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A review by phonecharm
And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott
2.0
This one was tough for me to get through. The first half is a slog, it’s a repetitive, directionless, process. What process? Well of the main characters struggle with mental illness after the birth of her daughter. The main chunk of this book is all leading to the dinner party where the main character loses her grip on reality entirely and spirals out of control unable to separate reality for her hallucinations.
To me, this is another case of aiming too high. The idea of motifs associated with racism and sexism influencing this woman’s descent into a post-partum paranoid breakdown is interesting, it’s good, but I see two flaws with the execution; 1. Her husband 2. She is actually not that insane because in the second portion of the book we find out she is actually communicating with spirits??? (well one spirit)
My issues with her husband are complicated. Right away you suspect how the relationship will play out. As a matter of fact Disney’s Pocahontas tells you! Which I see as an attempt to create tension, the reader wonders “well how is her husband another John? how does he ruin her life?” The exact way you’d expect he would. All the parts with the husband are incredibly dull, the few attempts to make the relationship dynamic compelling drag. Of course they aren’t meant to be a romantic couple filled with passion, the issue is that the relationship only exists to show the main characters lack of direction and self respect.
The effect the husband has on the story can easily be achieved if the husband was not involved in their daughter’s life. He exists only so that things “happen” to our main character, every plot point derives from the husband. This woman does NOTHING the entire story. One could say this is supposed to reflect one of the overall themes of the book but it’s simply boring to read about a character who doesnt do anything and whines for an entire book.
Pocahontas is also a MAJOR dropped ball. The link that these women have in the story is the most alluring aspect of the book but it’s not thoroughly explored. “Grandma was crazy everyone thought grandma was crazy and they’ll think I’m crazy” the one thing I was looking forward to was the “do you remember Pocahontas not saying the right words?” and it didn’t happen? She was used rather lazily as a reference to stereotypes and misrepresentation, I think the author could have used the Disney Pocahontas to do some funny and clever writing but it didn’t pan out that way.
Messy messy book that I wanted to like.
Of note that I preferred the second narrative to the first, and found it much easier to digest.
To me, this is another case of aiming too high. The idea of motifs associated with racism and sexism influencing this woman’s descent into a post-partum paranoid breakdown is interesting, it’s good, but I see two flaws with the execution; 1. Her husband 2. She is actually not that insane because in the second portion of the book we find out she is actually communicating with spirits??? (well one spirit)
My issues with her husband are complicated. Right away you suspect how the relationship will play out. As a matter of fact Disney’s Pocahontas tells you! Which I see as an attempt to create tension, the reader wonders “well how is her husband another John? how does he ruin her life?” The exact way you’d expect he would. All the parts with the husband are incredibly dull, the few attempts to make the relationship dynamic compelling drag. Of course they aren’t meant to be a romantic couple filled with passion, the issue is that the relationship only exists to show the main characters lack of direction and self respect.
The effect the husband has on the story can easily be achieved if the husband was not involved in their daughter’s life. He exists only so that things “happen” to our main character, every plot point derives from the husband. This woman does NOTHING the entire story. One could say this is supposed to reflect one of the overall themes of the book but it’s simply boring to read about a character who doesnt do anything and whines for an entire book.
Pocahontas is also a MAJOR dropped ball. The link that these women have in the story is the most alluring aspect of the book but it’s not thoroughly explored. “Grandma was crazy everyone thought grandma was crazy and they’ll think I’m crazy” the one thing I was looking forward to was the “do you remember Pocahontas not saying the right words?” and it didn’t happen? She was used rather lazily as a reference to stereotypes and misrepresentation, I think the author could have used the Disney Pocahontas to do some funny and clever writing but it didn’t pan out that way.
Messy messy book that I wanted to like.
Of note that I preferred the second narrative to the first, and found it much easier to digest.