An afterword is the final part of the book, which is published at the end of the work. In it, the writer thanks the reader, who went all the way with him and read the story to the last page. Often the conclusion is written by other authors and in this case reflects subjective emotions after reading.
What is an afterword of a book?
This is an important part of the book that is written after the main text. With its help, the author talks with the reader, reflects on the moral, ethical or aesthetic aspects of the work, clarifies certain points. An afterword is like a punctuation mark at the end of a book that completes the main point. It can be different: a dot or ellipsis, a question or exclamation mark. Also sometimes the final part can serve as a prologue to the next volume. An afterword is often written by invited authors or literary critics. In this case, it is a subjective discussion on the subject of the storyline, historical authenticity, emotional content, contains brief characteristics of the book’s heroes, draws parallels with the present or real personalities.
What is the difference between an epilogue and an epilogue?
Many readers confuse the concepts of “epilogue” and “afterword”. The epilogue is a continuation of the plot of the book. As a rule, events that occur after the end of a story, logically ending it, are briefly described here. The afterword is not included in the main plot and is usually the author’s discussion of ethics, aesthetics, the historical era described in the work, and is used as an invitation to polemic.
Afterword is an important but optional part of the work, which serves as an additional bridge connecting the author and his reader. It helps to better understand the plot of the book, the characters' characters and penetrate deeper into the essence of the story.