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A review by rosepetals1984
All Fall Down by Megan Hart
4.0
Initial reaction: I'll likely rate this either 3.5 or 4 stars. Still need some time to think on the whole of it. I really liked the complexity of the characters and the various trials they went through in this novel. It's a bit of culture shock for Sunny and her kids moving into her father's family after leaving their old lives behind after a horrible set of events. It's a multidimensional eye to many difficult subjects, though I felt the ending was a bit quick for the jarring conflict that happens toward the end. Still, I appreciated the entire read.
Full review:
I read this book in its entirety back in March of 2020, but I'm only now just returning to give my full reflections on the novel. Originally, I had received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley back in 2011, but the galley expired before I could ever finish it (hence why on Goodreads my reading dates are so far apart).
It's not a secret that Megan Hart is one of my favorite authors for the level of depth and nuance that she gives the the stories she tells in any genre she's writing in. The tale of "All Fall Down" centers on a controversial portrayal from the very beginning, trading between dual perspectives that have so many complicated layers that I found it hard not to be taken in by both of them.
Liesel is a woman who's always wanted to start a family with her husband, but such an ambition had always been sidelined by her husband, Chris, who didn't want any children. They have had multiple disagreements centering on the matter, and Liesel feels the weight of her fracturing relationship with Chris. At the same time, 19-year old Sunshine (Sunny) flees with her young siblings in the middle of the night at her mother's bidding from a cult-like group in which all of the members die at the bidding of their leader. The intersection of Liesel and Sunny's stories are at the core of this novel, and how the two of them intersect begins a complex, visceral experience of navigating family, relationships, love, culture, and trauma.
Sunny's tale is particularly tragic on the level of having to untangle the life she was taught while in the Family of Superior Bliss and the world outside of the group. Sunny's collective narrative recounts abuse and survivor's guilt in the mix as well, some implied and other mentions overt. It's not that she hasn't had to interact with "Blemished" individuals, as she identifies those outside the "Family." Rather, her interactions were limited and dictated by a stringent set of rules. So it's a very different experience for her to show up literally on Liesel's and Chris's doorstep, recognizing Chris as her biological father alongside bringing her three siblings: Happy, Bliss, and Peace. I did find myself cringing to a certain extent hearing Sunny's continuous naivete, but I understood where it came from. I felt for Sunny in so many moments of the narrative where she struggles to do the right thing by her family and siblings. It's particularly heartbreaking knowing what happens to Sunny through the novel and getting to the point where she feels like there's no path to move forward in what are mutually contradictory lives she's been asked to abide by the rules of. Also having her social and moral expectations meeting up against violations that she struggles to comprehend.
Liesel's journey through this novel has many complexities as well. Suddenly inheriting four children - including a newborn - is a task in itself, not to mention having to adjust to Sunny and her siblings' approaches to the world/teachings. Liesel tries to embrace the experience as much as she can at first, but the weight of responsibility threatens to crush her. Chris's approach and support to his newfound family is sporadic as well, which frustrates Liesel and causes many rifts between them. There were (read: many) times that I thought Liesel was selfish in her approach and assumptions, but I later understood that she was neither prepared, nor fully equipped, to be able to deal with everything. Hart's writing peels back layers of both Liesel and Sunny's psyches, to the point it feels so realistic and jarring when you observe events through their viewpoints. I loved that level of detail and depth in the overarching story, as much as it hurt to read at times.
I thought the ending of "All Fall Down" came a bit too quick given the steady build-up of tensions paced through the novel. Still it ended on a note that I felt could either lend to another story or at least give a hint of progression in both Liesel and Sunny's narratives. I felt it was very much worth the time taken to read and it's a story that I'm glad - among others - to have in my personal library. My recommendation for it is for those who enjoy slow burn, character driven stories, with an eye to contradictory worlds and reckonings between characters who are heavily flawed.
Overall score: 4/5 stars.
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Harlequin MIRA, but I also own a copy of this book in my personal library.
Full review:
I read this book in its entirety back in March of 2020, but I'm only now just returning to give my full reflections on the novel. Originally, I had received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley back in 2011, but the galley expired before I could ever finish it (hence why on Goodreads my reading dates are so far apart).
It's not a secret that Megan Hart is one of my favorite authors for the level of depth and nuance that she gives the the stories she tells in any genre she's writing in. The tale of "All Fall Down" centers on a controversial portrayal from the very beginning, trading between dual perspectives that have so many complicated layers that I found it hard not to be taken in by both of them.
Liesel is a woman who's always wanted to start a family with her husband, but such an ambition had always been sidelined by her husband, Chris, who didn't want any children. They have had multiple disagreements centering on the matter, and Liesel feels the weight of her fracturing relationship with Chris. At the same time, 19-year old Sunshine (Sunny) flees with her young siblings in the middle of the night at her mother's bidding from a cult-like group in which all of the members die at the bidding of their leader. The intersection of Liesel and Sunny's stories are at the core of this novel, and how the two of them intersect begins a complex, visceral experience of navigating family, relationships, love, culture, and trauma.
Sunny's tale is particularly tragic on the level of having to untangle the life she was taught while in the Family of Superior Bliss and the world outside of the group. Sunny's collective narrative recounts abuse and survivor's guilt in the mix as well, some implied and other mentions overt. It's not that she hasn't had to interact with "Blemished" individuals, as she identifies those outside the "Family." Rather, her interactions were limited and dictated by a stringent set of rules. So it's a very different experience for her to show up literally on Liesel's and Chris's doorstep, recognizing Chris as her biological father alongside bringing her three siblings: Happy, Bliss, and Peace. I did find myself cringing to a certain extent hearing Sunny's continuous naivete, but I understood where it came from. I felt for Sunny in so many moments of the narrative where she struggles to do the right thing by her family and siblings. It's particularly heartbreaking knowing what happens to Sunny through the novel and getting to the point where she feels like there's no path to move forward in what are mutually contradictory lives she's been asked to abide by the rules of. Also having her social and moral expectations meeting up against violations that she struggles to comprehend.
Liesel's journey through this novel has many complexities as well. Suddenly inheriting four children - including a newborn - is a task in itself, not to mention having to adjust to Sunny and her siblings' approaches to the world/teachings. Liesel tries to embrace the experience as much as she can at first, but the weight of responsibility threatens to crush her. Chris's approach and support to his newfound family is sporadic as well, which frustrates Liesel and causes many rifts between them. There were (read: many) times that I thought Liesel was selfish in her approach and assumptions, but I later understood that she was neither prepared, nor fully equipped, to be able to deal with everything. Hart's writing peels back layers of both Liesel and Sunny's psyches, to the point it feels so realistic and jarring when you observe events through their viewpoints. I loved that level of detail and depth in the overarching story, as much as it hurt to read at times.
I thought the ending of "All Fall Down" came a bit too quick given the steady build-up of tensions paced through the novel. Still it ended on a note that I felt could either lend to another story or at least give a hint of progression in both Liesel and Sunny's narratives. I felt it was very much worth the time taken to read and it's a story that I'm glad - among others - to have in my personal library. My recommendation for it is for those who enjoy slow burn, character driven stories, with an eye to contradictory worlds and reckonings between characters who are heavily flawed.
Overall score: 4/5 stars.
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Harlequin MIRA, but I also own a copy of this book in my personal library.