Book Review for Drifting, Falling: Diary of a Call Girl Suicide by A.J. Ullman
Drifting, Falling: Diary of a Call Girl Suicide, by A.J. Ullman, is about facing your past, even if you see nothing but an eroding future in front of you.
Ripley Astilla Luna, also known as Justine, is an escort who is seeing Dr. Dan Truscott, a psychiatrist. With each visit, Dr. Truscott begins to unravel the many layers behind her mysterious nature. From hearing about a strange friend named Mort Maine, to the growing obsession he develops for her, Dr. Truscott starts to understand the complexities that make up the beautiful Ripley. However, it all comes to a head when Ripley reveals a devastating secret, one that forces her to dangle between the edge of life and death.
I loved Ripley’s character. Her seeking out a love that could only be described as empty, as well as the dark sins of the demons in her mind, Ripley can’t easily be classified by anyone in normal society. In a way, it made her more human in my eyes, even after her horrific revelations. But still, somehow she is trying to give back to the world, trying to search out a way to pay for her mistakes, to try and do some good, before she kills herself. It seemed that Dr. Truscott was just starting to see a glimpse of this. Perhaps it was the reason why he went after her the way he did, why he risked himself to save her. Depression really does open your eyes to certain parts of life, details that happiness or joy could neither understand, nor even realize.
The entire diary was more than just a cry for help. In fact, it’d be an insult if readers looked at it like that. This work depicted the crushing guilt of a woman who did love people, who tried helping others in her own, special way. Through her death and money, she hoped to impact others. After all, sorrow is different from ordinary sadness, one that many people struggle to overcome. It’s nice, then, to have someone be by your side, to have someone reach out to you, despite your faults.
As such, I would give this book a rating of a 4.0 out of 5 stars. Ullman cultivates a novel that illustrates the thoughts of a woman who kept drifting throughout the world. Readers will be touched by the impact of her words, from Ripley’s childhood, to her final moments in the book.
