A review by booktallie
All Fall Down by Ally Carter

4.0

Ally Carter does it again, creating a well-woven mix of edge of you seat tension, laugh out loud wit and even a few moments of utterly wrenching heartbreak story, in her newest book All Fall Down. It’s fast-paced, with a strong and at time reckless female protagonist. Carter mixes an exciting plot, realistic characters and a unique setting to create a world of foreign diplomats and genuine politics.


This is a thriller, mystery and mini-teen-romance set in the world of Embassies, ambassadors and international political relationships. Sixteen-year-old Grace is being sent back to her Grandfather's embassy in a fictitious country, where she grew up, three years after the tragic death of her mother in a fire, and her subsequent breakdown. Rebellious and still grieving heavily, Grace is less than willing to play host and dress up for functions and dignitaries. But she soon makes discoveries that there may be secrets hidden there that answer questions she still has about her mother's death. That may back up her claim that is was no accident, but murder.


Unlike Heist Society and Gallagher Girls, the characters are more complex and at times confusing. Grace our narrator and protagonist is an amazing character with well not normal problems. She is adventurous and unafraid of danger, causing her to seem reckless at times and which usually land her in trouble when caught. She is a unrelenting character always in need to track down her mother’s killer after suffering the great ordeal and trauma that happen three years before the start of All Fall Down. This also leads her to be somewhat mentally unstable. Though many of the antic that she gets herself into are very comical. However, her character is never changing, her lack of the personal growth that reads find inspiring is deficient and a bit discouraging.


All the character are well thought out and have their own personalities, from the mysterious love interest of Alexei, to the optimistic Noah. Even the minor characters of Ms. Chancellor and the Scarred Man are complex and it is almost impossible to guess who they truly are and where their loyalties stand.

The idea of a disturbed girl hunting down her mother’s killer in a foreign embassy is a thrilling plot and the precise, yet intriguing setting of Embassy Row, the street lined with the houses of different embassies for different countries adds an exciting detail to tie in the elegant thriller.


All Fall Down is a well thought out yet unpredictable tale that all well enjoy. The characters are what make this world of politics and foreign diplomats an interesting read. A tale that will have you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.