself, she realised winter was coming again')

I can barely believe that as someone who almost exclusively reads books that deal with female issues and particularly champions books set in my local area this 25th Anniversary edition is the first time I've read a Maggie O'Farrell book ! I am certainly glad I finally got round to it.

Given location of book I feel that the Raikes were a little more affluent than my family but O'Farrell captures life in a wee town near Edinburgh in the 1980's perfectly. My Mum like Alice's was English and she certainly caught the strangeness of being an alien in the place you are meant to call home. Like the dedication says Thankfully my Mum is nothing like Alice's, however Ann is not a bad woman , she is just a very human one who deals with her past actions in the best way she can.
O'Farrell's descriptions are very vivid , she explores the relationships between the characters well, but it is her descriptions of places where she excels, the way she captures late nineties Edinburgh I swear I was back in my late teens/early twenties reading it. Although I never lived there her descriptions of London were also very of that time. One passage she describes climbing Berwick Law and looking down at town and I felt my calves were stiff and I could smell the sea.
For all her descriptions the book occasionally rambled and I had to catch myself stop reading and wonder what exactly the characters were doing at that point. The first two thirds of book were also a little slow paced , I did race through the final 3rd. An enjoyable book that will certainly see O'Farrells back catalogue getting added to my ever growing TBR

I was genuinely excited to start this book after reading and loving others by this writer. There is no denying her style is evident in the way characters and story are slowly drawn out but it didn’t delight me in the way her other books have. I was still so glad I did read it though.
This author has a wonderful talent.

This was an enjoyable read, very emotional and character driven. I did find it confusing at first as the timelines jumped about so much but I did get used to it. Beautifully written, this is the first book I have read by this author, I didn't realise it was actually her debut novel. I will certainly read more from her.

Maggie O'Farrell's debut novel is an engaging story about love, grief, and family secrets. After adoring "Hamnet," I was eager but slightly apprehensive to read this one.
The novel follows Alice, a young woman whose life is shaped by love and loss. Her story intertwines with those of her mother and grandmother, offering different perspectives on relationships and family dynamics. A traumatic event forces Alice to leave Scotland suddenly, after deciding to visit her sisters for the day, and later, as she lies in a coma after being hit by a car, she reflects on her life. The narrative shifts between past and present, using both first and third person, but O'Farrell's seamless writing makes these transitions easy to follow.
One of the book's strengths is how it explores family relationships and the secrets that complicate them. O'Farrell creates well-developed characters, making their struggles and emotions feel real. Alice's relationships—with her mother, grandmother, best friend, and John, the man she loves—are at the heart of the story, highlighting themes of love and loss.
The novel is both thought-provoking and engaging, with a strong sense of suspense that keeps the reader invested. O'Farrell's depiction of grief is particularly moving, making Alice’s journey feel authentic and relatable.
I struggled in getting engaged slightly at the beginning and to adjust to the time jumps initially, but I was hooked especially when we are introduced to John.
I know it’s her debut but you would have recognized O'Farrell’s talent right away from this. Her ability to craft complex, emotionally rich stories is evident from the start. This novel is a strong introduction to her work and a great read for those who enjoy deep, character-driven narratives.

Visceral and beautifully written character-driven story of love and secrets, following a woman's journey from growing up to meeting her soul mate, through to working out what to do with all the love after that person dies.

Powerful but understated, heart-rending and sweeping, Alice's story emerges non-linearly, from her scattered thoughts and memories, and her family's recollections, discussions and arguments as they visit her.

I really love Maggie O'Farrell's recent work, so I was pleased to have the chance to go back to her debut novel After You'd Gone, originally published in 2000.

The protagonist is Alice Raikes and we learn all about her childhood, interspersed with "present day" and recent past events. There are lots of mysteries to unwrap and I was eager to find out why Alice was in the position she was and what happened at Edinburgh Station to send her hurrying back to London as soon as she arrived. The story really stands up after quarter of a century.

A recommended read for lovers of character-driven fiction.

A distraught young woman boards a train at King's Cross to return to her family in Scotland. Six hours later, she catches sight of something so terrible in a mirror at Waverley Station that she gets on the next train back to London.

This is a beautiful piece of literature. The description is breathtaking, and I found it difficult to put down. Great three-dimensional characters who I identified with. Not sure I’ve ever read anything quite so emotional for a while. Terrific writing and lovely to read.

Maggie O'Farrell writes beautifully and deeply about love and loss. Her characters are so completely believable and the whole experience so immersive. This was my second time reading 'After You'd Gone'. It is just as good as I remembered. Highly recommended.

I don't think this is one of O'Farrell's best books - the multiple points of view and different time frames were a little confusing to begin with, especially in the online version I read perhaps. Only about a third of the way into the book when I had the characters firmly set did I begin to enjoy reading it and found it a very moving story of a deep love. The descriptions and the writing are faultless. I particularly enjoyed Alice's interactions with John, especially at the beginning of the relationship when she is trying to put him off.
The ending, the final scene in the library and at the hospital are particularly moving and full of hope.
With thanks to Netgalley and Headline books for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Maggie O'Farrell's After You'd Gone, her debut novel published in 2000, is a timeless tale of love and heartbreak. The author's exceptional writing style shines through, even as she navigates the early stages of her power. It feels as though she hasn't yet shifted into full gear and she is just holding back from the amazing work we know comes later.

The story centres on Alice, who lies in a coma after an accident upon her sudden return to London from Edinburgh. Was it an act of despair, or mere misfortune? As her life unravels in fragments, we are drawn into a poignant stream of consciousness exploring her childhood and her move to London. The proximity to the characters and their struggles is breathtakingly palpable, with the narrative shifting between London and Edinburgh, enriching its emotional depth.

Part love story, part family drama. Beautifully written and deeply moving, After You'd Gone is a novel I wholeheartedly recommend. It's a profound exploration of life's complexities that lingers long after the last page.

I wasn't aware, when requesting this book, that it had first been published decades ago, so I'm thrilled to discover I now have O'Farrell's entire back-catalogue to read.

I can't believe this was a debut novel. It's so packed full of grief and love, leading us on an incredible emotional journey disguised as innocent vignettes from Alice's life. I adored it, not least because I used to live in the area of Scotland that Alice once lived in and I recognised the streets, houses and character of the town described.

We open with Alice making an unplanned journey from London to Edinburgh, after her grief-stricken feet took her to King's Cross. She calls her sisters and meets them at the station... then sees something that so horrifies her, she jumps straight onto the next train home.

Once back in London, she finds herself heading to the shops, standing on the edge of the pavement, waiting at traffic lights, where she steps out into the path of oncoming cars.

In a coma, Alice relives key events from her past, all bringing us closer and closer to understanding why she stepped out into traffic. She takes us through her childhood, her relationships with her parents, sisters and boyfriends - and John.

This is such a beautiful book. The emotional depth it achieves is astonishing and heart-breaking.

This is a story that will stay with long after you've read the last page.

I love Maggie O'Farrell so it was a pleasure to read this. I can't believe this was her first book. I enjoyed the different narrators and the way it took a couple of lines to realise who it was. The mystery was intriguing, and the entire story held my attention throughout. This is a great story, with well thought out characters (I loved Alice and John), and a plot line that will keep you turning the pages. The story is told beautifully and is one that will stay with me for quite some time.

This book reminded me a bit of One Day. It's a blend of love story and family drama. O'Farrell always delivers solid, readable books in my opinion and this was no exception. A real page turner.

It had good characterisation and an interesting flow of fragmentary narrative that built moments of time to the conclusion.

I loved Alice, the protagonist and connected to her story and her character really well. I think there may have been a few too many perspectives at times and I'm not sure that all of them added much to the story. O'Farrell meanders at times which is fine as her writing is always a joy, but to be picky I think this could have been a bit tighter. The pacing was a little uneven because of this as well.

But this book was authentic and well-written with great characters.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This is a re-release of the debut novel from Maggie O'Farrel, the author of Hamnet.

It is a clever story which weaves between time and characters. I must admit that I got a little confused at times and had to remind myself which point the story was at and which character was narrating. However as the story progresses it becomes more apparent why the book does this.

An emotional, heart-wrenching novel, lots of tissues needed!