Fallen
Length: 453 pages
Release Date: December 8 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Blurb
Some angels are destined to fall.
Instant. Intense. Weirdly familiar… The moment Luce looks at Daniel she knows she has never felt like this before. Except she can’t shake the feeling that she has … and with him – a boy she doesn’t even remember setting eyes on.
Will her attempt to find out why enlighten her – or destroy her?
Review
One can usually find Fallen compared to the Twilight saga; a majorly hyped supernatural romance that is either loved or hated by its respective readers. While it is true that this novel has certain features that certainly ring true of Twilight, I found this book to be far different. A plot packed with tension, romance and twists greets any reader willing to sample Kate’s debut in an explosive read I thoroughly enjoyed spending four days on
The only major flaw I could find with Fallen, which I am going to get over and done with, is a weak lead. I could barely tolerate Luce throughout this book, as it felt she was whiny and clingy, a doormat to be trampled over by the main male characters of this novel. Luce seemed to be passive to the point of indifference, our ‘shadow’ seeing heroine more than happy to be told what to do at nearly every turn. She seemed unable to say no to both Daniel and Cam , so I truly hope she develops some backbone and shows how kick-ass a heroine should be in the sequel.
Other than a slow start to the book, I could find no real problems with it. It’s a comfortable read to those who have dabbled in dark romance before; readers are able to guess a twist coming chapters before it happens, but I found myself not disappointed but pleased when this strand came to fruition. Fallen is happily predictable, unashamedly so, but with more than a few unexpected sharp lefts in the plot to keep the reader guessing throughout.
Once the story got started, it is well paced with fantastic imagery and secondary characters that more than make up for a lack lustre protagonist. The characters of Arianne and Gabbe for example are shrouded in mysteries of their own, a nice edition to a well layered plot that allows for extra twists and action outside of Luce herself. When it comes to description, Kate comes up well, her descriptions of the desolate Sword & Cross School along with well fleshed out character profiles allows these people and places to form in the readers mind, keeping them captivated as they route for their favourites.
The ending of Fallen was stunning; many questions were answered with new ones posed, whilst a cruelly clever epilogue chapter has just the right amount of shock factor that sends Fallen sequel Torment to the top of anyone’s list of new reads. It truly caught me by surprise and led me to question a lot of my preconceptions as I read the final page; simply outstanding.
Overall, Fallen is a great read, a promising start to a promising series. With enough action, romance and mystery to keep a variety of readers hooked, Fallen satisfies in all areas, providing a healthy level of interest in the series. Kate has exploded onto the young adult author’s scene in true fashion in a rare book where the romance is in the spotlight without becoming completely overbearing. An excellent book that promises so much; I simply cannot wait for the delights of Torment!
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