The Way We Fall (Fallen World #1)

Mar 12, 2013 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-end, why-yes-i-ya, upstairs-neighbors

come play the the way we fall game - a constantly oscillating board game about as frustrating as chutes and ladders.

ready player one

first time reading a contemporary YA novel about the decimation of a population brought on by plague? inflate rating by one star.

fist time reading a novel? inflate rating by two stars. and welcome.

move ahead four squares for premise and setting on a small island off the coast of canada. contained environment is interesting, although somewhat reminiscent of plague 99...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: survival

Gah! This was good but that was so not an ending! Almost knocked off a start for the lack of conclusion, then I eyed the sequel which is only a few weeks away, calming me down some. Lucky, duck, Mrs Crewe!

As far as post apocalyptic books go, I have read aplenty, and although I would not class this in with my top favorites, I found it compelling and appreciated that it offered something new. For one, it's not actually a post-apocalyptic book--at least not yet. This one stands out from the crowd s...more Gah! This was good but that was so not an ending! Almost knocked off a start for the lack of conclusion, then I eyed the sequel which is only a few weeks away, calming me down some. Lucky, duck, Mrs Crewe!

As far as post apocalyptic books go, I have read aplenty, and although I would not class this in with my top favorites, I found it compelling and appreciated that it offered something new. For one, it's not actually a post-apocalyptic book--at least not yet. This one stands out from the crowd simply by giving us something a lot more real than zombies or a futuristic dystopian society. In The Way We Fall, we have a flu epidemic--of which we are all familiar after the most recent (H1N1) scare--that has taken over an island, leading to a quarantine. This means no one comes on, and no one leaves. The other flair of uniqueness exists in the way it's written-- in journal form. This puts you into the shoes of the protagonist, letting you to understand how a situation like this affects a person's thoughts and mental processes. One drawback of this structure is that is does lessen the suspense; however this story is more about dealing and surviving, than thrills and scares. As expected with a teenage voice, we get angst and romance mixed in there as well. The latter introduces a love interest that, in my opinion, was a little too selfless, but otherwise enjoyable.

When we begin this book we're introduced to Kaelyn by her own hand. She's writing a journal to a friend she's on the outs with, and then it begins… People start getting sick with the flu which soon turns into delusions, and then they die. We see the island deteriorate in front of our eyes. With the population dwindling, gangs arising, and an all around feeling of malaise, the vibe of the book is kept very distressing--uncomfortable even--which I enjoyed immensely. There is the constant fear of catching this easily contracted disease everywhere you go. I kept wanting to hold my breath whenever Kaelyn ventured outside. Then we have the suspicious abandonment of the government on the mainland. As if they were waiting for the island to obliterate itself. The seclusion is nerve-wracking. They are at the mercy of a heartless, unsympathetic enigma.

This unsettling plot is joined by a rather large cast of characters--at least at the beginning--making it impossible for us to connect with all of them. I did care about them--little Meredith especially--but not in a particularly profound way. I'm sure a lot of you will have favorites you will come to care about more than others, this diminishes the emotional impact of some of the deaths that occur throughout this story. Deaths that I'm sure were meant to have a more powerful affect only becomes another unfortunate event.

This leads me to the ending. I was hoping for a gutting ending. One that puts the nail in the coffin. Instead we're left with a story that feels unfinished--even for a first book in a series. We get zero answers, no real development as far as the actual plot. Nonetheless, I can't say that I wasn't completely engaged in this book from the very start. Hence the complete 4 stars that I'm giving this novel despite what I just mentioned. It also helps that the sequel is just around the corner, I can pretend it's really one big book.

If you get a thrill out of seeing a secluded island and its inhabitants crumble at the hand of a deadly virus (who doesn't?) then this book is for you! ;)

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Jul 06, 2011 Ashley - Book Labyrinth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, from-publisher, netgalley, canadian, my-books, signed-copy

4.5 stars

In the end I was completely enthralled with this one. It had a bit of a slower start, but it becomes "unputdownable" toward the middle. In the beginning I was iffy about the way the story is told (Kaelyn is writing letters to a former best friend/crush), but in the end I really loved it. It just felt so honest and straightforward.

I’m pretty fascinated with disease and the way epidemics spread, so it was really awesome (in a sad, horrible way) to read a whole book that revolves around th...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Regina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, post-apocalyptic, arc-publisher-netgalley

So there is a disease spreading in a geographically isolated community, an island. The setting is perfect for an apocalyptic event. Kind of like how an abandoned summer camp is perfect for a horror movie -- all alone, set away from society. Gradually the island is cut off from the rest of the world and as the title suggests, not so gradually society unravels. This had all the makings to be a great read. But something kept it from being great; it was, however, more than just an average read. The...more So there is a disease spreading in a geographically isolated community, an island. The setting is perfect for an apocalyptic event. Kind of like how an abandoned summer camp is perfect for a horror movie -- all alone, set away from society. Gradually the island is cut off from the rest of the world and as the title suggests, not so gradually society unravels. This had all the makings to be a great read. But something kept it from being great; it was, however, more than just an average read. The Way We Fall has an interesting story line and well written characters. These two things make the book somewhat worth it.

Okay, back to the story and back to the island. Society is coming apart, people are dying, but there are some people who step forward and want to help take care of others and there are some people who decide to take advantage of the unprotected. There is never any true starving in this story – definitely going without; but, because of the disease, there is sadness and death. The author weaves in issues of race and sexuality but she does this so covertly that it is not too preachy. Perfect for a young adult book. Just the facts and the readers can make up their own minds. I am guessing if a reader is not interested in these issues or perhaps, comes down on the other side of the political coin than me – that reader would still enjoy the story, that is how subtly it is written. One of the characters is gay and his parents are disappointed in him; when the boy’s sexuality is discovered there are consequences for the entire family. Several of the characters are mixed-race or a race that is not common to island; very subtly the issue of “difference” is addressed. I am mixed on whether this issue was a throw in to appeal to a broader audience and whether it was to subtly addressed. On one hand, subtle is better and the book is marketed to teenagers. On the other hand, it is so subtly done that readers who want to miss these issues, can miss them.

The story begins very slowly, so slowly that I initially put this book down and decided not to finish it. But eventually I wondered what happened with the characters and well, I felt guilty for not following through, so I returned. The first 80-90 pages (up through about the first 30%) are slow, not badly written just incredibly slow with no action. Crewe sets the atmosphere and introduces the readers to the characters. I strongly suggest that if you plan to read this book, you just accept that the beginning will be slow going. The lack of action is compounded by the method of storytelling. The main character is writing a letter to a friend, but the letter turns into a journal.

I love survivalist themed books and movies. I don’t care if the enemy is a virus, the weather, zombies, corporations, a government or another country – I love this sub-genre. And this book fits directly into what I love. So why could I not get into the first 80 pages of this book and why did I ultimately rate this book with just three stars? The beginning of the book has no action, nothing is happening and the journal format is a dry and removed way to experience the story. I kept thinking – haven’t I read this story before? Then I realized in a way I had read this story before when I read Life as We Knew It which is young adult apocalyptic themed book told by journal. Each book has very similar stuff. Teen-aged girl, has issues with both her parents, witnesses an event that leads to society’s breakdown, we are treated to the before the event and the slow unraveling of society. The young girl likes to go scavenging in empty and abandoned homes. She takes on the responsibility of helping and caring for people. Where the books differ, is the event and the perspective. The Way We Fall involves more characters outside of the main character’s home and so the reader is able to see more of what is happening in the community. So is it worth reading The Way We Fall if you have already read Life as We Knew It? I don’t know, if you are a fan of the genre than yeah and I do think Crewe wrote a better story than Pfeffer. The main character in the Way We Fall is much more likeable and less whiny. The plot is less depressing in the Way We Fall compared with Life as We Knew It.

The story ends with hope, but it is not resolved and there is room for a sequel. Will I read it? Probably, will I rush to buy the sequel the day or month of release? Probably not.

There are slight references to sex and sexual activity, but nothing explicit. There is some kissing scenes. I can see this book being appropriate for kids aged fourteen and older.

Read this and more of my reviews at BadAssBookReviews (less)

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Jan 19, 2012 Donna The Happy Booker rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: received-for-review, 2012-dac-read, 2012-dystopian-challenge, ebook, death, its-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know, read-in-2012, ya

When I requested The Way We Fall from NetGalley, I was under the assumption that this was another dystopian or post-apocalyptic read, this is not exactly the case. The Way We Fall is set on an island that is quarantined because of an outbreak of a dangerous flu-like virus that is killing people. It is never made clear whether this virus is world-wide or confined only to this island so I don’t know that I would describe this as either dystopian or post-apocalyptic. However, this is just the first...more When I requested The Way We Fall from NetGalley, I was under the assumption that this was another dystopian or post-apocalyptic read, this is not exactly the case. The Way We Fall is set on an island that is quarantined because of an outbreak of a dangerous flu-like virus that is killing people. It is never made clear whether this virus is world-wide or confined only to this island so I don’t know that I would describe this as either dystopian or post-apocalyptic. However, this is just the first book in what I assume will be a series, perhaps this will change in subsequent books.

With that being said, I came to really enjoy The Way We Fall. The book starts off a bit slowish and it wasn’t until almost halfway in that I really became engaged in the story. The story unfolds through a series of letters that is being written by the main character Kaelyn to a boy named Leo. It isn’t explained until much further into the book exactly who Leo is and what his significance is in Kaelyn’s life. Other than a few instances of Kaelyn mentioning Leo’s name, The Way We Fall simply reads like any other first person narrative. Kaelyn describes herself as a bit of a loner who has a difficult time making friends. Many people seem to view her as snobbish or stand offish and she makes a couple attempts to break out of her shyness a bit. During the upheaval caused by this virus, she finds herself thrown into the company of people who she had barely ever exchanged words with previously as the community tries to pull together to make sense out of the chaos. Her character learns and grows throughout the story, coming to some realizations about herself and others and changing the way she thinks and perceives the world because of it.

As far as the virus itself, there isn't any real scientific explanation about the nature of this virus or any real research into the cause and cure. It's just basically this teenage girls viewpoint of the outbreak.

The romance happens a little fast, but for me it was still pretty much believable. I think that it is realistic to expect that two teenagers who may not have crossed paths before, finding themselves thrown together in a situation like this might be drawn to each other in this way. I will say there are no declarations of undying love and inability to live, breathe or otherwise function without the other, which is refreshing. I liked all of the supporting characters, Kaelyn’s mom, dad, brother, romantic interest, and friend; but I think that they were a bit one dimensional. I would have liked to have seen some more depth to them, although I recognize that this may have been difficult when I was only viewing the story via Kaelyn’s perspective through letters to her friend.

I definitely did NOT like the way it ended. I was so frustrated by the many unanswered questions and the fact that absolutely nothing seemed to be resolved by that ending. I’m not a big fan of cliffhanger endings and I feel like a story has to have at least some resolution by the end even if the story will continue.

Overall, I think that The Way We Fall is a solid and enjoyable read by Megan Crewe and I’ll be interested in seeing where she goes with the story in the next installment. I would recommend The Way We Fall to any fans of YA, Realistic Fiction, or Medical related fiction.(less)

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Apr 26, 2013 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: excellent-ya, saved-by-everything, why-is-there-no-hype, all-time-favorites, good-books-have-good-covers, detailed-reviews, sci-fi, suicide, quiltbag, medical-and-diseases, diary-epilistory, contemporary-sf, survival, canadian, non-white-protagonist, love-triangles

I am going to write this review, and I am going to get it fucking right.

I first read this book when I had just come to GoodReads. I wasn't very experienced in reviewing, and my reviews weren't very detailed or interesting to look at. I like to think that that's changed now; they're better, in any case. And this book deserves one of those reviews. Because in all honesty, this is the best book I've ever read. I know I'm far (far, far) in the minority about that, but I've never read a book that was...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Megan Haynes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone!

Shelves: best-of-the-best, i-own

I won this in the Goodreads First reads giveaway, and woooow, is it an amazing book! I couldn't put it down :)

I love books like this: epidemics, diseases, etc - if you liked the movie Contagion or the Happening, you'll probably like this book :)

I found Kaelyn relatable, too, because I also struggle with anti social problems ;p

Here are the problems I had with it:
1) Leo > Gav, to me and I never really liked Tessa. (ESPESCIALLY when she got mad at Kaelyn. How selfish of her?)

2) On page 299, ther...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Skyla rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads, plague, ya, canadian-author

I WON! I WON! I WON! A copy through Goodreads Firstreads =)

"The Way We Fall" is split into three sections: SYMPTOMS, QUARANTINE and MORTALITY, so I will split this review into three sections as I read through them (review under construction).

SYMPTOMS

Kaelyn has recently moved back to her hometown on the island after 5 years of living in Toronto. Two years ago she had a falling out with her best friend Leo over her inability to start or maintain relationships with other people. Kaelyn solely bla...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, 2012-challenge, january-2012, re-reading, 2011-challenge, january-2012-releases, arc

I absolutely loved the way this book was written. The journal style gave us one person's (Kaelyn) perspective of the events, while tying them in with the emotional situation she is going through with the person she is writing to (Leo, her former best friend).

I thought this was a cleverly written story. The accounts Kaelyn gives of the sequence of events that occur as a virus begins killing off people on the island where she lives, are real and terrifying. She describes them in startling detail a...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, death, young-adult, books-i-own, still-reading-series

The Way We Fall is a captivating and scary novel told through letters. Kaelyn's island has fallen victim to a deadly virus that is quickly sweeping its way through the population. Kaelyn tells this story with letters to an ex-friend of hers who now lives off the island. I thought the letters were heartfelt and well told, but I didn't find Kaelyn's voice all that convincing. She just seemed so much younger than sixteen to me though this did get slightly better towards the end of the book.

Other th...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, virus, apocalypse, series, canada, 2012-read, updated

Posted in full on: http://theaussiezombie.blogspot.com

3 1/2 stars

Kaelyn and her family have recently moved back to “the island” where she grew up before moving to Toronto five years earlier. The story is told in first-person POV through Kaelyn’s eyes, in the form of journal entries to her friend Leo. The actual story behind Kaelyn and Leo’s relationship is revealed pretty gradually, most coming in the second half of the book.

The first 1/3 of the book moves quite slowly. Ms. Crewe works hard a...more Posted in full on: http://theaussiezombie.blogspot.com

3 1/2 stars

Kaelyn and her family have recently moved back to “the island” where she grew up before moving to Toronto five years earlier. The story is told in first-person POV through Kaelyn’s eyes, in the form of journal entries to her friend Leo. The actual story behind Kaelyn and Leo’s relationship is revealed pretty gradually, most coming in the second half of the book.

The first 1/3 of the book moves quite slowly. Ms. Crewe works hard at building the character of Kaelyn and her attempts to re-integrate into her former friendships and explains her relationships with her parents, brother, uncle and niece. The disease also starts slowly, infecting a few people at a time and kept pretty much on the down-low by her father (who is also the chief doctor and an infectious diseases specialist at the island hospital). As the disease starts to spread, the government imposes quarantine and effectively leaves the island to its own devices.

After reading through this first part of the book, I was firmly sitting on four stars – initially Kaelyn’s voice was a little immature and idealistic for a 16 year old, and I anticipated that the rest of the story would continue in those dumbed-down teenage niceties and all the important, loveable characters surviving to fight another day.

And then I got to the 1/3 mark, and all of my opinions changed. Kaelyn developed into a more mature, emotional and involved character – and the story started to get gritty and dark. Without giving too much away (if I haven’t already, sorry!), there’s no happy ending to this story – characters that you fully expect to be alive and kickin’ well into the next book are suddenly no longer there (through a variety of causes), and Kaelyn is literally defending her life and the lives of those she loves. The origins and causes of the disease are further expanded upon and the story continues to get darker and darker, right up to the very last pages.

The writing IS simplistic, but it fits perfectly with the pace and tone of the story – over-describing details would have stopped the heart-attack-edge-of-your-seat-I-may-just-cry tension and made the story far less believable. Although I understand journal-style books can be off-putting to some readers, it does fit perfectly with the book.

In conclusion, I’ve struggled to rate this book. As I said earlier the first 1/3 was heading for a 4-star review, but the remaining 2/3 was solidly in 5-star territory and I’ll be looking forward to the next book in the series.(less)

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Aug 23, 2010 Maria M. Elmvang rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, 4-stars, arc, e-book, owned, dystopian

Sixteen-year-old Kaelyn knows it's time to start facing her fears and tackling her insecurities when she lets the boy who was once her best friend leave for school abroad without even saying good-bye. But as an unfamiliar virus sweeps through their small island community, suddenly she's got a lot of good reasons to be scared. The doctors have no effective treatment, and patients are starting to die.

Then the government quarantines the island in an attempt to contain the epidemic, and Kaelyn and...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Jodi Papazian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-reads

I am afraid that I will be one of the lone voices saying that I didn't particularly care for The Way We Fall. The concept was very intriguing - a virus sweeps across a small Canadian island quickly taking lives before anyone can figure out what the cause is. However, I felt a little bored by it and I never developed a strong interest in the characters.
Kaelyn begins writing in a journal that she hopes to give to her once-best-friend, Leo when she sees him next. The journal starts at the beginni...more I am afraid that I will be one of the lone voices saying that I didn't particularly care for The Way We Fall. The concept was very intriguing - a virus sweeps across a small Canadian island quickly taking lives before anyone can figure out what the cause is. However, I felt a little bored by it and I never developed a strong interest in the characters.
Kaelyn begins writing in a journal that she hopes to give to her once-best-friend, Leo when she sees him next. The journal starts at the beginning of the schoolyear where she is determined to become more outgoing and make new friends. Merely a few days into the start of the year, her friend's father becomes sick. When Kaelyn sees him, he is raving in a way in which it seems as if he is incredibly drunk. However, this is just how the virus works when it reaches ones brain.
Kaelyn's microbiologist father is called to the hospital to try to figure out not only what is causing the virus, but how to control it. He is not able to get far however when panic sets in and a quarantine is placed on the island. No one is allowed onto the island and the only way you leave is when you die.
****** SPOILERS AHEAD *******

While Kaelyn's family tries to take all the necessary percautions to remain safe, it isn't long before her mother contracts the virus and dies. Kaelyn herself contracts it but, miraculously, she has the right antibodies from an earlier string and that is what keeps her alive. Her and some of the other survivors in town seek to help the others by delivering food and bringing those who are ill to the hospital. However, there is another band of survivors who decide that looting and burning up everything on the island is the only way to kill this virus.
The diary format, as well as the constant impending doom, reminded me so much of Life as We Knew It (which I enjoyed). However, as I mentioned, the characters never developed enough for me to really feel a strong interest in them. The relationship between Kaelyn and Gav lacked any sort of spark and felt as if the romance was only part of the story to fit into some kind of formula.
I will still pass this along to teens who are fans of the dystopian genre. The content is appropriate enough to recommend to both younger and older YA readers and shows appeal for both boys and girls. (less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jill by: Paperpanda (Miguel Cruz)

Shelves: dystopian, post-apocalyptic, young-adult, sci-fi, 2013-read, ebook

~~Review to come!~~

Found out, I still have time. :)

The book is about a deadly virus which is slowly killing people in an island. A matter of survival, emotionally and physically.

It's an easy read for me. I mean, I didn't get bored even at the first few pages. Maybe the journal style, caught my attention.

Anyway, I like Kaelyn. At first I thought that she's really weak. But at the middle of it, she was this, I have-to-do-something-to-help girl, which develops to a stronger heroine. And Gav and his he...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian-post-apocalyptic-utopian, 2012-publication, young-adult, survivalist, canadian, lgbt, poc, january, hyperion, read-2012

2.5 stars Meh.

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Jul 20, 2012 Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of post-apocalyptic or pandemic

Recommended to Lynn by: goodreads

Shelves: series-i-am-reading-or-will-be-soon

The Way We Fall has a slow start. It took me quite a while to get into the story. I think about a hundred or so pages in is where I finally got into it. The main character Kaelyn is a bit annoying and I found it hard to like her at first. But she grew on me as the story went on. The book is all about surviving and Kaelyn is put through so much in this story that although I found her to be weak and I thought she was making too many bad choices, at the end, I saw how strong she actually was.
The l...more The Way We Fall has a slow start. It took me quite a while to get into the story. I think about a hundred or so pages in is where I finally got into it. The main character Kaelyn is a bit annoying and I found it hard to like her at first. But she grew on me as the story went on. The book is all about surviving and Kaelyn is put through so much in this story that although I found her to be weak and I thought she was making too many bad choices, at the end, I saw how strong she actually was.
The love story in the book is good. Just the way I like them. Subtle, slow forming, and not pushed down your throat every other paragraph. The author didn’t make it the main focus of the book like so many do. With so much turmoil going on in the book, it was nice to see Kaelyn have some kind of happiness.
The book is written in a journal form. Kaelyn writes in it like its letter’s to her best friend and crush Leo, who has moved away to New York to attend a school of dance. At first this kind of writing annoyed me. But soon I forgot about it and it didn’t bother me so much.
The book isn’t like the few other books I’ve been reading where the worlds are set in the future and about politics. This one is about surviving an epidemic that no one has a cure for. I kept yelling at these careless people when they continued to go around the “infected” people with no type of protection. The virus is killing everyone, there is no cure! Put on a damn mask you moron! I mean its common sense, but it was lost on these folks. Plus I found it really annoying that there is no explanation of how this virus came about or if it was just their island that was infected, and if so why just their island. I hope more is explained in the next book.
The ending has quite the cliffhanger. I definitely wish I had my hands on the second book so I can see what happens already. I am not a very patient person. I absolutely hate waiting. But in the end I enjoyed the book and can’t wait to see where it goes…

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Apr 09, 2012 Jade Paton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, adventure, children, chilly, dystopia, friendship, mystery, read-in-czech, romance, sci-fi, reviewed

I never really liked all those movies about deathly pandemias. I decide to read this book because it was classified as a dystopian sci-fi and I was curious as how the author grasped this. I found out that I probably misunderstood the whole concept of a distopian sci-fi. Or who knows, maybe the classification is because of what happens in the other two books. Plus, we don't know what's going on on the continent. Still, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to choose the genre based on what we don't kn...more I never really liked all those movies about deathly pandemias. I decide to read this book because it was classified as a dystopian sci-fi and I was curious as how the author grasped this. I found out that I probably misunderstood the whole concept of a distopian sci-fi. Or who knows, maybe the classification is because of what happens in the other two books. Plus, we don't know what's going on on the continent. Still, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to choose the genre based on what we don't know.
Other than that I have no serious objections. It was kind of a light reading (if it wasn't for the topic it might even be boring). But since the plot was interesting enough I was even able to read through the rather slow beginning. That doesn't mean that I didn't take it into consideration when I was evaluating the book. The cost was actually about one star.
The other star was mostly for the style of the book. I don't know what's wrong with good old ich-form, even though I understand it might seem boring and overused (especially when it comes to YA novels). The letters (or diary) style always seemed a bit useless for novel writing to me. Of course, it depends on what kind of novel you write, but using it in a story with action and clear, rapid development is contraproductive. Also, by usign this style you practically rule out the element of immediate surprise.
The purpose of this particular style might be to help the reader to relate to the main character. Ironically enough, it had the opposite effect on me. Not only did I not really understand her, I was also annoyed by the way she expresses herself. Especially by the way she adressed this Leo once in a while in this weird style that looked a bit like a love letter from 19th century.
As a whole, this book was easy to read, enjoyable enough to finish and I didn't regret reading it. I probably won't pick up the second book though. Despite the open ending, I'm quite content with it and I don't want to know what happens next. This was enough of a closure for me. I would read the sequel only if I didn't have anything better to read, which is unlikely.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian-post-apocalyptic, ya

“Most people think the scariest thing is knowing that you’re going to die. It’s not. It’s knowing you might have to watch every single person you’ve ever loved – or even liked – waste away while you just stand there.”

There was something extremely enjoyable about this novel that I loved from the very start but unfortunately resulted in a mediocre overall opinion. The writing pace was very slow and detailed which reminded me a lot of The Age of Miracles (which I loved). I enjoy a slow build-up eve...more “Most people think the scariest thing is knowing that you’re going to die. It’s not. It’s knowing you might have to watch every single person you’ve ever loved – or even liked – waste away while you just stand there.”

There was something extremely enjoyable about this novel that I loved from the very start but unfortunately resulted in a mediocre overall opinion. The writing pace was very slow and detailed which reminded me a lot of The Age of Miracles (which I loved). I enjoy a slow build-up every now and then just as long as the climax is well worth it (which... hmm... what climax?). The writing style was at times difficult to grasp as it's written in the form of journal entries/letters to a friend that Kaelyn no longer speaks to; a friend left the island before the virus came to be.

I loved the storyline for one reason alone: the possibility that something like this could truly happen was terrifying. The symptoms of the virus were described so well that when one of the infected had an itch that just wouldn't go away I found myself feeling it too (at which point I had to take an immediate break and go walk outside). Something happened though around 60% when I came to the realization that the slow-paced and lack of build-up didn't appear to actually be leading to anything. And then there was the 'big revelation' as to why some people were surviving and some weren't... I was hoping for a bit more interesting of a reason. So I started losing interest. Life slowly kept getting worse but life went on, there was a predictable group of people that began doing anything they could to make others lives miserable... it was definitely lacking.

Other Random Issues
*I can't remember a YA I've read, ever, that didn't include a romance. (I'm sure I have but I really can't think of one off the top of my head). But in this particular case I felt it was completely unnecessary and really should have been left out for the better.
*So Kaelyn was able to review all of these medical records and determine the correlation between all the survivors. Maybe she's a genius (although considering she's 16 and only taking high school Algebra I'd have to say no). It was all incredibly far-fetched that she could figure out a way to save the human race but in moments of crisis is constantly forgetting to WEAR THE DAMN FACE MASK.
*And uh... birds? (view spoiler)
*All this talk about self-defense training and I don't see a single kimora or choke hold. Lame.(less)

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Sep 28, 2012 Ferdy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, whiny-annoying-blah-heroine

3.5 stars

The Way We Fell is written in diary form from the perspective of a teenage girl called Kaelyn. Kaelyn lives on a remote island in Canada, she decides to write a journal for her childhood best friend and crush Leo, who she has not spoken to in 2 years. Leo has left the island to attend school in New York and Kaelyn plans to use the journal to straighten things out with him when he comes back from school.
Kaelyn's entries start of that of a typical teenager, with her trying to make more an...more 3.5 stars

The Way We Fell is written in diary form from the perspective of a teenage girl called Kaelyn. Kaelyn lives on a remote island in Canada, she decides to write a journal for her childhood best friend and crush Leo, who she has not spoken to in 2 years. Leo has left the island to attend school in New York and Kaelyn plans to use the journal to straighten things out with him when he comes back from school.
Kaelyn's entries start of that of a typical teenager, with her trying to make more an effort to fit in at school and make friends. She regrets losing her friendship with Leo and not making it up to him before he left for school, so she promises to try harder with people.
When there is an outbreak of a deadly virus on the island, Kaelyn continues to write in her journal and records the hysteria that follows so when Leo comes back he will know what happened to Kaelyn, his family and his home. Kaelyn's account portray the bleakness and hopelessness of the situation very well; The Island is cut off from the mainland, supplies start running out, people start looting and hurting one another and the virus rampages through the island.
The narrative style took a while to get used to but once the story got going it added to the isolated tense situation of the island. Kaelyn was hard to relate to especially at first when she makes assumptions about her fellow classmates and judges those around her. She is quiet and can be awkward around people and she doesn't help herself or her goal to be more friendly and outgoing, thankfully as the story progresses Kaelyn comes out of her shell and connects with the people around her. Because everything is told in Kaelyn's perspective and what she assumes/thinks, everything has to be taken with a grain of salt as Kaelyn is not always a trustworthy narrater.
Kaelyn's relationship with her parents don't show her in a good light, she's childish, unreasonable and whiny around them but her relationship with her cousin and new friends Gav and Tessa bring out the best in Tessa. She is protective, kind and grateful for the new people in her life. Tessa is Leo's girlfriend and I was prepared to not like her for dating Kaelyn's crush but she was a brilliant character. She was a survivor and it was easy to see why Leo was with her, there were a few times when I wanted Tessa to be the narrater as I thought she was more interesting and relatable.
Kaelyn's relationship with Gav was cute and they suited each other quite well. It'll definitely be interesting to see the dynamics between Kaelyn, Gav and Leo when Leo makes an appearance in the next book. Kaelyn, Tessa and Gav are now connected through their experience with the virus so it'll be good to see how Leo will fit in with all the changes that have happened.(less)

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Mar 13, 2012 Kristin (Blood,Sweat, and Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who likes Dystopians or Plague type scenrios.

Kaelyn the main protagonist of the story lives on an island somewhere off mainland Canada. Having lived in Toronto as an outsider for many years Kaelyn tends to keep herself guarded from those around her. I wouldn't call her anti-social just cautious and set in her ways. The Way We Fall is written from a Journalistic viewpoint. Most of her entries are written to Leo a boy/best friend/former crush she watches leave at the beginning of the book. Throughout the book we learn she has had a previous...more Kaelyn the main protagonist of the story lives on an island somewhere off mainland Canada. Having lived in Toronto as an outsider for many years Kaelyn tends to keep herself guarded from those around her. I wouldn't call her anti-social just cautious and set in her ways. The Way We Fall is written from a Journalistic viewpoint. Most of her entries are written to Leo a boy/best friend/former crush she watches leave at the beginning of the book. Throughout the book we learn she has had a previous falling out with him and possibly due to that overwhelming guilt this is why she has chosen to focus on him in her writing.

It starts with an Itch and a cough. The disease is an unknown Flu type strain. What happens when you can't leave but staying may result in your death? This is the premise of The Way We Fall. The Book is divided into three parts-Symptoms,Quarantine,Morality.

Symptoms covers the initial outbreak of the virus. That tickle in your throat, that scratch that won't go away. Guess what that means (at least in Megan Crewe's world) that your infected. Kaelyn has just started allowing herself to relax in her new surroundings when the whispers start to spread that something nasty is going around. Suddenly not only are people sick but they are worried. What if this isn't just some cold. What if it is much worse?

Quarantine covers what happens after the bodies start to drop. The Army moves in promising protection and safety but when fear and paranoia starts to take hold they fall back leaving the island alone and cut off. With infection spreading, panic setting in and supplies running low all Kaelyn and her family can do is wait but at what cost?

Morality covers what happens when you have nothing left to lose. Society as it once was has crumbled. With the majority of the population dead or dying and bands of looters roaming around with no lawmen to stop them. How do you hold onto hope that things can still get better.

I absolutely loved this book! I've always found Epidemics intriguing, there is something so terrifying about a virus or infection that can with a cough or a sneeze exterminate a large group of people.The Book is the first in a trilogy so the ending does cut off quite abruptly. This is a dark dystopian. Very little feel good moments in this book. You really do feel Kaelyns isolation and loneliness. We barely see the mainlands perspective except for a few brief conversations that occur through secondary characters and their loved ones. I feel this creatively adds to the Quarantine feeling.

I did have two small issues with the book. First Kaelyns father, He saw the danger firsthand and yet did nothing to prepare supplies for his family. If that was my family, at the first drop of serious sickness I would of bought stuff so that they at least were provided for. Yes, there is no guarantee that the stock pile would be safe from looters but they at least wouldn't have to scavenge for quite some time.

My second issue is just isolating loved ones in a bedroom. Heck no you wouldn't be sick and staying in the house. It might be cruel but outside is where you'd be staying even if it meant tethering you to a tree or locking you in a shed so you couldn't wander off infecting others. These are personal gripes not those directly aimed at the Author.

I am really looking forward to the rest in the series. I care about Kaelyn and want to see what happens if and when the quarantine is lifted. I am giving this book 5 stars!(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Heather (BookStacksOnDeck) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hardcopy, series, favorites

The book is told from the point of view of sixteen year old Kaelyn through the form of letters to a former best guy friend of hers, Leo, who had moved away from the Canadian island before a virus broke out and the island was quarantined. Even though her father is a doctor of microbiological research, the cause and cure of the virus are difficult to determine. Due to this, Kaelyn's close friends, family, and even herself are still susceptible to the virus. This virus starts out with a cough, snee...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Celine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, arcs

Review originally posted in: http://forget8me8not.blogspot.com.au/...

Cover:
My review copy was the uncorrected proof edition so it didn't have a finalized cover but the cover that's supposed to be used is the picture on top and I really love the optical illusion and how the letters of the title seem to 'fall down'!

Story:

An unstoppable virus. No way out.

After letting her bestfriend go, Kaelyn never thought her life would change drastically. A virus is spreading around the island, and she can't esc...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: murdoch

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me
The Way We Fall is a dark dystopian that follows the spreading of an unknown virus. The novel is split into three parts - Symptoms, Quarantine, Mortality - making it obvious that many of the small town islanders won't come out unscathed. While I did have some issues with the book, I was impressed with how the story felt so realistic. Don't be looking for magical cures or rescue boats because they're not coming. Everyone's on their own and fighting...more Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me
The Way We Fall is a dark dystopian that follows the spreading of an unknown virus. The novel is split into three parts - Symptoms, Quarantine, Mortality - making it obvious that many of the small town islanders won't come out unscathed. While I did have some issues with the book, I was impressed with how the story felt so realistic. Don't be looking for magical cures or rescue boats because they're not coming. Everyone's on their own and fighting for their lives.

16 year old Kaelyn is a shy outsider but proves to be strong and brave when she volunteers to help out around the dangerous town. While she's a good character in theory, I didn't feel a strong connection with her or any of the other characters, for that matter. I thought they all had so much potential but too much time was spent unfolding the plot (and slowly, at that) to develop them more. As the synopsis states, there's an unexpected friendship and romance, both of which I enjoyed, but they too were underdeveloped. Crewe has set up the foundations of a great novel but a better balance of plot and character development would've really pulled everything together and made them work.

The story is told through letters, though I'm unsure of whether it's for the entire novel. Kae starts off writing to Leo, her friend who now lives in mainland New York, but after the first few letters, it begins turning into some sort of narrative prose. The writing seems to switch back and forth - an inconsistency, I think, rather than something intentional. For them to be letters, there was too much recounting than any true emotion. Leo's role is never expanded either, making me question what the purpose of the letter format was at all. Wouldn't first person narrative have worked just as well, then?

As more and more people die, the sense of hopelessness is palpable. The Way We Fall is great in that it allows readers to see how the situation begins and escalates, and how each person in town changes with desperation, but the story just moved too slowly for it to be truly exciting and suspenseful. We're left with many loose ends and an abrupt ending, so one can only wonder if there'll be a sequel where these characters can develop into what they're capable of. This was an unfortunately mediocre read for me but I'm sure others will have better luck!(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bits had me bored, then moments had me terrified, but really a good deal of it had me mostly befuddled by how easily things devolved. By 'September 23’ something terrible (a couple of terrible something’s) had already taken place, yet there I was contemplating putting it down… because it was all just so slow and matter of fact. But little by little, it’s not the teenaged girl’s life that’s in my head but instead it’s what was going on around her.

Maybe it was just me, but how funny is it that i...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Mrs. ReaderPants rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, net-galley, pub-date-2012

More reviews at http://readerpants.blogspot.com

OVERALL RATING: Wavered on rating--I'd say it's a 3.5 stars

WHAT I LIKED: Eventually, The Way We Fall is a page-turner. By the middle of the book, I enjoyed telling my husband about the storyline and thought about it when I was not reading. The concept of a virus that wipes out almost everyone is frighteningly believable and could certainly happen any place, any time. I really did want to find out if they found a cure, and who manages to survive the...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Arden marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Once I read the last word of this book, I realized this was one of the best books I read in 2011. It had a little bit of a slow start and I wasn't sure how I felt about the letter-writing style, but in the end it had everything I look for in a good book: it kept me entertained, made my heart really really hurt, and didn't wrap everything up in a tidy bow. I realized at the end that the writing of letters to a former best friend/crush gave it an overall feeling of honesty and made me relate to Ka...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Great Books rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ages-12-14, ages-15-18

When a deadly new virus strikes her small Canadian island town, sixteen-year-old Kaelyn finds herself struggling to hold on to those she loves while watching the world she knows fall apart around her. Through honest journal entries, Kaelyn conveys both fear and hope as she forges unlikely friendships and falls in love amidst a backdrop of devastation. Fans of science fiction will enjoy this first book in a planned trilogy. Reviewer #6

I would also recommend this book for 15-18. Protagonist is 16,...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Scott Pilgrim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Scott by: Netgalley

Shelves: netgalley, e-books, arc, dystopia-post-apocalyptic

Current opinion:
This book wasn't really good as I said previously. I have read more zombie books recently and that really changed my opinion of this book. This book was a good, and entertaining read but it wasn't as great now that I have read more in the zombie genre.
Previous Opinion:
This book was really good. Okay I saw this book on netgalley and I only requested it because I thought that the cover was pretty darn cool. Anyway I'm glad I requested it because this book was really entertaining. I...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Minnie Dreamer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Priznajme si to, samotná téma neprináša nič svetoborného. Námet o neznámom víruse, pred ktorým prakticky niet úniku, sme už mohli vidieť v desiatkach a desiatkach filmov. Predsa je to iné. Kniha prináša čitateľský zážitok vo forme napätia a nekonečného očakávania, čo sa stane s obyvateľmi ostrova a samotnou hlavnou hrdinkou, ktorú okrem problému s vírusom žerú aj vlastné starosti. Podarí sa zachrániť ľudí, ktorých má najradšej? Vyviazne z toho ona? Privedie ju ten nekončiaci tlak k poslednému zú...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Lanora TM rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, young-adult

book review located here: http://onreading.tumblr.com/[return][... Kaelyn, she’s sixteen years old living in a remote island in Canada. Her best friend has just left her and they are no longer speaking. Suddenly an illness appears and people are being infected left and right.[return]Kaelyn is pretty likable. I sort of enjoyed reading about her character, as she reminded me of myself just a tiny bit. In high school, I did not have many friends and I was known as the “no speaking” girl. It wasn’t...more book review located here: http://onreading.tumblr.com/[return][... Kaelyn, she’s sixteen years old living in a remote island in Canada. Her best friend has just left her and they are no longer speaking. Suddenly an illness appears and people are being infected left and right.[return]Kaelyn is pretty likable. I sort of enjoyed reading about her character, as she reminded me of myself just a tiny bit. In high school, I did not have many friends and I was known as the “no speaking” girl. It wasn’t because I desires friends though it was due to the fact that I didn’t really want more friends.[return]Kaelyn though does want friends and she wants to make up with her best friend Leo who recently transferred schools. In order to do this, she pushes her self by speaking more and trying to stand out of the crowd.[return]While the book does start of slow, it picks up quickly once a few people are infected with a life threatening illness.[return][return]What I liked [return][return]I always enjoy a good survival book. I felt the author did her research when trying to capture how a small community may respond to an outburst such as this. I also enjoyed that the illness started off with a harmless itch. It is so innocent where I did not guess if there was something else wrong with a character. [return] [return]What I didn’t Like[return][return]A new trend with a lot of authors are switching narrators between chapters, The Way We Fall does not do this. Instead, Kaelyn writes letters. The book is supposedly taken from her “journal” of letters to her best friend Leo. Yet, this is the one fault in the book. While the book came across quite realistic, Kaelyn’s letters do not. Who can possibly remember that much detail anyway? Or quote people word for word out of memory? Kaelyn’s authenticity is taken away due to this. Also, when she does :::SPOILER:: get sick - she seems untroubled my this. There is NO EMOTION - NO FRANTIC response. I feel that it was me, I would be writing really insane crazy things. How can a sixteen year old girl have that much composure? I have read a lot of zombie stories where people slowly lose their minds- which is what happens to these characters. Yet, Kaelyn doesn’t respond that way. Also, the deaths. I get that she was in a tough situation, but if my mother died- I’d be a wreck. Do to this, I found the Kaelyn a bit unbelievable. [return]Will Teens Like it?[return][return]Yes, I think teens will enjoy this one. I think it will appeal to both boys and girls. I think it will slightly appeal to those that enjoy the Hunger Games as it is another capture of what it is like to try and survive a battle. [return]-please note, this review has not been proofread-(less)

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