Book Description:
Some Angels are Destined to Fall
There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.
Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.
Review: Another beautiful YA cover yields yet another beautiful read.
Some Angels are Destined to Fall
Why did the back cover have to have that statement? Talk about spoiling your own book. The fallen angel element of this book isn’t revealed outright until much later in Fallen. I realize that with the success of Hush, Hush, many people were already talking about the inclusion of fallen angels in both books, but that revelation is kind of a big deal when it comes, or at least it would have been if the back cover hadn’t announced it before I’d even started reading. Are book covers becoming the new movie trailers, where entire plots are revealed in a matter of minutes? I don’t know about you, but I still enjoy not knowing major plot points prior to reading a book.
That being said, I loved falling for Fallen. The reform school that Luce is sent to is almost its own character. It’s dark, depressing, and inescapable. Yet within its prison walls and barred windows, there are places of beauty and cruelty, mystery and answers, even life and death. Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry ‘Savannah, Georgia’ is one of the things I’m most excited about seeing (and most afraid they will ruin) in the movie adaptation.
Did I mention that there is sort of a gothic feel to Fallen? The atmospheric school and the memories that Luce can’t quite recall clearly enough to know if they are real or not. If anything, Fallen is evocative of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, with Manderlay as a kind of Sword & Cross.
I mentioned Hush, Hush already and wanted to clarify that although both books focus on fallen angels, they could not be more dissimilar. The tone, characters, and even angel mythology differs greatly in each book. I enjoyed them both, but if I had to pick, Fallen would be my favorite.
I almost would suggest waiting until Torment (Fallen, book 2) comes out in September 2010 before reading Fallen as there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end of Fallen. In fact, almost all of Luce’s questions are left unanswered. But if you can stand a good cliffhanger ending, this ones a doozy.
YA Warning: The tone of this book grew increasingly darker as the story progressed culminating with some potentially unsettling horror elements.
Sexual Content: (YA books receive a more thorough breakdown) a scene of mild sensuality.
My Rating (out of 5):
Click HERE to read an excerpt of Fallen
Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
- Hardcover: 464 pages
- Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (December 8, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385738935
- ISBN-13: 978-0385738934
Disagree with my review? Email me your review for this or any other book I reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review
I wrote a review yesterday for the same book. OMG..great minds think a like..
ReplyDeleteloved it.
I was one of those who didn't care for this one, but everyone appreciates different things in their fiction.
ReplyDeleteI adored the premise, and while I enjoyed the last pages, overall I thought the execution fell flat.
I loved Hush Hush but couldn't connect with characters in Fallen.
You're right, for those who like this series, waiting to read it until the sequel is out would be best because of all the unanswered questions.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the review.
I am glad you liked this. Good descripive word, Gothic. I can see that. I enjoyed the book too and I think the next one will be even better.
ReplyDeleteGreat review,! I can't wait to read. I actually just got this the other day since I had heard so many great things about it!!
ReplyDeleteBrande
Glad you enjoyed it. I love the cover! lol. I haven't gotten around to reading this one yet, but I definitely plan to! Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteEven though the cover was so pretty I wasn't sure that I wanted to read this, but maybe I should give it a shot...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review!
I've seen so many mixed reviews on Fallen, glad to see you loved it. I have it myself and hope to read it soon. Enjoyed your review, thanks!
ReplyDeleteOMG, I can't believe you gave this book rating 4/5.
ReplyDeleteFor me it is extremely boring. The main character just wanders around the school, doing nothing else except ogling the guy. It took about 300 pages for the plot to pick up from the dead point. And for all the Gothic setting(the only nice touch) nothing bad really happens...
knigoman - I loved the quiet pacing, I thought it lended itself the the gothic feel. Very Rebbecca in that sense.
ReplyDeleteI liked this book and was eager for Torment which was just that. No answered questions from the first and was I reading the same book or was anyone else thinking there was a love triangle coming to head between Cam, Daniel and Luce?
ReplyDeletePassion, which i am still clueless to the name bc there was no passion just a bunch more un answered questions..oh wait luce loves daniel just because.. ok. sure. very disappointed in theses books. They had a great cover and potential to be awesome, but failed in my book.