astumpf 's review for:

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
3.0

I appreciate that this story exists. My current students were either babies or not yet born when the towers fell. For them, 9/11 has been a history removed from personal memories adults carry. This book brings that history closer, makes it more personal by showing how our interconnectedness spans space & generations.

Yet, for a story with such a gritty premise, this book lacked bite. The characters, whose stories were all layered & complicated, were all transparent. Wouldn't it be so helpful if people could clearly articulate their thoughts & feelings after/during trauma? The characters & their relationships felt inauthentic to me, but I'm curious if kids will feel that too or if they'll appreciate the forced clarity.