Friday, August 15, 2014

Review: Falling into Place by Amy Zhang

Title: Falling into Place
Author: Amy Zhang
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: 9 September, 2014
Source: Greenwillow Books via Edelweiss and Bookworld via their reviewer program
Goodreads



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.

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.
Review by Nara

Shortly Before Reading Falling into Place
Nara doesn't understand how her life will be changed by a book. A simple, yet exquisite book. She doesn't realise that Falling into Place is going to one of the most incredible debuts she has ever read. She doesn't know that she's about to question every other debut she has read, because this book is just. That. Good.

Shortly After Reading Falling into Place
Nara wonders how she will ever read another contemporary again without comparing it to the beauty of Falling into Place. She remembers the stunning prose, and the rather unconventional narrator, and realises this is one of the most unique books she has ever read.

Some Time After Reading Falling into Place
Nara ponders how she might describe this book to someone else.
A book about depression?
A book about drug addiction?
A book about eating disorders?
A book about bullying?
A book about love?
A book about friendship?
A book about normal, everyday teenage life?

Nara realises that this book tackles every cliched teen problem one can think of- and portrays them in the least cliched, most beautiful way possible.

Nara thinks that Falling into Place has most definitely launched Amy Zhang firmly into her list of authors to watch out for in the future. She urges anyone who wants to read an honest contemporary about the most realistic of issues to give it a go.

Incredible
Ratings
Overall: 9.5/10
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 4.5/5