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charitytinnin 's review for:
All Fall Down
by Ally Carter
Full disclosure: Ally Carter is my favorite YA author. I love how she writes teen girls, their friendships, and the way the world views both. I fully expected to love AFD. And I did ... But not for the normal reasons.
Instead of the fun, smart, tense girl spy/con caper I expected, Carter gave us Grace. Grace who is strong and weak and broken and daring anyone to call her so. Grace who is hurt and unstable and trying her hardest not to be. And given what she's been through, it would be an insult to ask her to be anything else. Would it be more fun if she were whole? Yes. Would she be more likable if she weren't reckless or unsure or someone who lashes out? Yes.
But would she be real? No. She would not be real. And I applaud Carter for making me feel all the panic and paranoia and self-doubt that Grace feels.
The reasons I haven't given AFD 5 stars are two-fold: 1) Wow, I am glad we don't end here, because that twist? I need to know how Grace deals now. And HOW do we go on from here? Where is there to go? I feel unsettled by that bombshell, and needed a little more time to come to grips. Maybe? 2) That last page makes me nervous. Given the high emotional stakes, I find myself hoping the rest of the series DOESN'T turn into what I've come to expect from Carter. Grace deserves more than that.
In conclusion, this may not be the book I expected, but it is a stellar character study of Grace Blakeley.
Instead of the fun, smart, tense girl spy/con caper I expected, Carter gave us Grace. Grace who is strong and weak and broken and daring anyone to call her so. Grace who is hurt and unstable and trying her hardest not to be. And given what she's been through, it would be an insult to ask her to be anything else. Would it be more fun if she were whole? Yes. Would she be more likable if she weren't reckless or unsure or someone who lashes out? Yes.
But would she be real? No. She would not be real. And I applaud Carter for making me feel all the panic and paranoia and self-doubt that Grace feels.
The reasons I haven't given AFD 5 stars are two-fold: 1) Wow, I am glad we don't end here, because that twist? I need to know how Grace deals now. And HOW do we go on from here? Where is there to go? I feel unsettled by that bombshell, and needed a little more time to come to grips. Maybe? 2) That last page makes me nervous. Given the high emotional stakes, I find myself hoping the rest of the series DOESN'T turn into what I've come to expect from Carter. Grace deserves more than that.
In conclusion, this may not be the book I expected, but it is a stellar character study of Grace Blakeley.