Leigh Chen Sanders is convinced that after her mother's suicide, she transformed into a bird. Leigh, of mixed Asian and white descent, embarks on a poignant journey to Taiwan to meet her mother's parents for the first time. Through a landscape that oscillates between reality and magic, Leigh chases ghosts, uncovers family secrets, and seeks a connection with her grandparents. As she navigates her own sorrow, she struggles to understand how her budding romance with best friend Axel overlapped with her mother's final day. 'The Astonishing Color of After' weaves a tapestry of grief, love, art, and identity, as Leigh's personal odyssey delivers her to the crossroads of heritage and healing.