Review: Before Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
I am so glad I was able to jump into my second Jacqueline Woodson novel so quickly after I read my first one. I just need to decide if I am going to do a deep dive immediately or if I am going to space out reading her books.
Before the Ever After is a middle-grade book that follows ZJ, a young boy whose father is a professional football player. The story follows ZJ's relationship with his father as CTE onsets as an effect of concussions from his career as a football player.
Woodson handles this subject with incredible care. She shows the effect these injuries have not only on the person who incurs them but also on their family and community. Woodson shows incredible care in how she portrays these injured people; she does not villainize them but instead indites the structures that keep football incredibly dangerous for players, most of whom are Black men.
I really loved the relationship at the center of this story. ZJ is a fantastic narrator; Woodson has crafted an incredibly smart, observant, and deeply kind main character. His deep love for his father, paired with his desire to have their relationship go back to the way it was before his father's head injuries is so lovely and heartbreaking.
Woodson's language is incredible. I listened to this book, but I will certainly need to do a reread once I have a physical copy so I can underline all the lines that floored me. She is a superb writer, and I am so excited to continue to experience her writing style. I would particularly recommend this book to people who love poetry; the language absolutely would appeal to you.
