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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
It took me a little bit to get into this one, likely because it’s the first time I’ve listwned to an audiobook, but once I got hooked on the story I couldn’t get enough and was rather disappointed when it finished because I wanted more.
I’m glad to learn this book is in a series and am keen to read/hear the next ones.
I love the character of John and think having the child in the book makes it so much more compelling.
Very well done, well rounded characters and believable, gripping storyline.
I’m glad to learn this book is in a series and am keen to read/hear the next ones.
I love the character of John and think having the child in the book makes it so much more compelling.
Very well done, well rounded characters and believable, gripping storyline.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately I didn’t love nor hate this book, it was merely okay. I listened to the audiobooks of this on book beat.
I loved how the author got straight into the story, without messing around - a massive EMT hits, and were straight back into the stone ages with no cell service, or electricity. What do we do next?! Learn to survive and farm.
I found that it was written very simplistically and the plot was a little uneventful really.. which was a little disheartening.. it would be perfectly suited for young adults. I did enjoy the Ireland scene and dark / depressing feel written by the author.
I felt that the story attacked Irish gypsies more than it really needed too, portraying them only as criminals - which took away from the story in my eyes. Along with all of the Christian references, It just felt like the author was pushing their views & reliefs onto the reader which I feel would have been time best spent focusing on the character development
Unfortunately I didn’t love nor hate this book, it was merely okay. I listened to the audiobooks of this on book beat.
I loved how the author got straight into the story, without messing around - a massive EMT hits, and were straight back into the stone ages with no cell service, or electricity. What do we do next?! Learn to survive and farm.
I found that it was written very simplistically and the plot was a little uneventful really.. which was a little disheartening.. it would be perfectly suited for young adults. I did enjoy the Ireland scene and dark / depressing feel written by the author.
I felt that the story attacked Irish gypsies more than it really needed too, portraying them only as criminals - which took away from the story in my eyes. Along with all of the Christian references, It just felt like the author was pushing their views & reliefs onto the reader which I feel would have been time best spent focusing on the character development
I got this as a free ebook, and was very glad I hadn't paid any money for it. The characters were all terrible stereotypes, the story was terrible - and the implication that chronic anxiety can be cured by getting back to basics and survival is insulting and laughable.
I have to wonder if the author has ever met a person, they're all written so badly.
I have to wonder if the author has ever met a person, they're all written so badly.
My first 'apocalypse' novel of the coronavirus pandemic. Overall, the story and flow are solid with the main characters not going all Walking Dead on you (i.e., acting incredibly stupid). The premise, however, while initially quite believable (nuclear war) turns out to be not so much and it made for an unsatisfying end.
This was an interesting read, although the somewhat graphic descriptions of violence bothered me a little. It's the first of three books and I'm not sure if I liked it well enough to look for the second book. The family had the potential to really draw me in and pull at my heartstrings, but they didn't. They all seemed very one dimensional to me. Plus there were some holes in the science behind the event that were a little hard to swallow.
The author did a good job with the character descriptions though and made me really believe I was in the Irish countryside.
The author did a good job with the character descriptions though and made me really believe I was in the Irish countryside.
Great book! Plan to purchase the next two in the series.
This review was first posted on Melissa's Midnight Musings on Monday August 20 2012
The story starts out quickly with very little background. A couple and their young son arrive in Ireland for a family vacation. The first thing that goes wrong is that the place they were supposed to stay at, burned down. So instead of a quaint vacation cottage, they get a one room cottage. No big deal, they'll make the best of it. Shortly after their arrival as they're just starting to settle in, the event happens. An unknown terrorist group has detonated bombs over London and a nonnuclear missile hit Boston. The electromagnetic pulse from these bombs has cut off electric communications, forcing the family to survive on their own in a world without all the modern conveniences.
This is a very fast paced story. It starts out with a flash, quite literally and the pace just keeps going from there.
Usually, I'm the type of reader who likes the nitty gritty details, the backstory and all of that. Most of the time, I get disappointed if the story doesn't have that, but in this case, it worked well. It's not really necessary to have their backstory because it doesn't tie in (too much) with what's going in the rest of the book.
The resiliency and growth of this family was interesting to watch as the story progressed. As a person of the technology age, I don't think I would know how to do even half of the things the characters in this book end up having to do. They have to maintain a farm, slaughter animals, make butter from goats milk, weave without a loom. None of these things I even remotely know how to do nor do I think I would catch on half as quickly as they did.
I suppose that's the point of this novel though. It's purpose seems to be getting you to think about how you would react in a situation like this. Given no other choice I'm sure I would adapt somehow, just like these characters did.
The character I enjoyed the most has to be Sarah. Before all of this she was an overstretched woman with a high powered job, who had to take anxiety meds to deal with her everyday life. At the end of all this she's a take charge, no nonsense, woman. Her growth and transformation was smooth, and relevant to the story, which I appreciated.
John, the couple's young son did a lot of growing up along the way too. And boy was he quick on his feet. I felt bad that he had to grow up so quickly under such circumstances, but the fact that he appreciated life and his family more after the whole experience means it was worth it.
World crisis/disaster stories aren't a type of story I read very often, but I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed this one. I'd recommend it to someone looking for an action packed adventure story.
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
The story starts out quickly with very little background. A couple and their young son arrive in Ireland for a family vacation. The first thing that goes wrong is that the place they were supposed to stay at, burned down. So instead of a quaint vacation cottage, they get a one room cottage. No big deal, they'll make the best of it. Shortly after their arrival as they're just starting to settle in, the event happens. An unknown terrorist group has detonated bombs over London and a nonnuclear missile hit Boston. The electromagnetic pulse from these bombs has cut off electric communications, forcing the family to survive on their own in a world without all the modern conveniences.
This is a very fast paced story. It starts out with a flash, quite literally and the pace just keeps going from there.
Usually, I'm the type of reader who likes the nitty gritty details, the backstory and all of that. Most of the time, I get disappointed if the story doesn't have that, but in this case, it worked well. It's not really necessary to have their backstory because it doesn't tie in (too much) with what's going in the rest of the book.
The resiliency and growth of this family was interesting to watch as the story progressed. As a person of the technology age, I don't think I would know how to do even half of the things the characters in this book end up having to do. They have to maintain a farm, slaughter animals, make butter from goats milk, weave without a loom. None of these things I even remotely know how to do nor do I think I would catch on half as quickly as they did.
I suppose that's the point of this novel though. It's purpose seems to be getting you to think about how you would react in a situation like this. Given no other choice I'm sure I would adapt somehow, just like these characters did.
The character I enjoyed the most has to be Sarah. Before all of this she was an overstretched woman with a high powered job, who had to take anxiety meds to deal with her everyday life. At the end of all this she's a take charge, no nonsense, woman. Her growth and transformation was smooth, and relevant to the story, which I appreciated.
John, the couple's young son did a lot of growing up along the way too. And boy was he quick on his feet. I felt bad that he had to grow up so quickly under such circumstances, but the fact that he appreciated life and his family more after the whole experience means it was worth it.
World crisis/disaster stories aren't a type of story I read very often, but I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed this one. I'd recommend it to someone looking for an action packed adventure story.
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/fear-of-falling.html
Fear of Falling is a story of pioneers who are forced into that role. Sarah and Matt travel with their ten year old son John on a vacation to Ireland. Following a major worldwide disaster, they are forced to remain there. They learn to rely on themselves and each other, and they learn to survive without the technology and conveniences of modern day life.
The book does state that a terrorist attack as the cause. I wish it had not because the cause did not really matter. What mattered was how this family survived. The attack was a jarring note in the book, and brought the world into a story that was mostly about people being isolated from the world. Although it was the cause of this family's hardship, it did not feel like it belonged in the book.
There is a dichotomy to this book. Part of it is the positive experience of returning to a less-connected, closer-to-nature way of life. It is a commentary of the rush we all get into in our lives and the peace and simplicity that comes from slowing down. The other part is like a western novel. Good guys and bad guys. Shoot 'em up fights to the finish. It is the story of survival.
The book is a quick and easy read. I enjoyed the stark and sometimes startling contrast between the two aspects of the book because that is true to life - life comes with the good and the bad and there is no one easy way. What I liked best about the book was the development of Sarah as a strong character who adjusts to the changes in life and who does what is necessary to adapt and survive.
*** I received this book from the author for review through Goodreads. The book was a Kindle download. ***
Fear of Falling is a story of pioneers who are forced into that role. Sarah and Matt travel with their ten year old son John on a vacation to Ireland. Following a major worldwide disaster, they are forced to remain there. They learn to rely on themselves and each other, and they learn to survive without the technology and conveniences of modern day life.
The book does state that a terrorist attack as the cause. I wish it had not because the cause did not really matter. What mattered was how this family survived. The attack was a jarring note in the book, and brought the world into a story that was mostly about people being isolated from the world. Although it was the cause of this family's hardship, it did not feel like it belonged in the book.
There is a dichotomy to this book. Part of it is the positive experience of returning to a less-connected, closer-to-nature way of life. It is a commentary of the rush we all get into in our lives and the peace and simplicity that comes from slowing down. The other part is like a western novel. Good guys and bad guys. Shoot 'em up fights to the finish. It is the story of survival.
The book is a quick and easy read. I enjoyed the stark and sometimes startling contrast between the two aspects of the book because that is true to life - life comes with the good and the bad and there is no one easy way. What I liked best about the book was the development of Sarah as a strong character who adjusts to the changes in life and who does what is necessary to adapt and survive.
*** I received this book from the author for review through Goodreads. The book was a Kindle download. ***
The author was kind enough to give me a copy of the ebook, so before I even had a Kindle, I started reading it on my computer. And then I stopped at 61%, and never took it up again for more than a year. My bad, not fair to the author. This is really a 2.5 for me. The story was good, I am fine with post-apocalyptic tales, but I did have a hard time with the graphic violence perpetrated by the villain, an Irish gypsy sociopath named Finn. I am a little bothered also that it seems to perpetuate the stereotype of gypsies as a criminal element. But a decent story overall. I was very surprised though to find now as I went to look at other works by the author, that while this book seemed to end quite finally at home in the U.S., the story in fact continued through two more novels. Perhaps the author had a change of heart and changed the original ending. Since the blurb for book 2 suggests that violence continues, I'll probably pass.
A nuclear explosion happens at the beginning of the Woodson family vacation in rural Ireland. Suddenly thrust into basic survival of the fittest, the family must deal with a world changed back 100 years. Without grocery stores, convenience foods, central heat and basic medical care and medicine, they must learn to overcome and flourish. Although they find friends, they now live in a lawless land.
From the beginning, the book was thought provoking. The characters well developed and believable. The twists and turns of the storyline unexpected. In the end you almost cheer out loud for Sarah Woodson as she changes from a rather neurotic, insecure woman into a woman who will defend her family without a second thought. Throughout the book there is a basic religious message but it is done without being preachy.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and would recommend it. I look forward to reading more from Susan Kierman-Lewis.
From the beginning, the book was thought provoking. The characters well developed and believable. The twists and turns of the storyline unexpected. In the end you almost cheer out loud for Sarah Woodson as she changes from a rather neurotic, insecure woman into a woman who will defend her family without a second thought. Throughout the book there is a basic religious message but it is done without being preachy.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and would recommend it. I look forward to reading more from Susan Kierman-Lewis.