What came before by Anna George

Anna George’s book What Came Before starts with this line:

‘My name is David James Forrester. Tonight at 6:10 p.m., I killed my wife. This is my statement.’

Honestly, that one sentence was enough to make me want to keep reading. It’s the kind of opening that hooks you immediately.

What Came Before: the story

The book follows Elie and David. They meet, fall in love, get married—the usual beginning. But clearly, they don’t ride off into the sunset. The opening line leaves no doubt about that. And the problem isn’t Elie — it’s David.

He’s the kind of man who comes with a manual no one has ever written down. One moment he’s fine, the next he’s furious, shutting Elie out completely. No explanation, no warning, no nothing. You’re left feeling just as confused as she is.

To put it plainly, this is emotional abuse.

Eventually, Elie manages to break away from him. But considering the first sentence of the book, you can’t help wondering what good it did.

What Came Before: The way Anna George tells the story

The story is told from both perspectives—David’s and Elie’s. Even after David has killed her, we still hear from Elie. She floats above her body, watching all the moments that led her here. It’s eerie, tragic, and in theory, a very interesting narrative choice.

My opinion on What Came Before

I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb on the back. It’s what made me pick up this book.  But to be completely honest, for all its promise, I found What Came Before pretty dull. I had to push myself through it, which surprised me given the promising setup. The idea is strong, but the story just didn’t grab me.

So yes, I’m giving a 6 out of 10. Six points for the concept. Zero for the execution.

Want to read What came before

You can find What Came Before at Amazon.

You may also enjoy The Lie.