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caitlinxreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Colonisation
baileyanabella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Slight spoiler alert in the content warnings - but if you are sensitive to dark themes I recommend looking over them, there is a lot in this book.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Alcohol
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
realityczar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism
bookdragon217's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott was an incredible read. Elliott's storytelling was spellbinding and I enjoyed the way she blended elements of horror, sci-fi and mystery I to this tale. Alice was a captivating protagonist and one I won't easily forget. This one tackled heavy themes of Native motherhood, mental illness, racism, alcoholism, forced removal and adoption of babies, MMIW2S issues, cultural appropriation and erasure of history in academia and white savior complex. The way Eliott personified these as true horror was so vivid that I felt like I was in Alice's mind and thoughts the while time. I felt her dread and mistrust. I couldn't help but relate to her concerns about her sanity and motherhood because BIPOC people always have their fitness to parent scrutinized by racist white people. Native peoples especially have a long history of having rheir children taken away forever.
I was not expecting the time shift and plot twist towards the last section of the book, but this was brought the main themes full circle. This is where you see the resilience of Native women and their unwavering support for each other. Here is where you see how it is through their Native ways of life and connection to their community that they support each other through healing their traumas. It is also how they support and protect each other. Elliott also notes that Native women also get hurt by Native men, not just outsiders. For the women in this story, their medicine is each other and this is the legacy they leave to future generations. The key to their survival is to stay connected to their roots.
This is the first of Elliott's books I read but I am so excited to read her other books because her writing style really spotlights the power of Native storytelling. Her voice is commanding, authentic and takes up all the space in a room. I highly recommend you read this one.
Moderate: Mental illness and Racism
Minor: Alcoholism and Body shaming
drownedinfictionx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Classism
tenderbench's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Racism, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
2.5
I struggled with how slow the first half was. It was slowly building to something, but I was impatient to get into the horrific and the shocking. It deals with some heavy topics like post-partum mental health, Indigenous motherhood being intensely scrutinized, MMIWG2S, and academia's fascination and appropriation of Indigenous knowledge and stories.
The second half really takes off and I was both *here for it* and also very confused. It is full of twists and turns and definitely held my attention as its pacing sped up. Those topics that were introduced in the first half fall to the wayside a bit in exchange for gory body horror.
The book jumps from domestic fiction with a graphic, horror twist to a confusing sci-fi conclusion. I wish it had kept its horror genre throughout and maintained its clear message because I felt the last 10% fizzled out. I'm not quite sure where it leaves the protagonist and her family.
I can feel the influence of Cherie Dimaline in And Then She Fell's dark, urban fantasy vibes and fans of her work will want to check this out.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Fatphobia, Genocide, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
Mention of MMIWG2S, residential schools.caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
- AND THEN SHE FELL is what I might categorize as literary horror. Elliott blends a variety of types of horror - of motherhood, of racism, of literal monsters and voices in your head - into an incredible tapestry of a book.
- Much of this book is built on the tension of Alice (and the reader) trying to sort out if the things she's experiencing are real, or if she's losing her mind. But something happens in the last few chapters that takes everything to a whole new level. I was reading with my mouth open, not wanting it to end.
- The more I think on this book, the more layers I find in it. I hope you'll seek it out, even if you aren't typically a horror reader.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Abortion