Falling Through the Night

by Gail Marlene Schwartz

Audrey Meyerwitz wants to fall in love and have a family. But for this queer 30-something insomniac who’s struggled with Generalized Anxiety Disorder since childhood, it’s a goal that’s far from simple. When best friend Jessica, a recovering alcoholic, helps introvert Audrey with a profile on SheLovesHer, Audrey takes that scary first step toward her lifelong dream. Through online dating, immigrating to Canada, and having a baby with Down Syndrome, she struggles and grows. But when Audrey unearths a secret about her mother, everything about her identity as a mother, a daughter, and a person with mental illness ruptures. How do we create closeness from roots of deep alienation? With humor, honesty, and complexity, Audrey learns that healthy love means accepting gains and losses, taking off the blinders of fantasy, and embracing the messiness that defines human families.

Genres: Literary Fiction

250 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published February 1, 2024

Reviews

[Christine Ma-Kellams]

We need more books like Falling Through the Night. Gail Marlene Schwartz' novel is wonderfully nuanced and complex, full of convoluted human ties and thoughtful conversations between characters we should see more in novels. Read it for the representation. Read it for the feels. Either way, read it!

[Susan (The Book Bag)]

Falling Through the Night was a heart-warming debut novel by a new-to-me author. While Audrey struggles in her life with anxiety and other mental issues, all she really wants is to have someone to love, a family, and stability.

The story walks us through Audrey's steps to get where she wants to be. And it wasn't always easy for her but her drama is what kept the story going for me. I enjoyed watching, and being a part of, Audrey's life as she figures it all out. Her life isn't perfect but she works through her problems and forges ahead.

I enjoyed Falling Through the Night, which gave me a glimpse at a life that is so totally different from my own. I found myself having more understanding and empathy for those who struggle with issues like Audrey and her friends do. This was an eye-opening book for me and one I will be thinking about for awhile.

[Tricia AvidReader]

So, I got this book from the author at a local Pride festival here in Vermont. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. (I had a few nights of staying up too late because I was hooked!)
I finished it in less than a week, while simultaneously reading a few other books, which are good, but couldn't hold my interest while I was immersed in Falling Through the Night. Those other books are waiting for me, and now that I'm done with Audrey's story, I can give them the attention they deserve.
I connected with the MC, Audrey, immediately. I live with some of the same struggles and reading a book that delves deeply into the feelings of hopelessness and despair in such a raw, true way really hit home. If you've ever experienced clawing out from the bottom of the canyon, life throwing obstacle after obstacle your way, feeling like you got a raw deal with your emotional instabilities, not knowing who you are or who you want to be but determined to figure that out, this book is a must-read.
Reading Audrey's story, the murky lows of her struggles peppered with sun filtered through bright autumnal leaves of joy, made me feel like I wasn't alone in my dark inner thoughts and fears. Audrey's journey, as with many of our own, wasn't easy. It was scary and exciting and real. Gail Marlene Schwartz is talented and I hope she keeps writing.
This novel was written beautifully. I know I will revisit it again and again, and will recommend it to everyone that cares to listen.

[Wendi]

With its short chapters, snappy dialogue, and notable main character, Falling Through the Night is not to be missed. I adore Audrey Meyerwitz, the novel’s protagonist for how she navigates the world. She lays it out there for you, no filters, no disguises, and no polite social graces, unless of course she is trying very hard because she lives with General Anxiety Disorder. I also love her colorful friends and that being Jewish and queer are just regular parts of who she is, rather than the focus of the book. Most of all, I love how Audrey manages through the ups and downs, the joys, the misunderstandings with utter honesty.

The writing is strong, intentional, and efficient. There are unexpected turns throughout the novel. The characters are all very distinct. The dialogue is so good I could actually hear the characters talking to one another as I read. Schwartz also uses description sparsely and in service of character development. A single detail produces a strong image that speaks volumes. This is craft.

Finally, reading about Audrey’s journey with Generalized Anxiety Disorder gave me an insightful window into how my daughter perceives the world, an unexpected bonus for which I am grateful.

[Britt]

Falling Through the Night is a nice book about a Jewish Queer woman with an anxiety disorder trying to navigate life at the age of 30. It's really nice to read books with Queer characters who are older and wanting to figure out what they want in life. Audrey wants to fall in love and have a family. She wants stability and takes the steps to accomplish that. I think the dynamic between Audrey and Denise is really good. Audrey continues to deal with tough choices in her friendships, relationship and then into motherhood.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting perspective and shows the importance of chosen family and friends. I did think that some of the writing was a little too flowery in the beginning and some sections of Audrey's life went by a bit quickly.

Thank you to Books Forward for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel]

Many novels focus on one of two time periods: the romance that occurs before someone marries or the problems a couple faces after they wed. “Falling Through the Night” by Gail Marlene Schwartz (Demeter Press) portrays the development of a relationship before and during marriage. However, neither period is easy for queer 30-something Audrey Meyerwitz, who longs for a partner and children. Unfortunately, she suffers from deep anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia. She’s also never completely come to terms with her family of origin: Audrey was adopted by a woman whom she considers her mother. However, her mother now focuses on her younger foster children – most of whom also have disabilities – and now has little energy for helping Audrey.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/book...

[Heather Pagano]

Falling Through the Night hit home for me because family is as close to my heart as it is to Audrey, the story's main character, who is a queer woman dreaming of becoming a wife and mom. We all know what we want family to feel like, but what happens when that idealized experience seems completely out of reach? Audrey pursues her dream of building a family with reckless, go-for-broke gusto that drew me into her story. Big dreams never come for free, and Audrey’s ups and downs kept me up reading well past my bedtime. Family means parents and kids, but also spouses and friends who feel like family. Audrey’s journey explores family from all these angles, complete with their joys and their failings.

[Emily Malek]

Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by Books Forward in exchange for an honest review.

It’s funny how in six months, I’ve read two books about queer, Jewish women. One was the memoir "Late Bloomer: Finding Authentic Myself at Midlife" by Melissa Giberson. Today’s subject, the fictional "Falling Through the Night" by Gail Marlene Schwartz is the other. The latter is a fascinating look at one queer woman’s journey to create a healthy family.

To read more of this review, click on this link: https://chick-who-reads-everything.co...

[Allison]

This was an interesting book in that it delves into the mind of a character with sometimes crippling anxiety and how it affects her life and relationships. Otherwise, the story seemed to be overly wordy for much of the first half while the rest seemed to go by too quickly. Although it took me longer to get through than usual I was routing for her. I persevered and was pleased with the last section and proud of our main character.

[Kathryn Hall]

The protagonist of this beautifully written book is a queer Jewish woman with a chronic anxiety disorder who longs for love and family. Her life, full of challenges and surprises, is not bound by these narrow limits.