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pantsreads's review
3.0
I like how Pixley dealt with grief and healing in this book, but the devices used to move the story along could have been more cohesive.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
sc104906's review
2.0
I received and eARC of this through NetGalley.
After Max's mother dies, the cancerous brain tumor that killed her sets up residence in Max's brain. The tumor is a terrible tenant and makes it impossible for Max to live a normal life. In order to keep Max from failing, he is sent to a more progressive school with a stronger focus on...(I am not really quite sure why this environment was better, only that it was different). With the help of a new friend The Monk and pretty girl/possible love interest Fish, Max begins to come out of his grief and begins interacting with the world.
I had some problems with this book, but there were also areas that I enjoyed. I did enjoy the writing style. I took issue with several of the characters, like the tumor and Mr. Cage (his last hurrah just didn't sit well with me. The way it came up, the way it went down, and the treatment of it afterwards). I found myself enjoying the story more as it went on.
After Max's mother dies, the cancerous brain tumor that killed her sets up residence in Max's brain. The tumor is a terrible tenant and makes it impossible for Max to live a normal life. In order to keep Max from failing, he is sent to a more progressive school with a stronger focus on...(I am not really quite sure why this environment was better, only that it was different). With the help of a new friend The Monk and pretty girl/possible love interest Fish, Max begins to come out of his grief and begins interacting with the world.
I had some problems with this book, but there were also areas that I enjoyed. I did enjoy the writing style. I took issue with several of the characters, like the tumor and Mr. Cage (his last hurrah just didn't sit well with me. The way it came up, the way it went down, and the treatment of it afterwards). I found myself enjoying the story more as it went on.
s_reads7's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
victoria_08's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
This is a really beautiful, gritty story. We are following Max who has just lost his mother to cancer, and now he thinks her brain tumor now lives in his own head. Because of this, he has completely lost focus in school and so his dad decided to transfer him to an arts focused school, in hopes that this new beginning will help Max try. Immediately from the start this book gave me Perks of Being a Wallflower vibes, and it totally came through. The writing style was incredible, I connected so well with it. It felt so true to the character. It wasn't pretentious, it felt like the inner monologue of a hurting, mentally ill teenage boy. But yet, it was still so incredibly beautiful. This whole story was just so well done. I loved the coming of age themes and the friendships within this book. I love the mentorship Max found with his teacher. I love the way the author wrote the tumor, invading every crack and crevice of the pages. It was mentioned all the time, demonstrating how it consumed Max.
Spoilers (kind of) ahead:
The one thing i wasn't super satisfied with was the resolution at the end. The tumor was a product of mental illness, it should have taken more then a brain scan to confince Max that he was fine. The tumor was the last thing connecting Max to his mother, things wouldn't have been resolved so quickly. I also thought the relationship between Max and Fish at the end could have been written a little better. But overall I really loved this book and I think not enough people know about it
Spoilers (kind of) ahead:
The one thing i wasn't super satisfied with was the resolution at the end. The tumor was a product of mental illness, it should have taken more then a brain scan to confince Max that he was fine. The tumor was the last thing connecting Max to his mother, things wouldn't have been resolved so quickly. I also thought the relationship between Max and Fish at the end could have been written a little better. But overall I really loved this book and I think not enough people know about it
chrissireads's review
3.0
I was immediately pulled in by the synopsis of this book. I knew it wasn’t going to be a particularly easy book to read because of its subject matter. I thought this book was an incredibly emotional read, but it was so compelling at the same time.
In Ready To Fall we are introduced to Max who is in a bad way after losing his mother to cancer. He’s not doing well at school, distancing himself from everyone and is also utterly convinced that his mother’s tumour has transferred over to his brain. The reader finds themselves completely urging Max to reach out and get some support but he is so damaged by grief. Gradually, Max begins to learn how to move on with his life after starting a new school, making new friends and opening up to one of the teachers. I appreciated how slowly Max stated to heal. It was realistic and made the book more believable.
This is the first time that I’ve read Marcella Pixley’s writing. I very much enjoyed her writing style. I found myself both sympathising with Max and rooting for him to speak out and get help. I feel like she perfectly portrayed Max’s grief and his confusion/worry over ‘his’ tumour. I thought this was a highly original way to demonstrate how Max was dealing with his loss. I also felt for Max’s father, who was clearly struggling as well but trying to hold things together for Max.
The only reason I didn’t rate this book any higher was because I didn’t really buy into the relationship in this story. I felt like it was a little unnecessary! That said, this book is well worth reading for its unique take on grief.
In Ready To Fall we are introduced to Max who is in a bad way after losing his mother to cancer. He’s not doing well at school, distancing himself from everyone and is also utterly convinced that his mother’s tumour has transferred over to his brain. The reader finds themselves completely urging Max to reach out and get some support but he is so damaged by grief. Gradually, Max begins to learn how to move on with his life after starting a new school, making new friends and opening up to one of the teachers. I appreciated how slowly Max stated to heal. It was realistic and made the book more believable.
This is the first time that I’ve read Marcella Pixley’s writing. I very much enjoyed her writing style. I found myself both sympathising with Max and rooting for him to speak out and get help. I feel like she perfectly portrayed Max’s grief and his confusion/worry over ‘his’ tumour. I thought this was a highly original way to demonstrate how Max was dealing with his loss. I also felt for Max’s father, who was clearly struggling as well but trying to hold things together for Max.
The only reason I didn’t rate this book any higher was because I didn’t really buy into the relationship in this story. I felt like it was a little unnecessary! That said, this book is well worth reading for its unique take on grief.
purcellibrarian's review
5.0
Max starts his sophomore year after his mother died of cancer in the summer, filling his sketchbook with drawings of corpses and eyeballs. He slowly flunks out of honors classes, completely disengaged from just about everything. What he’s engaged with instead is a conversation with the tumor in his own head which he believes switched residence from his mom’s brain to his own. This commentary, though, has humor, which makes it seem that Max may recover. But then he switches schools to a private academy which caters to the intellectual. His grandmother and father are sometimes similarly isolated in their grief, and Max’s depression gives him insights that lead to his involvement in the school’s production of Macbeth. All the characters are flawed and struggling, from the girl Fish, to Max’s English teacher, and yet maybe if enough flawed people care about you, they will catch you when you fall.
adelaidekauchak's review
4.0
i borrowed this book from my younger sister and as much as i wanted to hate it, i actually kind of enjoyed it. this book is definitely targeted at younger audiences. but even as a high schooler i found the quirky characters and bizarre plot pretty good. i also really like how the book deals with a loss from cancer, this book is pretty accurate. overall and OKAY read. i got through it pretty quickly, and while it was good, but it wasn’t a profound read for me. good, would recommend for middle schoolers
meganhowes's review
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
foreveryoungadult's review against another edition
Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Hold On
BFF Charm: Eventually
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: In His Head
Bonus Factor: Steampunk Hamlet
Anti-Bonus Factor: Near Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Relationship Status: Support System
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Hold On
BFF Charm: Eventually
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: In His Head
Bonus Factor: Steampunk Hamlet
Anti-Bonus Factor: Near Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Relationship Status: Support System
Read the full book report here.