Afterward

August 22, 2016
In a sensitive portrait of trauma and recovery, a kidnapping kindles an unlikely friendship. Caroline Anderson's 11-year-old younger brother, Dylan, disappeared from in front of the family's Texas home only to be found four days later in a man's apartment. Dylan isn't the only one there: also present is 15-year-old Ethan Jorgenson, who vanished four years earlier. Dylan, who has autism, can't say much about what went on during his brief time with his captor, but Ethan's head is full of painful buried memories. Alternating between Caroline and Ethan's perspectives, Mathieu (Devoted) explores both the effects of traumaâit's clear without being explicit that Ethan suffered some form of sexual abuseâand the role that class plays in recovery, with Ethan's parents able to pay for extensive therapy. Drawn to each other, Caroline and Ethan develop a bond that's initially music-centric and becomes something deeper. It's a fully realized story of what happens after the news cameras fade away and the real work of moving forward begins. Ages 12âup. Agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Rostan.