Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang
Release Date - September 9, 2014 Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 304 pages
My Rating - 4.5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road.It's usually not one moment that crushes a person, rather it's a culmination of little moments, and little choices. Falling Into Place looks at those little moments and the choices we each make and their sometimes devastating impact. It's a subtly written novel whose lasting impression is anything but quiet.
Why? Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? Vividly told by an unexpected and surprising narrator, this heartbreaking and nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.
This is Amy Zhang's debut novel. For the record, it is one of the most beautifully written debuts I've had the pleasure to read. She's a writer that I predict will be dazzling readers for many years to come as she continues to only improve on her already strong voice.
This is one of the novels where the characters seem effortless. They seem all too real. They're flawed, so flawed in fact that I predict many will claim they are unlikable. It's a shining example of character likability not dictating the strength of the novel. They are unbelievably well constructed characters, and they may be too realistic for some. It may hit too close to the heart, but that's a good thing. It's shines a bright light on some of the darkest topics. The secrets we don't want anyone, least of all ourselves, to see. It's a perfect discussion novel, and a large part of that is the characters.
The narrator is a mystery, at least at first. It quickly becomes apparent who is telling us Liz Emerson's story and it's a rather brilliant twist. Extremely observant and perceptive this is the prefect character to tell us this particular story. This is a narrator that is rarely (if ever) used as a narrator in novels, and one whose whimsical, lyrical voice was pitch perfect for the story. It's non linear format of storytelling only adds to the over all dreamy quality of the voice of the narrator. It dictated the tone of the story and effortlessly resonated through the entire novel. The subtle clues to the narrator ultimately pave the way for the reader to guess, even if the title of the narrator is even so much as whispered. The author lets the reader put together the clues, and gives us everything to solve the mystery.
While the ending left me wanting a little bit more to bring it all together, the rest of the novel is so wonderfully crafted that it's a minor thing. The message, and what I took away from the novel are what will stay with me, along with it's characters. They are ultimately what makes it's way into your heart, flaws and all. They are the important element of the story, and this is a perfect read for those who love character driven novels.
The buzz for this one is almost deafening and it's clearly more than warranted. A hauntingly beautiful look at choices and how they impact not just ourselves but others in our orbit. The writing will leave you spellbound and it's story will linger long after you turn that final page.
