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jadeeby's review against another edition
3.0
Originally posted on my blog Chasing Empty Pavements
I absolutely adore the cover of this book. It's so simplistic yet ominous. It's the perfect cover to signal that something not quite right is going to happen in the novel. The storm clouds are gorgeous. Gah, I just love the cover. Kudos to the designer. So I remember reading the synopsis when I requested this novel but until I started reading it, I completely forgot what it was about.
What I really liked about this novel was the characterization. I especially loved the characterization of Liesel. I loved that Hart didn't shy away from the way many women would feel after marrying someone whose been divorced... the "other" woman never truly goes away and I think sometimes writers don't show that side of the relationship. Hart dared to go there and explore those feelings and it turned out so well for Liesel's characterization. I also thought she handled Liesel's desire to have children against Sunny and her children showing up and the subsequent challenges of motherhood or maybe in this case, grandmother-hood.
Sunny was another character that I really liked. Hart did a great job showing us how Sunny grapples with this entire lifestyle she grew up in versus the "real world." I imagine it would be as difficult in real life as it is for her in the novel. I like that she recognizes that some of the things she was taught was wrong but that some of the things she was taught could also still be considered right. This novel is an interesting look at religion/cults/organized groups but it doesn't go into a whole lot of detail.
I thought the most obvious tension of Sunny showing up on her father's doorstep when he didn't even know she existed was done fairly well. Christopher reacted much how I think most men would have reacted.
The writing was also very well done and it was a fairly quick read. I'm a huge fan of ambiguous endings and this one aligned right in my fav type of endings.
Liesel and Christopher kind of annoyed me with their shifting personalities. I didn't even feel like they really loved each other. One minute they were fine and the next they were not. It just felt like they'd change moods but there wouldn't exactly be good textual evidence as to why they should have changed or acted like that. Just made for a few confusing spots.
In my opinion, things started to kind of fall apart toward the last part of the book. It's like Sunny's relationships that were going so well seemed to just stop. There was a reintroduction of a character from her past and I know that had something to do with it, but to me, it didn't seem like enough to make up for how everything seemed to just stop. This made for the last couple chapters to seem rushed/abrupt and not quite the best they could have been.
Overall, I thought this was a quick, easy and enjoyable read. I liked Hart's writing style and the ease with which the book flowed. I recommend this book for Contemporary Adult lovers or anyone looking for a different kind of read. I'd say Megan Hart is a mixture of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah.
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I absolutely adore the cover of this book. It's so simplistic yet ominous. It's the perfect cover to signal that something not quite right is going to happen in the novel. The storm clouds are gorgeous. Gah, I just love the cover. Kudos to the designer. So I remember reading the synopsis when I requested this novel but until I started reading it, I completely forgot what it was about.
What I really liked about this novel was the characterization. I especially loved the characterization of Liesel. I loved that Hart didn't shy away from the way many women would feel after marrying someone whose been divorced... the "other" woman never truly goes away and I think sometimes writers don't show that side of the relationship. Hart dared to go there and explore those feelings and it turned out so well for Liesel's characterization. I also thought she handled Liesel's desire to have children against Sunny and her children showing up and the subsequent challenges of motherhood or maybe in this case, grandmother-hood.
Sunny was another character that I really liked. Hart did a great job showing us how Sunny grapples with this entire lifestyle she grew up in versus the "real world." I imagine it would be as difficult in real life as it is for her in the novel. I like that she recognizes that some of the things she was taught was wrong but that some of the things she was taught could also still be considered right. This novel is an interesting look at religion/cults/organized groups but it doesn't go into a whole lot of detail.
I thought the most obvious tension of Sunny showing up on her father's doorstep when he didn't even know she existed was done fairly well. Christopher reacted much how I think most men would have reacted.
The writing was also very well done and it was a fairly quick read. I'm a huge fan of ambiguous endings and this one aligned right in my fav type of endings.
Liesel and Christopher kind of annoyed me with their shifting personalities. I didn't even feel like they really loved each other. One minute they were fine and the next they were not. It just felt like they'd change moods but there wouldn't exactly be good textual evidence as to why they should have changed or acted like that. Just made for a few confusing spots.
In my opinion, things started to kind of fall apart toward the last part of the book. It's like Sunny's relationships that were going so well seemed to just stop. There was a reintroduction of a character from her past and I know that had something to do with it, but to me, it didn't seem like enough to make up for how everything seemed to just stop. This made for the last couple chapters to seem rushed/abrupt and not quite the best they could have been.
Overall, I thought this was a quick, easy and enjoyable read. I liked Hart's writing style and the ease with which the book flowed. I recommend this book for Contemporary Adult lovers or anyone looking for a different kind of read. I'd say Megan Hart is a mixture of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah.
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
mmc6661's review against another edition
4.0
First time reading her and enjoyed her writing. Good characters and I enjoyed the reading about the main characters background in the cult. Very interesting to combine this with her new family. The end could of been tied up a little better and a little more detail bit I did like the end. Will read her again.
brooke_review's review against another edition
2.0
This book pretty much fell flat. Not a lot happened, and when something did, it didn't really make sense or add to the plot of the story.
wendie7's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book and probably would have considered it 4.5 stars had I not hated the ending. I was on the edge of my seat and then suddenly it was like "And then X happened and now I only have three pages left so la la la The end." Totally a cop out ending, if you ask me. Otherwise, loved it!
rstashick's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting read. The thoughts and actions of a religious cult are captured well and the ingrained beliefs left with a survivor are the basis of this story. I enjoyed this book, but it got a bit slow mid way through. Still a four star book for me.
samantherh's review against another edition
5.0
Really good book!
It would've been nice to find out what ended up happening with Sunny and her children and whether or not she was able to overcome the obstacles she was facing in the end. I would love to read another book that continues this story.
It would've been nice to find out what ended up happening with Sunny and her children and whether or not she was able to overcome the obstacles she was facing in the end. I would love to read another book that continues this story.
marryallthepeople's review against another edition
2.0
Gah, this was such an excellent premise but I couldn't get into the execution of it. Was it poorly written or was I just not interested? It's hard to tell ...
shelleyrae's review against another edition
4.0
Exploring the issues of identity, family and faith, All Fall Down is a thought provoking and intriguing novel.
Nineteen year old Sunshine has grown up in The Family of Superior Bliss, whose teachings of environmental sustainability and physical well being have been twisted by the charismatic cult leader to include harsh punishments, sexual abuse and psychological torture. When her mother commands Sunny to leave the compound in the middle of the night to seek shelter with the biological father she has never met, Sunny flees with her three children into the darkness.
The arrival of Sunshine and her children, Peace, Happy and Bliss, on their doorstep shocks Christopher and his wife, Leisel, who nevertheless invite the family into their home. Bewildered and wary, Sunny is devastated when the morning news reports a mass suicide at the compound and she is left to make her way in an unfamiliar world that she has been taught poisons and corrupts. Adjusting to her new life in the home of her father and stepmother proves to be a challenge when the comforting message of the Family continues to beckon.
When there is just enough truth within a lie it is much easier to believe the veracity of what is said in it's entirety, and I think the author skilfully show how cults ensnare it's members and then are able to convince them of less rational notions. Essentially the tenets of the Family of Superior Bliss are reasonable, to recycle and reuse, to be healthy both physically and mentally and to support one another but the aims are more lure than practice, perverted by a narcissist leader whose taste for extremism is allowed to flourish. It is understandable that Sunny would try to hold onto the only 'truths' she has ever known and Hart shows how difficult it is for Sunny to separate the socially acceptable messages she has learnt from the negative ones. It's a very sympathetic characterization of a cult victim, Sunny is both heart breakingly naive and vulnerable and yet has amazing inner strength to examine what she has been taught and adjust to new expectations. That the path is difficult is hardly surprising.
Equally interesting are the repercussions of Sunny's unexpected arrival for Leisel and Chris. The pair had to adjust to not only the practicalities of their household swelling by four new members but also get to know Sunny and her children, and help them integrate into society. Leisel in particular was repeatedly challenged in her own beliefs and choices which I think was an interesting counterpoint to the adjustments Sunny has to make. I was less interested in Leisel's quest for motherhood and felt it to be somewhat of an irrelevant issue that detracted from the story. I didn't think much of Chris, his guilt seemed insincere, though I was glad he eventually made some steps towards supporting both his daughter and his wife.
There was potential for the author to examine the issues in the novel more deeply but I think the story is accessible in a way that a more involved treatment would not allow. All Fall Down is an unusual and fascinating perspective of a compelling subject and is sure to stay with you.
Nineteen year old Sunshine has grown up in The Family of Superior Bliss, whose teachings of environmental sustainability and physical well being have been twisted by the charismatic cult leader to include harsh punishments, sexual abuse and psychological torture. When her mother commands Sunny to leave the compound in the middle of the night to seek shelter with the biological father she has never met, Sunny flees with her three children into the darkness.
The arrival of Sunshine and her children, Peace, Happy and Bliss, on their doorstep shocks Christopher and his wife, Leisel, who nevertheless invite the family into their home. Bewildered and wary, Sunny is devastated when the morning news reports a mass suicide at the compound and she is left to make her way in an unfamiliar world that she has been taught poisons and corrupts. Adjusting to her new life in the home of her father and stepmother proves to be a challenge when the comforting message of the Family continues to beckon.
When there is just enough truth within a lie it is much easier to believe the veracity of what is said in it's entirety, and I think the author skilfully show how cults ensnare it's members and then are able to convince them of less rational notions. Essentially the tenets of the Family of Superior Bliss are reasonable, to recycle and reuse, to be healthy both physically and mentally and to support one another but the aims are more lure than practice, perverted by a narcissist leader whose taste for extremism is allowed to flourish. It is understandable that Sunny would try to hold onto the only 'truths' she has ever known and Hart shows how difficult it is for Sunny to separate the socially acceptable messages she has learnt from the negative ones. It's a very sympathetic characterization of a cult victim, Sunny is both heart breakingly naive and vulnerable and yet has amazing inner strength to examine what she has been taught and adjust to new expectations. That the path is difficult is hardly surprising.
Equally interesting are the repercussions of Sunny's unexpected arrival for Leisel and Chris. The pair had to adjust to not only the practicalities of their household swelling by four new members but also get to know Sunny and her children, and help them integrate into society. Leisel in particular was repeatedly challenged in her own beliefs and choices which I think was an interesting counterpoint to the adjustments Sunny has to make. I was less interested in Leisel's quest for motherhood and felt it to be somewhat of an irrelevant issue that detracted from the story. I didn't think much of Chris, his guilt seemed insincere, though I was glad he eventually made some steps towards supporting both his daughter and his wife.
There was potential for the author to examine the issues in the novel more deeply but I think the story is accessible in a way that a more involved treatment would not allow. All Fall Down is an unusual and fascinating perspective of a compelling subject and is sure to stay with you.
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Really great book, I really enjoyed it, and a pretty happy ending!