Thursday, March 15, 2012

Review - Falling Under by Danielle Younge-Ullman



Book Summary

"After surviving a turbulent childhood, Mara Foster has finally gained independence and success as a painter. Now in her late twenties, she lives alone, still burdened by a troubled past involving a teen aged affair with an older man and the tragic loss of her college boyfriend. But when Mara meets Hugo, the walls she has built around herself begin to crumble. Despite herself, she starts to fall in love and realizes she must either confront her dark secrets or be consumed by them. And either way, she risks losing Hugo and her second chance at happiness.Written in spare, crisp prose and marked by wry humor,Falling Under is a gripping contemporary urban tale of human weakness, friendship, and hard-earned redemption."
 
My Review - 4 1/2  Great to the last Drop
 
A remarkable dark story told in a beautiful lyrical way, I loved the combination.  While reading I wondered how many people we encounter day to day with agoraphobia - extreme or irrational fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public places.  Such a worry addiction, overactive mind that makes her paranoid, unbelievable concept. I really enjoyed this story, I found the writing lyrical, a prose style delicious to my ears, it flowed through my soul, very artistic.
 
I enjoyed Mara as the main character, she was three dimensional, had different moods, friends, lovers, past-present-future moments for all of them.  For some I think this may be an execution problem as you never knew were the next chapter was going to go but it flowed wonderfully in my opinion, you didn't need to figure out what was going on.  Mara used sex to get through the hard times, to take away the pain, how this all comes together at the end.... brilliant.
 
The best part was there is a major mystery twist thrown in, completely caught me off guard and put this novel in a class of its own, I don't know what genre to put it in.  This would be a banned YA for sure, there is betrayal, sex, homosexuality, broken marriage, language, it has it all.
 
And the cover is so eye catching, a favourite of mine.  I enjoyed the art story lines.  Following the journey of a young art student to becoming a brilliant artist through the scary, losing her mind times also.
 
I recommend you try this one, really great read and a debut for the author.  And the ending, the last sentence, wow.   I love the idea that depending on the reader the person at the end is him or him and then you wonder what life would be like for them, brilliant.
 
 
 
 
 

6 comments:

  1. This sounds really good and I just love the cover!

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  2. The cover really is exquisite, we are watching this happen with our 24 yr old niece. What had started as bladder issues and a fear of leaving because of an accident is slowly turning into agoraphobia. She gets the shakes and panics if she is in small or crowded spaces. For my daughter's bacholorette party they went to Vegas and my oldest daughter was waiting for the elevator with her and when those doors opened my niece started shaking something fierce and said I cant do it and went back to the room. My daughter felt terrible for her.

    I'll have to put this on my list.

    Paula

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  3. This sounds like a very interesting read! I hadn't heard of it before now but I'm definitely intrigued. Great review!

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  4. I read this book a few years ago and loved it. I love the new cover.

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  5. Sounds like an engrossing book, if totally different from what I usuall read. That cover is very striking, too.

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  6. The cover does grab your attention, doesn't it? This one has been on my wich list for so long I forgot why! Thanks for reminding me.

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