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marareading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is a serious thriller. From the first line I was shocked. It carries the suspense throughout. It is one of those books that is plot driven and reads like a movie, so if you enjoy that type of book you would love this. The characters are still very interesting and built out despite how plot focused the book is. This is a quick read, coming in under 300 pages. If you have flight anxiety I would definitely not recommend this for you.
This book has many POVs, but is about a pilot who is given a choice. His family on the ground has been kidnapped. Either crash the plane and kill every aboard, or let his family die. It is definitely gripping watching the entire cast of characters from different positions go through this senario.
Was it perfect? No. It is my favorite book? No. Was it a fun thriller? Yes! Do I recommend it! Absolutely. It is a milkshake read. You want to get through it and find out what happens.
This book has many POVs, but is about a pilot who is given a choice. His family on the ground has been kidnapped. Either crash the plane and kill every aboard, or let his family die. It is definitely gripping watching the entire cast of characters from different positions go through this senario.
Was it perfect? No. It is my favorite book? No. Was it a fun thriller? Yes! Do I recommend it! Absolutely. It is a milkshake read. You want to get through it and find out what happens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, War, Confinement, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Self harm, and Violence
jennifer_bush_73's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a highly entertaining thriller: a true page-turner.
I can’t help but love that this story’s heroes were the flight attendants.
But what was even more impressive was the author’s ability to portray the hijackers as complicated humans. The use of flashbacks showed us the complexities of the events that led the hijackers to this moment in their (and the airplanes crew and passengers’) lives.
Also, I found it particularly appropriate that in the background, while I was reading Falling, were news stories about Afghan cities being overrun by the Taliban since the pullout of US troops. It reminded me of Sam and Ben’s backstory.
The only thing that bothers me is the ethnicity of the hijackers. It comes very close to falling into the trope of Middle Easterners as terrorist. I don’t recall the hijackers as being identified as Muslims, but that is the logical conclusion. The author did provide a brief explanation of some of the atrocities inflicted on the Kurds by the Turks, which helped humanize the hijackers. But there is so much more to the history of the Kurds (Saddam Hussein’s chemical attack on the Kurds-Halabja Massacre).
The only thing that bothers me is the ethnicity of the hijackers. It comes very close to falling into the trope of Middle Easterners as terrorist. I don’t recall the hijackers as being identified as Muslims, but that is the logical conclusion. The author did provide a brief explanation of some of the atrocities inflicted on the Kurds by the Turks, which helped humanize the hijackers. But there is so much more to the history of the Kurds (Saddam Hussein’s chemical attack on the Kurds-Halabja Massacre).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide and Murder
Minor: Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Hijacking terrorism
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