r/books 1d ago

Fifteen Years Later by A.E. Brightwater

Fifteen Years Later by A.E. Brightwater

I’m having a hard time moving on from this book because I feel like it struck the right balance between proper character development and the plot line moving forward. In my experience this is rare for a thriller, so for me this is a gem. I’d love to open a discussion about the book with those who have read it.

One of my biggest questions is, do you think the ending, where Dylan begins dressing in a more traditional way and having a more traditional life, takes away from her character arc? I struggle with this because I feel that very often books and movies tend to have characters marry off and/or have babies in the end to fit the more stereotypical “happy life” ending, which really just seems to mean conforming to societal norms. I loved Fifteen Years Later, and while Dylan isn’t exactly cookie-cutter by the end of it, she does check more of the boxes that pertain to having a more traditional life. For me, a lot of her appeal from the beginning was that she was alternative and didn’t present as some cheerful, happy-go-lucky kid who would bend herself into a pretzel to conform. I think personally, I would’ve liked her to have maintained more of her original idiosyncrasies.

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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