Review of Anne Freeman’s 'The Time After Now' by Paris Thompson
Once again, Anne Freeman has written a powerful and original tale with her newest novel, The Time After Now, which brings readers on a journey of mystery, grief, love, regret, and just a little bit of partying and drugs.
The narratives skips between main character Olivia's past as a colourful, carefree, young adult, and her present where she finds herself having faded into a self-critical, bleached portrait of the vibrant woman she once was.
Twenty years after their relationship, Olivia finds out her first love, man of few but important words, Drew Reznik, has passed away, and she grieves his loss for a second time.
But when an enigmatic extortionist, hiding behind the Facebook of her departed lover, begins blackmailing her with scandalous pictures of her past self, Olivia is forced to appease their torment, lest she shatter the illusion of her perfect suburban life, and derail her husband, Alistair’s, career.
Freeman’s writing is a banquet of divine imagery; one you can engorge yourself on without ever feeling full.
The Time After Now weaves themes of past and present, of losing oneself and rediscovering identity in a new and no-less-important stage of life and tying these into the importance of femininity in all its sensual glory, and self-love.
Freeman has an innate understanding of existing as a woman in this world, and she wholly translates these inherent womanly experiences through her writing.
She expertly captures the intricacies of motherhood and gives readers an organic glimpse into the world and woman behind the word "mum". Olivia is an artist, lover, friend, wife, diabetic, raver, and of course, mamma to two gorgeous children.
And it wouldn’t be an Anne Freeman novel without some of the best female friendship representations ever found in literature. The relationship between Olivia and her best friend, Miriam, is one of the most rewarding elements of the book that will have readers tearing up over their unyielding love for each other as they fight their battles.
Beyond being an exceptional fictional tale, the book also serves as educational, offering a beautiful, nuanced portrayal of living with type 1 diabetes. Freeman skilfully conveys not only the daily physical and emotional challenges, but also the social ramifications of living with a chronic illness, including judgement, scrutiny, and misunderstanding by others.
The Time After Now elegantly depicts how the seeds of choice in our lives grow and impact our futures. It is a book that everyone can find in themselves to relate to in one way or another, and is a story that should not be missed.