A review by kne
Fallen Skies by Philippa Gregory

4.0

It is amazing to me how Philippa Gregory's work can vary from absolute rubbish to bordering on brilliance. Her Tudor series in itself does this. Her newest book, The Other Queen, was shoddily written, redundant, and dull. But Fallen Skies, which she wrote 15 years ago, was the complete opposite. It started off very slowly, as many character-driven books can. All of the characters are superbly and realistically drawn. Sometimes they are loathsome, sometimes pitiable. A lot of the book's "action" takes place within the hearts and minds of the characters and doesn't manifest itself in "real" action until the last 100 pages. Gregory paints a haunting portrait of 1920s England, the horrible lasting effects of the Great War, and the realities of domestic warfare and the subjugation of women. If you don't like slow-paced, character-centered books then this isn't the Gregory for you, but I thought it was a great read.