Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Delacorte Press (First Edition)
Description
Suspected in the death of her boyfriend, seventeen-year-old Luce is sent to a Savannah, Georgia, reform school where she meets two intriguing boys and learns the truth about the strange shadows that have always haunted her.
Description
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.
What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?
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.
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.
What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?
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.
Series
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2009-12-08
Physical description
8.63 inches
ISBN
9780385738934
Similar in this library
Media reviews
Many elements are not resolved, such as the cause of the fire and why angels are at this school. Still, fans of supernatural romance will be lining up for this book despite its flaws, and begging for a sequel.
Lexile
830L
User reviews
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Quick & Dirty: Ultimately this tale isn’t captivating and lacks a real villain.
Opening Sentence: Around midnight, her eyes at last took shape.
The Review:
Marketing almost sold me on this book, but the book itself couldn’t close the deal. With a beautiful cover, the promise of a tragic love
Fallen’s protagonist, Luce, is a suspected arsonist, and claims that she’s constantly stalked by malevolent shadows. Her parents, at their breaking point, send her to Sword & Cross, a boarding school. Once at Sword & Cross, Luce battles the typical “new girl” problems and immediately catches the eye of two hot guys at the school. She finds herself drawn to the mysterious Daniel and is determined to find out more about him and his past.
Fallen is a flawed novel and I had to struggle to finish. Fallen was crafted in such a way as to make the story predictable and ultimately doing little to keep the reader engaged. I knew Fallen was a series so I didn’t expect the overall story arc to unfold at a breakneck pace, but I did expect something to actually happen. The pacing of the story is slow with little to no action. In my opinion, a lot of the chapters that were written really didn’t do much to move the plot forward.
I think the most damning aspect for me is the author’s inversion of the Show vs. Tell concept. Meaning, Ms. Kate did more telling than showing me what I needed as a reader. Daniel and Luce are supposed to have this amazing connection and be hopelessly in love, yet none of this is shown to the reader. Ms. Kate didn’t establish enough background about Daniel and Luce’s relationship to make this a believable or particularly compelling love story. I never established an emotional connection with the characters and their plights simply didn’t resonate with me. The dialog was flat and character descriptions were inconsistent. There wasn’t enough worldbuilding and as a result the story suffered.
My second gripe concerns the lack of characterization. The difficulty in writing immortal/supernatural characters for a sophisticated audience is that you have to respect their reality. For an immortal character, Daniel certainly lacks imagination, maturity, skill and purpose. His brooding and skulking around didn’t make me believe that he was dangerous or a bad boy for that matter. Luce came off as a creepy stalker, pathetic, naïve, weak, and at times really annoying. The narrative voices of the secondary characters aren’t particularly unique. With no real character development and growth, it was hard to care about them. I’m not sure if I will invest the time to read the second book in the series, Torment, because Fallen did not grab me.
Overall, Fallen falls prey to clichés. It’s all buildup with no climax, and that left me more frustrated than satisfied. Ms. Kate seems to have left key elements of the story for later installments, and a bevy of plot devices weakened the story. With little depth to the characters or plot, I fear some seasoned and savvy readers of the genre will have a hard time falling for Fallen.
Notable Scene:
She looked up into a maelstrom of shadows. A spectrum of shades of gray and deepest black. She should only be able to see as far as the ceiling overhead, but the shadows seemed somehow to extend beyond its limits. Into a strange and hidden sky. They were all tangled up in each other, and yet they were distinct.
FTC Advisory: I purchased a copy of this book. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
Opening Sentence: Around midnight, her eyes at last took shape.
The Review:
Marketing almost sold me on this book, but the book itself couldn’t close the deal. With a beautiful cover, the promise of a tragic love
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story, a creepy, gothic boarding school setting, and fallen angels, I expected a compelling read. Unfortunately, Fallen is a disappointment.Fallen’s protagonist, Luce, is a suspected arsonist, and claims that she’s constantly stalked by malevolent shadows. Her parents, at their breaking point, send her to Sword & Cross, a boarding school. Once at Sword & Cross, Luce battles the typical “new girl” problems and immediately catches the eye of two hot guys at the school. She finds herself drawn to the mysterious Daniel and is determined to find out more about him and his past.
Fallen is a flawed novel and I had to struggle to finish. Fallen was crafted in such a way as to make the story predictable and ultimately doing little to keep the reader engaged. I knew Fallen was a series so I didn’t expect the overall story arc to unfold at a breakneck pace, but I did expect something to actually happen. The pacing of the story is slow with little to no action. In my opinion, a lot of the chapters that were written really didn’t do much to move the plot forward.
I think the most damning aspect for me is the author’s inversion of the Show vs. Tell concept. Meaning, Ms. Kate did more telling than showing me what I needed as a reader. Daniel and Luce are supposed to have this amazing connection and be hopelessly in love, yet none of this is shown to the reader. Ms. Kate didn’t establish enough background about Daniel and Luce’s relationship to make this a believable or particularly compelling love story. I never established an emotional connection with the characters and their plights simply didn’t resonate with me. The dialog was flat and character descriptions were inconsistent. There wasn’t enough worldbuilding and as a result the story suffered.
My second gripe concerns the lack of characterization. The difficulty in writing immortal/supernatural characters for a sophisticated audience is that you have to respect their reality. For an immortal character, Daniel certainly lacks imagination, maturity, skill and purpose. His brooding and skulking around didn’t make me believe that he was dangerous or a bad boy for that matter. Luce came off as a creepy stalker, pathetic, naïve, weak, and at times really annoying. The narrative voices of the secondary characters aren’t particularly unique. With no real character development and growth, it was hard to care about them. I’m not sure if I will invest the time to read the second book in the series, Torment, because Fallen did not grab me.
Overall, Fallen falls prey to clichés. It’s all buildup with no climax, and that left me more frustrated than satisfied. Ms. Kate seems to have left key elements of the story for later installments, and a bevy of plot devices weakened the story. With little depth to the characters or plot, I fear some seasoned and savvy readers of the genre will have a hard time falling for Fallen.
Notable Scene:
She looked up into a maelstrom of shadows. A spectrum of shades of gray and deepest black. She should only be able to see as far as the ceiling overhead, but the shadows seemed somehow to extend beyond its limits. Into a strange and hidden sky. They were all tangled up in each other, and yet they were distinct.
FTC Advisory: I purchased a copy of this book. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
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LibraryThing member elliepotten
This book seemed to have been so well-received by YA paranormal romance readers that I had to buy it - and I'm glad I took a chance! It's my first read from the recent post-vampire spate of angel novels, and it felt quite different from a lot of YA paranormal novels I've read.
It opens with a
When I start a YA paranormal-type novel, I'm never quite sure what to expect. Happily, I was pleasantly surprised by Fallen! Right from the beginning I was drawn into Luce's story, and found the reform-school setting a refreshing change from the usual all-American high school. The campus was deliciously creepy, balancing the mundanities of school life with a much darker atmosphere, and I quickly began to question the different characters and their motives. Who was on the good side, and who was bad? Is there even such a thing as truly good or truly bad - what about the grey areas in between?
There was a fair bit of religious imagery, with the mythology surrounding angels and demons, the fall of Eden and ideas of Heaven and Hell all explored throughout the book, though I never felt like it became overwhelming or dragged the plot down at all. The romance element was a little tortured at times - though that was the point, I suppose - but it all came together nicely for an exciting climax and an intriguing ending that paved the way for the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to reading Torment very soon!
It opens with a
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mysterious young man and an innocent young woman in England in 1854. She feels irresistably drawn to him, but though he desperately wants her too, he is trying to keep her at arm's length to save her from certain destruction. Alas, when he finally gives in to his feelings and kisses her, they are instantly consumed by darkness... Now, to modern-day America! Luce has been enrolled in reform school after a horrendous accident that killed her classmate, and must learn to hold her own in a forbidding new environment. Her classes are dull, the campus is grey and unkept, the people are interesting, to say the least - but on the plus side, there's always golden boy Daniel and rebel Cam to lust over... Until the shadows start to build, that is. Luce has seen them since she was a child, malevolent swirls of darkness haunting her life - but they seem to be getting stronger by the day. And who is Daniel, with his mysterious past? Can she resist Cam's bad-boy allure? What do the shadows want? Will she survive long enough to find out?When I start a YA paranormal-type novel, I'm never quite sure what to expect. Happily, I was pleasantly surprised by Fallen! Right from the beginning I was drawn into Luce's story, and found the reform-school setting a refreshing change from the usual all-American high school. The campus was deliciously creepy, balancing the mundanities of school life with a much darker atmosphere, and I quickly began to question the different characters and their motives. Who was on the good side, and who was bad? Is there even such a thing as truly good or truly bad - what about the grey areas in between?
There was a fair bit of religious imagery, with the mythology surrounding angels and demons, the fall of Eden and ideas of Heaven and Hell all explored throughout the book, though I never felt like it became overwhelming or dragged the plot down at all. The romance element was a little tortured at times - though that was the point, I suppose - but it all came together nicely for an exciting climax and an intriguing ending that paved the way for the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to reading Torment very soon!
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LibraryThing member coffee.is.yum
I had heard so many bad things about this book, but I was suckered into buying it anyway because of the beautiful cover and the promise of an interesting premise. Even the first 40 pages are somewhat intriguing. The characters introduced at the beginning of the book seemed unique (but they do not
Luce, the main character, is such a flat character--not to mention annoying and stupid. I had to pull myself through the first 160 pages hoping the plot would pick up and actually snag my interest. All Luce does throughout the entire book is debate whom she loves, whom she SHOULD love, and how her two "lovers" make her feel. Honestly. That's it.
"Oh how I love Cam. He's so nice. So why am I thinking about Daniel? He's so mean. It's so weird I can't stop thinking about Daniel. Oh here's Cam now. I suddenly feel dizzy; when puts his hand on me, I'm just so enamored I can't bear it. I wish Daniel would do this to me. Oh, there's Daniel now. How surprising. Oh no, why did Daniel have to catch me with Cam...I'm so embarrassed now. But why should I be embarrassed? Daniel doesn't like me, right? RIGHT?! Oh I'm just so confused!"
I'm not kidding when I say expect the ENTIRE book to be nothing but this, no plot moving forward, not Luce actually acting on her intuition or doing anything other than being driven by these seemingly empty flirtations. All she does is talk about how Cam and Daniel makes her "feel." I think Kate tried a little too hard creating a love triangle after the popularity of the bad boy/good boy/confused girl combination in Twilight, but failed even worse than Meyer did. Also, when you have a plot for a story, you should actually develop it. Not use it as a crutch.
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develop as characters in the remainder of the story). The boarding school of misfits--what a cool setting, right? Not to mention a seemingly gothic love story. I just knew this book HAD to be good. Oh, how wrong I was.Luce, the main character, is such a flat character--not to mention annoying and stupid. I had to pull myself through the first 160 pages hoping the plot would pick up and actually snag my interest. All Luce does throughout the entire book is debate whom she loves, whom she SHOULD love, and how her two "lovers" make her feel. Honestly. That's it.
"Oh how I love Cam. He's so nice. So why am I thinking about Daniel? He's so mean. It's so weird I can't stop thinking about Daniel. Oh here's Cam now. I suddenly feel dizzy; when puts his hand on me, I'm just so enamored I can't bear it. I wish Daniel would do this to me. Oh, there's Daniel now. How surprising. Oh no, why did Daniel have to catch me with Cam...I'm so embarrassed now. But why should I be embarrassed? Daniel doesn't like me, right? RIGHT?! Oh I'm just so confused!"
I'm not kidding when I say expect the ENTIRE book to be nothing but this, no plot moving forward, not Luce actually acting on her intuition or doing anything other than being driven by these seemingly empty flirtations. All she does is talk about how Cam and Daniel makes her "feel." I think Kate tried a little too hard creating a love triangle after the popularity of the bad boy/good boy/confused girl combination in Twilight, but failed even worse than Meyer did. Also, when you have a plot for a story, you should actually develop it. Not use it as a crutch.
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LibraryThing member willowsmom
Ugh. I forced myself to read the first 200 pages of this one, and then gratefully moved on. I should have gone with my gut: the synopsis made this book sound a bit too stereotyped for me--loner girl, new strange school, handsome and alluring yet mysteriously aloof boy, a forbidden love, controversy
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and sudden revelations, blah blah blah. The author had to work just a liiiiiiiittle too hard to repeatedly bash the reader over the head with the Mysterious! Forbidden! Star-Crossed! hammers for my taste. Plot was fairly nonexistent (girl starts school, meets new kids, moons over boy, embarrassed horribly by mean girl/self/haunted and tragic past), and I was not nearly as enamored by the characters, specifically the wet-rag heroine, as the author obviously was. Only redeeming factor: the setting. I live in Savannah, so it's always interesting to read books set in the city (or in this case the nearby town of Thunderbolt). Show Less
LibraryThing member BookWhisperer
Angels seem to be the common trend this season. First Hush, Hush breaking the literary world into the idea; then followed with this extraordinary tale in Fallen. I have spent the last two days solid reading this book all the way through. This is another addicting read that will leave you
Being Lauren Kate first book I was impressed by her ability to rise above. Although, the story line did appear vaguely jumbled in the beginning as author was attempting set up the storyline, as well as, Luce’s past for the back-story. Though, once the story progressed the transition from past to present became fluent and easily distinguishable. Proving that the author quickly adapted to the flow of her own story once momentum was build. Lauren Kate is no amateur in my book and the twists were not lost on this book.
Few books can you find that contain so many awesome characters in one book. Luce is the main character and the carrier of this story, obviously. Although, this story required all of the other character for the formation of such a tremendous story. The length of Fallen at moments seemed extreme, but once finished it was required and worth very minute that Kate spent building each and every character. Once the book began nearing the end every detail became clear quickly.
My instincts tell me this is not a story to be taken lightly, and that this author is not done yet. So it would be best to remember everything read. When she manages to twist your story once more in the last two pages of the story; it is safe to assume their is more excitement to come. The conclusion: I am sold!
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questioning for days to come, or until the next books is released. Kate writes with emotion spilling from the pages allowing her readers to not only read the story, but experience it first hand. Being Lauren Kate first book I was impressed by her ability to rise above. Although, the story line did appear vaguely jumbled in the beginning as author was attempting set up the storyline, as well as, Luce’s past for the back-story. Though, once the story progressed the transition from past to present became fluent and easily distinguishable. Proving that the author quickly adapted to the flow of her own story once momentum was build. Lauren Kate is no amateur in my book and the twists were not lost on this book.
Few books can you find that contain so many awesome characters in one book. Luce is the main character and the carrier of this story, obviously. Although, this story required all of the other character for the formation of such a tremendous story. The length of Fallen at moments seemed extreme, but once finished it was required and worth very minute that Kate spent building each and every character. Once the book began nearing the end every detail became clear quickly.
My instincts tell me this is not a story to be taken lightly, and that this author is not done yet. So it would be best to remember everything read. When she manages to twist your story once more in the last two pages of the story; it is safe to assume their is more excitement to come. The conclusion: I am sold!
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LibraryThing member Jac8604
Ugh. Talk a boring, meek and helpless heroine. Luce was borderline pitiful. She wasn't constantly whining - which would have made me hate her - but she didn't take any kind of action. Everything happened to or around her, not because of her. Even if everything she did happened to be a mistake, I
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would have like her more. Daniel turned out to be okay after starting out as a tool, but she fell in love with him while he was acting the douche! The secondary characters were a lot more intriguing than our heroine. I do like the premise though and there is a lot I wouldn't mind being made clearer in future installments, as long as Luce grows a pair. Show Less
LibraryThing member taleofnight
This was one of those books I ran out and bought the week it was released, but then sat on my shelf for over a year. I was very hesitant to read it because of the reviews I read. Either people love it or hate it. And I can understand why people are put off by it. In the very beginning Daniel flips
I did enjoy the book. The mythology behind the angels was really interesting and makes me want to pick up the next book in the series just because I want to find out more. I especially want to know why Luce is so special, with always being reincarnated.
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off Luce, and Luce is suddenly obsessed with him. Which, knowing the two's history it makes sense, but it did rub me the wrong way at some points. I did enjoy the book. The mythology behind the angels was really interesting and makes me want to pick up the next book in the series just because I want to find out more. I especially want to know why Luce is so special, with always being reincarnated.
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LibraryThing member titania86
Luce Price is shipped off to dilapidated Sword and Cross reform school after surviving a fire that killed her boyfriend Trevor and having no memory of what happened. Whenever she’s alone near water or trees, there are these menacing shadows that appear and follow her. If having no memory what
I had been looking forward to reading Fallen for quite some time. It seemed more steeped in horror like Simon Holt’s The Devouring with the evil shadows that seem to cause accidents and kill people. At the beginning, the mystery about Luce’s reason for being at reform school is hinted at and finally revealed, which is pretty horrific. I was hoping this trend would recur throughout the book, but I was wrong. The story is more about star-crossed lovers and description of hot young men than anything involving horror. Sure, there are a couple of other deaths in the book, but they mostly occur out of the sight of the main character and are described to her later. I was disappointed that this book had more in common with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight then with The Devouring.
The pacing of the novel is a bit weird. The big revealing moment happens in the last 50 pages in a 450 page book. It seems tacked on and it interrupts the flow of the novel. If it had occurred earlier in the book, there could have been a lot more detail and more time to go through the event. I would have preferred that to the back and forth between liking and hating Cam and Daniel. The teen angst and melodrama got a little old after 400 pages.
The book isn’t all bad. I like the colorful characters that populated the reform school, including the fellow delinquent students and insufferable teachers. Luce is an interesting character to follow with her own unique voice. The novel is generally well written and kept me engaged for most of it, but there’s only so much mooning over boys I can take. I did read the entire book in the course of a day, so I’m still going to give the second book a chance.
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happened wasn’t enough, the crazy talk about shadows sealed the deal. The school is outdated and horrible to behold. Plus, since she’s the newest of the students, she can’t seem to avoid being picked on and humiliated. She’s mysteriously drawn to Daniel and feels as if she’s met him before. He exhibits erratic behavior: one minute being nice to her and the next being rude to get her to stay away. Another boy, Cam, is clearly interested and really nice to her, but there’s something odd about him as well. Are these two boys who they seem to be? Which one should she trust?I had been looking forward to reading Fallen for quite some time. It seemed more steeped in horror like Simon Holt’s The Devouring with the evil shadows that seem to cause accidents and kill people. At the beginning, the mystery about Luce’s reason for being at reform school is hinted at and finally revealed, which is pretty horrific. I was hoping this trend would recur throughout the book, but I was wrong. The story is more about star-crossed lovers and description of hot young men than anything involving horror. Sure, there are a couple of other deaths in the book, but they mostly occur out of the sight of the main character and are described to her later. I was disappointed that this book had more in common with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight then with The Devouring.
The pacing of the novel is a bit weird. The big revealing moment happens in the last 50 pages in a 450 page book. It seems tacked on and it interrupts the flow of the novel. If it had occurred earlier in the book, there could have been a lot more detail and more time to go through the event. I would have preferred that to the back and forth between liking and hating Cam and Daniel. The teen angst and melodrama got a little old after 400 pages.
The book isn’t all bad. I like the colorful characters that populated the reform school, including the fellow delinquent students and insufferable teachers. Luce is an interesting character to follow with her own unique voice. The novel is generally well written and kept me engaged for most of it, but there’s only so much mooning over boys I can take. I did read the entire book in the course of a day, so I’m still going to give the second book a chance.
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LibraryThing member kraaivrouw
Recently I paid a visit to Target to pick up some things. I always stop by the book section when I'm there, even though I don't usually buy anything (I'm a used book and library kind of girl). I like to see what they've got on display because it keeps me abreast of what's selling out there in the
Don't get me wrong - I like well-written fiction that contains an element of the paranormal and even an element of romance, but that's not all I like. I shudder to think that these the the only books being marketed on a mass scale to teenage girls. The fact that they are frequently dreadfully written and feature relationships that teeter on the edge of emotional (if not physical) abuse is appalling. Why are we giving young women the message that they should be stalking and putting up with young men who are emotionally unavailable, passive aggressive, and (by the way) not human?
Fallen follows the latest version of this trend by making the bad boys (yes, there are two fighting over our intrepid heroine) fallen angels. The setting is Savannah, but the writer takes no advantage of it. We are to believe that the characters are in a reform school, but it reads more like one of those school advertised in the back of Town and Country for challenged kids. It's boarding school with slightly higher security.
The concept of this book could have been interesting, but the book definitely falls short. Wooden characters, a truly dumb heroine, and completely unbelievable storyline make this one worth missing. I like the cover, though!
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wonderful world of books. On this visit, I was appalled to find that there was nothing in the young adult section, but paranormal romance. It was all 90210 with fangs, fur, or wings. How depressing!Don't get me wrong - I like well-written fiction that contains an element of the paranormal and even an element of romance, but that's not all I like. I shudder to think that these the the only books being marketed on a mass scale to teenage girls. The fact that they are frequently dreadfully written and feature relationships that teeter on the edge of emotional (if not physical) abuse is appalling. Why are we giving young women the message that they should be stalking and putting up with young men who are emotionally unavailable, passive aggressive, and (by the way) not human?
Fallen follows the latest version of this trend by making the bad boys (yes, there are two fighting over our intrepid heroine) fallen angels. The setting is Savannah, but the writer takes no advantage of it. We are to believe that the characters are in a reform school, but it reads more like one of those school advertised in the back of Town and Country for challenged kids. It's boarding school with slightly higher security.
The concept of this book could have been interesting, but the book definitely falls short. Wooden characters, a truly dumb heroine, and completely unbelievable storyline make this one worth missing. I like the cover, though!
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LibraryThing member QueenAlyss
I remember that the only reason I was drawn to this book initially was the velvet smooth feel and it's luscious cover. Then I read the first few pages and could feel an interesting plot thicken without even reading the description of the book... I bought it. I'm glad I was blissfully unaware of
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what the book was about because it was remarkable to awaken to these strange events as Luce did. It was like reading a book that you havent read in a long time and have no idea what it is about, but since you've read it you didnt bother with the excerpts. A wonderful mythical tale of Heaven vs. Hell (in a sense) with the best of modern twists. Show Less
LibraryThing member seescootread
The prologue of this book starts out strong, but it all goes downhill from there. I could not wait for this book to end. Is that horrible of me? Perhaps. The main character, Luce, was a constant frustration. Some of her thoughts or spoken statements made me cringe, or say ‘seriously?’ on
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multiple occasions. She was obsessed, basically out of nowhere, over Daniel . The characters were over-the-top dramatic and unrealistic feeling. I could never seem to connect or feel the truth of their statements. In addition, the story seemed to jump around too much, or would intentionally leave the reader with unanswered questions – and not in the way that keeps you coming back for more. The dark elements and ‘epic battle’ of the book were present, but existed with no clear description or clarification. A generally frustrating and boring read. I hung on hoping for more, but it never occurred. On the bright side the book cover is amazing! Lovely. Show Less
LibraryThing member peaceloveandpat
I had the pleasure of meeting Lauren Kate in person last December 08, 2009 during her book release / signing at Glendale in Americana with The Book Vixen (click on her name to see her post about our trip and here to read her review). It was fun. I am glad that most of the people who attended looks
I ask both blogger buddies and my friends to chose which one they want to read first, the good news or the bad news?
Sorry the bad news won. Most of them said it's better to get that over with.
The negative - Read the first chapter, set it down, I was disappointed. I could not get into it. Four books later. I decided it's time. I feel really bad that it was not as good as I expect it to be. I think it has more to do with the pace than the plot. Luce and Daniel's mystery keeps on building up until I started wondering when am I going to get some answers. Luce's personality kind of annoyed me too. She is obviously smart but why is she acting like a complete dumbass especially when Daniel is concern? I get it that there is that unexplained pull towards Daniel but the reasons where vague, sometimes I get mad at her. It started when she lost that race on the pool. Then her stalker attitude. I was also bothered about the research that Penn and her got about the Daniel Grigori (historian) about Fallen Angels wasn't enough of a detail to call this book a tale about fallen angels. I was as lost as Luce while reading it.
The positive - Luce had a dark past from her former school. The accident that involves her former boyfriend Trevor was probably the most tormenting issue she had in this book. I admire her for not dwelling enough on that horrible incident when she got to Swords & Cross. She did the best she can to move on. Her battle with the shadows also impressed me. She had this control and presence of mind to not freak out even though she have every right too. Her calm composure after the death of Todd gave her an edge too. Sure she got depressed but I was glad that she did not really blame herself on that. I am also intrigue by Daniel's mysterious personality but I was more drawn to Cam's charming one, yes even until the end. There's just so much more that we need to find out about all of them that I chose not to label Cam as evil in this series. And Arianne - she is my favorite character in this book. She's fun, edgy and sarcastic. Lastly, I love the setting, the Reformed school with all its gothic glory complete with a cemetery and a gymnasium and pool built inside a former church- awesome.
Over all Fallen is a book to watch out for. Dark and deeply mysterious. A definite addition to a YA reader.
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like between the 5th-8th graders. Lauren looked nervous, pretty and friendly, I wanted to hug her and tell her that we won't bite. For months I waited to get a copy of her book. Either and ARC or by chance of winning one in a contest. But to no avail so I waited and now I finally read it. Saw some mixed reviews. But I don't really dwell too much on those. that's not what got me. Shamefully, it was the cover. Chick in Goth clothing (that wonderful dress) crying in the middle of the forest, I was intrigued. What about the blurb that I got from B&N? It was full of promise right? The hype around this book as so contagious that I simply cannot wait to read it. that being said I have both my positive and negative conclusion about this book.I ask both blogger buddies and my friends to chose which one they want to read first, the good news or the bad news?
Sorry the bad news won. Most of them said it's better to get that over with.
The negative - Read the first chapter, set it down, I was disappointed. I could not get into it. Four books later. I decided it's time. I feel really bad that it was not as good as I expect it to be. I think it has more to do with the pace than the plot. Luce and Daniel's mystery keeps on building up until I started wondering when am I going to get some answers. Luce's personality kind of annoyed me too. She is obviously smart but why is she acting like a complete dumbass especially when Daniel is concern? I get it that there is that unexplained pull towards Daniel but the reasons where vague, sometimes I get mad at her. It started when she lost that race on the pool. Then her stalker attitude. I was also bothered about the research that Penn and her got about the Daniel Grigori (historian) about Fallen Angels wasn't enough of a detail to call this book a tale about fallen angels. I was as lost as Luce while reading it.
The positive - Luce had a dark past from her former school. The accident that involves her former boyfriend Trevor was probably the most tormenting issue she had in this book. I admire her for not dwelling enough on that horrible incident when she got to Swords & Cross. She did the best she can to move on. Her battle with the shadows also impressed me. She had this control and presence of mind to not freak out even though she have every right too. Her calm composure after the death of Todd gave her an edge too. Sure she got depressed but I was glad that she did not really blame herself on that. I am also intrigue by Daniel's mysterious personality but I was more drawn to Cam's charming one, yes even until the end. There's just so much more that we need to find out about all of them that I chose not to label Cam as evil in this series. And Arianne - she is my favorite character in this book. She's fun, edgy and sarcastic. Lastly, I love the setting, the Reformed school with all its gothic glory complete with a cemetery and a gymnasium and pool built inside a former church- awesome.
Over all Fallen is a book to watch out for. Dark and deeply mysterious. A definite addition to a YA reader.
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LibraryThing member emvuu
I tried so SO hard to like this book because I've been waiting to get my hands on its delicious cover. It's sad to say that I was disappointed greatly by it.
Let's start with Lucinda Price, the main character. I don't see her, I don't feel her it's like she's an invisible fairy lurking the
Let's start with Lucinda Price, the main character. I don't see her, I don't feel her it's like she's an invisible fairy lurking the corridors. She's just flat, boring and loathing in self coward-ness. I was annoyed with the way she was infatuated by Daniel the moment she throws her eyes on him. I know, I know, the whole 'destined to be together thing' hit her. But still, doesn't the girl have any self respect? If he treats you like your worthless before he meets you, its okay to have negative thoughts about him, hate him even! At least that shows raw and strong emotions.
Daniel Grigori, I have no words for you buddy. As sexy as he may be to Luce I just could never see it. He seemed like a complete jerk who half way through the book decided to play nice.
Cam, Now here is a character I genuinely liked. Although near the end he made me gag and hate myself for even having the slightest hope for him, he wasn't all too horrible.
Molly, Gabbe and Arriane are just flies on the wall who deserved to be lumped in one group. I do admit that I had a liking to Pennyweather Van Syckle-Lockwood, just because of her kick ass name.
The pace was excruciatingly slow and dreadful. Luce did nothing but sulk around in the hallways, go to a social and one party and stalked Daniel's family history. Nothing...happened...until like 350 pages in then the good part starts.
The climax was fun but all too predictable. One twist I didn't see coming and I thought it was a great play on modern connotations about religion. That alone could have made me give the book a 3 instead but the 350 pages lost at the beginning could not make up for it.
The dip and conclusion left us hanging, lots of questions still unanswered and lots of 'evil' people missing (until next time)
All in all, my expectations were way too high and I found myself skipping all of the intimate scenes. I just couldn't. I don't know how many times I threw up in my mouth when they were having an electric moment.
However, I do plan to read on in the series and hopes Kate elaborates on the mythological portion of the book because God knows that its the only thing holding me to this series right now.
Let's start with Lucinda Price, the main character. I don't see her, I don't feel her it's like she's an invisible fairy lurking the
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corridors. She's just flat, boring and loathing in self coward-ness. I was annoyed with the way she was infatuated by Daniel the moment she throws her eyes on him. I know, I know, the whole ...more I tried so SO hard to like this book because I've been waiting to get my hands on its delicious cover. It's sad to say that I was disappointed greatly by it.Let's start with Lucinda Price, the main character. I don't see her, I don't feel her it's like she's an invisible fairy lurking the corridors. She's just flat, boring and loathing in self coward-ness. I was annoyed with the way she was infatuated by Daniel the moment she throws her eyes on him. I know, I know, the whole 'destined to be together thing' hit her. But still, doesn't the girl have any self respect? If he treats you like your worthless before he meets you, its okay to have negative thoughts about him, hate him even! At least that shows raw and strong emotions.
Daniel Grigori, I have no words for you buddy. As sexy as he may be to Luce I just could never see it. He seemed like a complete jerk who half way through the book decided to play nice.
Cam, Now here is a character I genuinely liked. Although near the end he made me gag and hate myself for even having the slightest hope for him, he wasn't all too horrible.
Molly, Gabbe and Arriane are just flies on the wall who deserved to be lumped in one group. I do admit that I had a liking to Pennyweather Van Syckle-Lockwood, just because of her kick ass name.
The pace was excruciatingly slow and dreadful. Luce did nothing but sulk around in the hallways, go to a social and one party and stalked Daniel's family history. Nothing...happened...until like 350 pages in then the good part starts.
The climax was fun but all too predictable. One twist I didn't see coming and I thought it was a great play on modern connotations about religion. That alone could have made me give the book a 3 instead but the 350 pages lost at the beginning could not make up for it.
The dip and conclusion left us hanging, lots of questions still unanswered and lots of 'evil' people missing (until next time)
All in all, my expectations were way too high and I found myself skipping all of the intimate scenes. I just couldn't. I don't know how many times I threw up in my mouth when they were having an electric moment.
However, I do plan to read on in the series and hopes Kate elaborates on the mythological portion of the book because God knows that its the only thing holding me to this series right now.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Unfortunately Fallen just didn't work for me. I found the premise appealing and creative but the execution of the story was disappointing.To me it seeemed Kate relied heavily on a concept to carry the story without providing motivation and action to propel it. I felt that Kate failed to complete a
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single thought for almost the entire book. She picks up an event like Trevor's death, or the inexplicable fire, and then drops it like a stone. These plot threads don't go anywhere, and never seem to find a place in the storyline where they contribute to either the characters or the climax.The characters start with the potential of interesting back stories and quirky traits, but I felt they were never realised. Nearing the end of the book, I barely knew anything more about the characters than I learnt in the first few chapters. I found Luce irritatingly passive and any glimmer of personality was eclipsed by her obsession with Daniel . I didn't find Daniel appealing at all, and I don't think Kate established a foundation for their attraction outside of her main premise. I needed them to establish a relationship within the frame of this book in order to be invested in their love story.For the secondary figures, Kate seemed to be relying heavily on the climax to excuse a lack of character development and action. Only Penn was given enough personal history and purpose to be of interest. Arrianna, and even Roland, Gabbe and Molly started out interesting but then inexplicably fades out of the story until the end. It's blindingly obvious Cam is not what he seems and since Luce is never convinced of her attraction to him I dismissed him as a significant rival for Daniel.I feel I need to qualify my opinion of Fallen by saying I am a decade (or two) older than the book's target YA audience and so that affects my connection to the characters and plot. A more accurate rating would be 1 and half stars for me. An interesting idea that is never fully realised, this one is a miss for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
Disappointing. The story moves ever so slowly toward revealing what you can already guess from the title and then doesn't really explain anything at all. The characters have no depth whatsoever.
LibraryThing member katiedoll
While Fallen didn’t completely enrapture me, I definitely don’t think it’s deserving of the disappointing cliché reputation that it’s been stuck with by a lot of readers.
It starts off incredibly slow, I will admit. It took almost more than half of the book to actually get into the real
But once the relationships and the story take off, that’s when the book came to life. Lauren Kate’s beautiful writing paired with the unfolding romance is enough to make you swoon; regardless of Daniel Grigori’s cold attitude regarding the protagonist, Luce in the beginning. (Which, is clearly explained and excused. As is Luce’s fascination towards him even through his rude gestures. She‘s not just attracted to him because he‘s a gorgeous *ssh*l*.)
I would’ve loved for at least a few of my questions to be answered, since this one didn’t really give us much, but I know that Torment, the second in the series, will be stuffed with answers on top of that intense love story.
Overall, give Fallen a chance. If you’re picky and expecting a highly mature novel with perfect characters and a perfect plot, this probably isn’t for you. But for those looking for a great paranormal romance with slow-building intensity and suspense, I definitely recommend Fallen!
It starts off incredibly slow, I will admit. It took almost more than half of the book to actually get into the real
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story line, but oddly enough, I kind of enjoyed taking the time to get to know the characters first. It’s clear this is meant to be a love story before anything else, so highlighting on Luce and Daniel’s history and interactions wasn’t as horrible as reviews make it out to be.But once the relationships and the story take off, that’s when the book came to life. Lauren Kate’s beautiful writing paired with the unfolding romance is enough to make you swoon; regardless of Daniel Grigori’s cold attitude regarding the protagonist, Luce in the beginning. (Which, is clearly explained and excused. As is Luce’s fascination towards him even through his rude gestures. She‘s not just attracted to him because he‘s a gorgeous *ssh*l*.)
I would’ve loved for at least a few of my questions to be answered, since this one didn’t really give us much, but I know that Torment, the second in the series, will be stuffed with answers on top of that intense love story.
Overall, give Fallen a chance. If you’re picky and expecting a highly mature novel with perfect characters and a perfect plot, this probably isn’t for you. But for those looking for a great paranormal romance with slow-building intensity and suspense, I definitely recommend Fallen!
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LibraryThing member Jen7waters
Honestly I was expecting this one to be a lot worse, meaning, I knew this was contemporary YA and angels themed (not my favorite combination, although I LOVED Unearthly by Cynthia Hand; and if you’re asking why I had Fallen in the first place, well, I won it in a giveaway), so I feared I would
Speaking of her, Luce is quite the boring heroine, she basically does 4 things during the whole book, she gets scared of the shadows, she acts awkward around school, stupid around Cam and obsessive over Daniel.
The rest of the story is about Luce and Daniel falling in love over and over again, but she dies when they kiss, and he has to wait for her to be born and grow up again. Meh.
One thing that bothered me above all else in this book was the love triangle (what else...), Luce likes Daniel, but thinks Cam is nice too *barfs* and right after a kissing session with Daniel she goes to Cam to tell him she’s with Daniel and all that, but Cam snaps, grabs her, and tells her he’s going to kiss her -- she doesn’t want to, but he promises to let her go after the kiss so she agrees... WHAT THE F*CK?? No really, WHAT-THE-ACTUAL-F*CK? Luce... do you have any idea of why you have knees in your legs? And no, they are not just to allow you to bend your legs and sit, they serve a lot of other purposes, like help you KICK *SSH*L*S RIGHT IN THE NUTS WHEN THEY TRY SOMETHING AS SUCH!! Jesus Christ… seriously, you don’t simply allow a guy to kiss you when you don’t want to just because he’s stronger and he’s grabbing you and putting his stupid face in yours, no! You kick him in the nuts, with all your strength!! I... I can’t even...I just wanted to slap her face over and over after that scene. (>_>) Okay, I need to call myself down...
*sigh* Overall I don't think this is an awful book, but it's not great either.
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eventually give up, put the book down and never look at it again, but that never happened, I actually wanted to finish it, wanted to see where the author was going, and what the final events would bring to the protagonists. In the end it was just an Okay read, with a few confusing moments, and a leading female I wanted to hurt in a couple of scenes. Speaking of her, Luce is quite the boring heroine, she basically does 4 things during the whole book, she gets scared of the shadows, she acts awkward around school, stupid around Cam and obsessive over Daniel.
The rest of the story is about Luce and Daniel falling in love over and over again, but she dies when they kiss, and he has to wait for her to be born and grow up again. Meh.
One thing that bothered me above all else in this book was the love triangle (what else...), Luce likes Daniel, but thinks Cam is nice too *barfs* and right after a kissing session with Daniel she goes to Cam to tell him she’s with Daniel and all that, but Cam snaps, grabs her, and tells her he’s going to kiss her -- she doesn’t want to, but he promises to let her go after the kiss so she agrees... WHAT THE F*CK?? No really, WHAT-THE-ACTUAL-F*CK? Luce... do you have any idea of why you have knees in your legs? And no, they are not just to allow you to bend your legs and sit, they serve a lot of other purposes, like help you KICK *SSH*L*S RIGHT IN THE NUTS WHEN THEY TRY SOMETHING AS SUCH!! Jesus Christ… seriously, you don’t simply allow a guy to kiss you when you don’t want to just because he’s stronger and he’s grabbing you and putting his stupid face in yours, no! You kick him in the nuts, with all your strength!! I... I can’t even...I just wanted to slap her face over and over after that scene. (>_>) Okay, I need to call myself down...
*sigh* Overall I don't think this is an awful book, but it's not great either.
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LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
The book started off slower than I thought. Although the reading isn’t so bad. It does capture your attention enough to keep going, although I’m not sure what the huge hype over this book is. That’s not to say that I did not like it, I thought it was an all right read, but not something to
I rather liked Luce. She’s got issues, but not enough to make her weepy or needy. She can stand up on her own (most of the time) although her mooning over Daniel was a little tedious. I couldn’t really see the chemistry going on between the two of them, even though Daniel was playing the hard to get game and being real nasty about it. Sure, he had reason to avoid Luce, but it would help to at least explain to her why that would be instead of blowing her off like an irritating bug. Even after I finished the book, I still didn’t really like Daniel. To me, he’s not even crush worthy material. Now Cam..on the other hand...yeeeahhhhhh *grinning* Like Luce, I thought Gabbe was the most annoying person ever. However, when you find out what she really is, it fits into place and you suddenly do a 360 and change your mind about her.
Now although the pace of the book was slow, and the plot was slow to evolve, the reading wasn’t so bad. I rather liked following Luce around with Arriane and Penn (I took a liking to Penn she was such a great supporting character). The pace does pick up a bit after the first half of the novel and the mystery gets a little more interesting. The whole explanation on who Daniel really is (among others) was interesting and did take the story on to a new light. It felt like a reward for putting up with the slow pacing and well, I’d have to say the ending really did make up for it and convinced me to pursue this series further.
Fallen might not be for everyone. The pacing of the plot may be slow and dry to some readers. Also there are just some parts that get a little out of hand when it comes to the cheesiness and romance. However, those that loved Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick should give this a try (however it might not be up to par). In my opinion, Daniel just could not be as great as Patch ;)
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wow over. It’s worth sticking by it and reading it through.I rather liked Luce. She’s got issues, but not enough to make her weepy or needy. She can stand up on her own (most of the time) although her mooning over Daniel was a little tedious. I couldn’t really see the chemistry going on between the two of them, even though Daniel was playing the hard to get game and being real nasty about it. Sure, he had reason to avoid Luce, but it would help to at least explain to her why that would be instead of blowing her off like an irritating bug. Even after I finished the book, I still didn’t really like Daniel. To me, he’s not even crush worthy material. Now Cam..on the other hand...yeeeahhhhhh *grinning* Like Luce, I thought Gabbe was the most annoying person ever. However, when you find out what she really is, it fits into place and you suddenly do a 360 and change your mind about her.
Now although the pace of the book was slow, and the plot was slow to evolve, the reading wasn’t so bad. I rather liked following Luce around with Arriane and Penn (I took a liking to Penn she was such a great supporting character). The pace does pick up a bit after the first half of the novel and the mystery gets a little more interesting. The whole explanation on who Daniel really is (among others) was interesting and did take the story on to a new light. It felt like a reward for putting up with the slow pacing and well, I’d have to say the ending really did make up for it and convinced me to pursue this series further.
Fallen might not be for everyone. The pacing of the plot may be slow and dry to some readers. Also there are just some parts that get a little out of hand when it comes to the cheesiness and romance. However, those that loved Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick should give this a try (however it might not be up to par). In my opinion, Daniel just could not be as great as Patch ;)
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LibraryThing member Krissa7
I didnt like it. It wasnt that it was bad.... But it kinda was. Im a teen, this was recomended for me. It was boring, dull, and took way too long to tell what was up. The description on the of the book I wanted too read was way better! And it only took me a second too read. I dont know who and if I
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should even recomed this too. There were some parts of the book were I just wouldnt read anymore. But me friends told me too finish it too see if theres some big BAM! at the end that would make it good, but there wasn't. Show Less
LibraryThing member monsterofbooks
"Torment! Torment! Torment! Torment By Lauren Kate, where are you? Oh why does thee have to be so far away? Thy cannot bear to live without you!!!" Screams The Monster Of Books.
You know you like a book when your itching for it's sequel. Sadly, and it's understandable, that's far away. September far
What I didn't like in Fallen was in the beginning, the author eventually stops doing this, but she switches from first person to the author narrating her. Example of this is;
"Which is why she was enrolling in her senior year at Sword & Cross a full month after the academic year had begun. Being a new student was bad enough, and Luce had been really nervous about having to jump into classes where everyone else was already settled." (Page.11)
Do you see see she switches from first person point of view, to either the author talking about the character or talking about herself in third person. That was kind of annoying and eventually it went away, I think I agree with someone else (can't remember which book blogger) but the author was settling in and getting into Luce's mind. Another thing that bothered me was the part that lack emotion was the shadows and how Luce handled them. It just didn't seem realistic and it was hard to take her seriously at times. The third thing I didn't like was that Luce would explain something that already happen but there would never be a chapter or page on it. Like she would explain past events that had happen, but were never in the book. I would of like to see those things happen instead of being explained, I think it gives it a better affect, especially when we're talking about dreams.
The characters all had motives, and were quirky and unique in there on way. I loved Penn & Arriane. Of course the romantic interest were Cam & Daniel, who were both gorgeous and sexy :) Making one reader happy as hell, but I was sad that the guy I always want to go with the girl is never picked. I was confused at the end with Cam (Epilogue). Which means I must read Torment (the sequel) as soon as it comes out. Somethings in the book were obvious, but others were very surprising and I didn't seem coming. Daniel acted as a jerk at first, and as a reader you were really annoyed with him and wanted him to be nice, whereas Cam was sweet and just amazing. I recommend this to anyone, I loved it so much and so will you. It is fast paste and I didn't find one chapter boring which is unusual for me.
Well that's all I'm going to say for now, now it's your turn to read/read & review it and tell your opinions. I love to hear what you think, I like seeing new POV from others.
You know you like a book when your itching for it's sequel. Sadly, and it's understandable, that's far away. September far
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away!! Just so everyone's clear. While everyone is excited for it to be there senior year (next year is my senior year in high school) I'll be wrapped up in Luce's & Daniel's story. Anyways, you also know when you like a book when your still daydreaming about it 2 weeks after you read it. And I'm not saying that this book took 2 weeks to read, this took 1 day to read, but it's still in my head. Anyhow onto the review, what to say. I've heard mix reviews about this book, so I was scared at first but the prologue immediately caught my attention and spun me into a addiction that lasted from beginning to end, to even now. The book has everything a reader wants. Such as perfect imagery, realistic character with life-like dialogue and two hot guys that any girls can drool over. Lauren Kate spins a tale like never before and her writing and story telling will have you memorized from the very first few pages. She does something that I really like in YA fiction but it seems very difficult to do as I've only seen few authors who have really shown it, and that is emotion. You have heard me in previous reviews bragging about the author not showing enough emotion and you may wonder why I think it's a big deal. I think it's important because you get more feel of the story, it's more life-like, and you can relate to it a lot more *even if it's supernatural romance*. Lauren has grasped the emotion almost perfectly, there's one part that wasn't right but read on and you'll find out what that is later. She sets her setting in Savannah, Georgia in a reform boarding school. Luce feels alone and when you read it you feel the place (Sword & Cross Boarding School) is creepy and dead. What Luce is feeling in the book, you feel. What she sees, you see. It was just a amazing experience, and I consider this book one of 2009 best books.What I didn't like in Fallen was in the beginning, the author eventually stops doing this, but she switches from first person to the author narrating her. Example of this is;
"Which is why she was enrolling in her senior year at Sword & Cross a full month after the academic year had begun. Being a new student was bad enough, and Luce had been really nervous about having to jump into classes where everyone else was already settled." (Page.11)
Do you see see she switches from first person point of view, to either the author talking about the character or talking about herself in third person. That was kind of annoying and eventually it went away, I think I agree with someone else (can't remember which book blogger) but the author was settling in and getting into Luce's mind. Another thing that bothered me was the part that lack emotion was the shadows and how Luce handled them. It just didn't seem realistic and it was hard to take her seriously at times. The third thing I didn't like was that Luce would explain something that already happen but there would never be a chapter or page on it. Like she would explain past events that had happen, but were never in the book. I would of like to see those things happen instead of being explained, I think it gives it a better affect, especially when we're talking about dreams.
The characters all had motives, and were quirky and unique in there on way. I loved Penn & Arriane. Of course the romantic interest were Cam & Daniel, who were both gorgeous and sexy :) Making one reader happy as hell, but I was sad that the guy I always want to go with the girl is never picked. I was confused at the end with Cam (Epilogue). Which means I must read Torment (the sequel) as soon as it comes out. Somethings in the book were obvious, but others were very surprising and I didn't seem coming. Daniel acted as a jerk at first, and as a reader you were really annoyed with him and wanted him to be nice, whereas Cam was sweet and just amazing. I recommend this to anyone, I loved it so much and so will you. It is fast paste and I didn't find one chapter boring which is unusual for me.
Well that's all I'm going to say for now, now it's your turn to read/read & review it and tell your opinions. I love to hear what you think, I like seeing new POV from others.
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LibraryThing member ealaindraoi
Well, it wasn’t horrible! That might be damming with faint praise, but for this genre (YA paranormal romance) anything that isn’t horrible is good.
So, it was good, but not great. By reading summaries of the book, I already had a pretty good idea where it was going – it just took SO LONG to
It’s a dark, dramatic and romantic book, so I’m sure some teens will LUV it. I just didn’t, but I’ll probably read the sequel just to see where else the story line goes, but if the next book meanders along like this one did, I won’t bother reading the third.
So, it was good, but not great. By reading summaries of the book, I already had a pretty good idea where it was going – it just took SO LONG to
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get there. It isn’t until about the 300th page that you get the big reveal. Admittedly, the last 150 pages are pretty exciting and move right along.It’s a dark, dramatic and romantic book, so I’m sure some teens will LUV it. I just didn’t, but I’ll probably read the sequel just to see where else the story line goes, but if the next book meanders along like this one did, I won’t bother reading the third.
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LibraryThing member missyreadsreviews
The story starts out with Luce being late for the tour of the new boarding school she is attending, Sword & Cross. You're introduced to a few of the characters that become a big part of the story, such as Gabbe, Cam, and Arriane. Instantly, Cam takes a liking to Luce and so does Arriane,
Alright, I'll admit ... I judged a book by its cover - bad. Reading the blurb on the back, I didn't really think there would be anything all that intriguing in the book. Why? I thought it would just be a book where you follow a girl who drools over some really hot guy the whole time and that's about it. I have to say that I was definitely wrong. The story is pretty wonderful. As I said in my review for Evernight, the cover would fit better on that. However, not every book has a cover that fits well with the story itself. So, I'll say that, as just a cover, it's an attention-grabber and it's very beautiful. And really, what's better than being a proud owner of a good book with a gorgeous cover? The prologue to the story is actually a flashback, with unnamed characters, but you quickly understand it as the story goes along - and it does it's job as a prologue by catching your attention, making you want to read more. The plot? As mentioned, it does have some holes and you will have some questions after you read the novel. Since it is a part of a series, I am hoping the author will fix that by answering the questions later on in the series. So, I'm going to be lenient on that until I read more of the series. I loved the characters and they fit their persona well - though I do think that Arriane lost a little of her spark as the story went along. I think she faded back a little too much and didn't keep her spunkiness that she originally started out with. There IS an epilogue that goes with the story. After you read it, you'll have a "Whhhhaaaat?!" moment, but it's a good one! It really gets your blood pumping for the next book. The writing is wonderful, as well as the point of view ... which follows Luce in third person, but you do get a grip on the surroundings too. I forgot to mention that the ending is a little heart-wrenching, but it's necessary and gets your hopes up for the sequel.
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volunteering to show her around the grounds then demanding that Luce cut her hair like her own. Soon after, Luce spots Daniel Grigori, who she is immediately attracted to. More odd than that, she feels as though this isn't her first time seeing him. When Daniel spots Luce, he gets wide-eyed right before smiling and gallantly flipping her off. Even though he was rude to her, Luce continually finds herself thinking about him and looking for him. That is until she has a run-in with Molly, who quickly welcomes her to school with a big plate of meatloaf over her head. However, thanks to Molly, Luce is introduced to Penn - the late school caretaker's daughter who decides to stay at Sword & Cross because that's where her father is buried. Although a little eccentric, Penn turns out to be a good information source for Luce. Luce and Daniel talk every once in a while, but each time she's left even more confused than before. A little less than a hundred pages into the novel, you have your first big scene of action that kind of puts the whole novel into swing - before then, it's just a bunch of introductions, Cam flirting with Luce, and you sort of get an idea of why Luce is in Sword & Cross. However, it's never really fully fleshed out in the story, which either may be a hole in the plot or something the author plans on telling in the next book. Either way, you know enough to know there was a tragic accident, she was blamed for it, and now she's in a boarding school with other "troubled teens". I'm going to stop with the play-by-play, but I will say that as the story unravels, you figure out that a lot of people are not what they seem. You also get the whole story on why Daniel seems so familiar to Luce, as well as a big back story on why they may never be able to be together.Alright, I'll admit ... I judged a book by its cover - bad. Reading the blurb on the back, I didn't really think there would be anything all that intriguing in the book. Why? I thought it would just be a book where you follow a girl who drools over some really hot guy the whole time and that's about it. I have to say that I was definitely wrong. The story is pretty wonderful. As I said in my review for Evernight, the cover would fit better on that. However, not every book has a cover that fits well with the story itself. So, I'll say that, as just a cover, it's an attention-grabber and it's very beautiful. And really, what's better than being a proud owner of a good book with a gorgeous cover? The prologue to the story is actually a flashback, with unnamed characters, but you quickly understand it as the story goes along - and it does it's job as a prologue by catching your attention, making you want to read more. The plot? As mentioned, it does have some holes and you will have some questions after you read the novel. Since it is a part of a series, I am hoping the author will fix that by answering the questions later on in the series. So, I'm going to be lenient on that until I read more of the series. I loved the characters and they fit their persona well - though I do think that Arriane lost a little of her spark as the story went along. I think she faded back a little too much and didn't keep her spunkiness that she originally started out with. There IS an epilogue that goes with the story. After you read it, you'll have a "Whhhhaaaat?!" moment, but it's a good one! It really gets your blood pumping for the next book. The writing is wonderful, as well as the point of view ... which follows Luce in third person, but you do get a grip on the surroundings too. I forgot to mention that the ending is a little heart-wrenching, but it's necessary and gets your hopes up for the sequel.
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LibraryThing member Tynga
Lucinda Price, Luce, saw shadows for as long as she can remember, she saw doctors and took pills her entire life 'cause they thought she was crazy, but she's not. Last summer there was a terrible accident, a boy she knew died, she's doesn't remember exactly what happened, but one thing is sure,
There are two boys especially attracting Luce's attention. Cam an easy out-going boy that was nice to her the very first second they met, always going out of his way to make her happy, but all of it seems weird. What is he hiding? What are his intentions? Daniel. This guy really gets to Luce, she can't stop thinking of him, dreams about him, but the guy is totally rude to her. Hot and Cold most of the time and leaves you wondering what the hell is his problem?
I LOVED this book. I think the story is very well written, the characters are precisely drawn with their individual specifics and the atmosphere is beyond!
Let's make this clear, this is NOT an action-packed book, if that's what you are expecting you might be disappointed. This is a book where the psychology part of the story is very important, the book felt like a crescendo. Events piles up until the grand final, and let me tell you, this is one great final! I knew the book was about fallen angels for reading it on other blogs, but I NEVER saw the ending blow coming. It was so surprising that I feel like I'm gonna read the book again to re-live all the events from a different perspective.
This book is dark, seductive, mysterious, I am dying to read the next book, there are so many questions unanswered and I have to wait until September 2010? There is one word to describe that Lauren Kate ; Torture!
I want more of that story, may Torment release sooner pretty please!
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everyone thinks she's guilty. That's how she ended up at Sword & Cross, some kind of reform school for freaky teens.There are two boys especially attracting Luce's attention. Cam an easy out-going boy that was nice to her the very first second they met, always going out of his way to make her happy, but all of it seems weird. What is he hiding? What are his intentions? Daniel. This guy really gets to Luce, she can't stop thinking of him, dreams about him, but the guy is totally rude to her. Hot and Cold most of the time and leaves you wondering what the hell is his problem?
I LOVED this book. I think the story is very well written, the characters are precisely drawn with their individual specifics and the atmosphere is beyond!
Let's make this clear, this is NOT an action-packed book, if that's what you are expecting you might be disappointed. This is a book where the psychology part of the story is very important, the book felt like a crescendo. Events piles up until the grand final, and let me tell you, this is one great final! I knew the book was about fallen angels for reading it on other blogs, but I NEVER saw the ending blow coming. It was so surprising that I feel like I'm gonna read the book again to re-live all the events from a different perspective.
This book is dark, seductive, mysterious, I am dying to read the next book, there are so many questions unanswered and I have to wait until September 2010? There is one word to describe that Lauren Kate ; Torture!
I want more of that story, may Torment release sooner pretty please!
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LibraryThing member dk_phoenix
I’d like to preface this review by reminding everyone that just a few weeks before reading this novel, I read Becca Fitzgerald’s Hush Hush, an excellent novel about a fallen angel and the teenage girl he seemingly falls in love with.
That said, when I received this novel for review, I was
A hundred pages in, I still wasn’t sure what the plot was. A hundred and fifty pages in… two hundred pages… dang, this is a long book for YA… two hundred and fifty…
I’ll be honest, there was a point where I looked up and said to my husband “if this thing doesn’t pick up soon, I’m going to give up”. I didn’t really like the main character or anyone around, and the thing that annoys me the most in fiction kept happening: No one would just TALK TO EACH OTHER. So many things could be avoided if people would just get off their ego trips and talk plainly, but of course, they couldn’t for a variety of reasons. So, it irked me until everyone eventually was able to talk it out.
And did they? I was honestly ready to give up… until the final hundred or so pages of this book (maybe even fewer). When things picked up, they really picked up, and the action/tension/conflict hit like a sledgehammer to the face. Someone died that was completely unexpected. Someone who was completely unexpected betrayed the MC. Fires, explosions, heavenly warfare, and (huzzah!) character development came rushing down like a landslide, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
So… now I’m stuck wanting to know what happens next, because of course, it ends on a cliffhanger.
Ultimately, the book is far too slow paced at the beginning, and there’s a lot of extraneous material that could have been cut out to make the story faster, more engaging, and… oh, right, get to the POINT (ie. developing the plot). But, when the story picked up, it really picked up… enough so for me to recommend this as a good read for someone who enjoys paranormal YA. It’s worth it to slog through the first several hundred pages to get to the action, and I anticipate the second book being far more action-oriented, considering the way this one ends.
Like YA? Attractive teenage males with unusual powers? Female MCs who actually have a head on their shoulders and some measure of independence? You’ll enjoy this one. Just… don’t read Hush Hush right before this one… you’ll thank me for it later :)
That said, when I received this novel for review, I was
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thrilled (yay, more YA!) but also a bit wary (fallen angels again?!?). Nevertheless, I dove on in…A hundred pages in, I still wasn’t sure what the plot was. A hundred and fifty pages in… two hundred pages… dang, this is a long book for YA… two hundred and fifty…
I’ll be honest, there was a point where I looked up and said to my husband “if this thing doesn’t pick up soon, I’m going to give up”. I didn’t really like the main character or anyone around, and the thing that annoys me the most in fiction kept happening: No one would just TALK TO EACH OTHER. So many things could be avoided if people would just get off their ego trips and talk plainly, but of course, they couldn’t for a variety of reasons. So, it irked me until everyone eventually was able to talk it out.
And did they? I was honestly ready to give up… until the final hundred or so pages of this book (maybe even fewer). When things picked up, they really picked up, and the action/tension/conflict hit like a sledgehammer to the face. Someone died that was completely unexpected. Someone who was completely unexpected betrayed the MC. Fires, explosions, heavenly warfare, and (huzzah!) character development came rushing down like a landslide, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
So… now I’m stuck wanting to know what happens next, because of course, it ends on a cliffhanger.
Ultimately, the book is far too slow paced at the beginning, and there’s a lot of extraneous material that could have been cut out to make the story faster, more engaging, and… oh, right, get to the POINT (ie. developing the plot). But, when the story picked up, it really picked up… enough so for me to recommend this as a good read for someone who enjoys paranormal YA. It’s worth it to slog through the first several hundred pages to get to the action, and I anticipate the second book being far more action-oriented, considering the way this one ends.
Like YA? Attractive teenage males with unusual powers? Female MCs who actually have a head on their shoulders and some measure of independence? You’ll enjoy this one. Just… don’t read Hush Hush right before this one… you’ll thank me for it later :)
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LibraryThing member cleverlyinked
Do you love roller coasters? That is exactly how this books makes you feel. The suspense it exquisite and intense. This book seems to just come alive right out of the pages.
Luce a misunderstood she seems so confused with what life has handed her. When she gets sent off to Sword & Cross reform
Fallen was well written. The suspense didn't let you down. I don't want to write to much about this book because it's good enough that you SHOULD just go out and get it. It's a quick read, but I think that had to do with how engulfed I was in the book.
Now I am waiting for a sequel.
Luce a misunderstood she seems so confused with what life has handed her. When she gets sent off to Sword & Cross reform
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school. It ends up being a life changing event. She gets thrown in amongst people she does not know if she should trust them or not. Arriane seems already attached and like a best friend. Cam is already wanting more then she is wanting to give or is she? Daniel is a mystery in it's self that she seems drawn too. She feels a cosmic pull from him. So who is she to trust, befriend and love? All the characters were so realistic I felt I knew them myself. I could truly picture them.Fallen was well written. The suspense didn't let you down. I don't want to write to much about this book because it's good enough that you SHOULD just go out and get it. It's a quick read, but I think that had to do with how engulfed I was in the book.
Now I am waiting for a sequel.
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Awards
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Honor Book — 2011)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2013)
Call number
YA B Kat