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We All Fall
Myra fell from the trapeze, and then she fell in love. Which one will hurt her the most?
Something is not right at the circus. Since Myra’s accident, there have been an unexplainable number of falls, and a strange, hot wind whispering through the tents.
Then, a new fortune teller arrives.
Myra meets Giselle, the beautiful, blind, child fortune teller, who often speaks of spirits in a way which may or may not be a joke. Myra finds herself drawn to her, despite the fact that she doesn’t believe in psychics.
When someone she cares about becomes the next victim of the falls, Myra must face the unnatural cause behind them. Will Myra be able to save the people she loves, or will she be the next one to drop?
Something is not right at the circus. Since Myra’s accident, there have been an unexplainable number of falls, and a strange, hot wind whispering through the tents.
Then, a new fortune teller arrives.
Myra meets Giselle, the beautiful, blind, child fortune teller, who often speaks of spirits in a way which may or may not be a joke. Myra finds herself drawn to her, despite the fact that she doesn’t believe in psychics.
When someone she cares about becomes the next victim of the falls, Myra must face the unnatural cause behind them. Will Myra be able to save the people she loves, or will she be the next one to drop?
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
95 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2019
About the author
Helen Vivienne Fletcher
30 books33 followersHelen Vivienne Fletcher wrote her first novel between the ages of thirteen and sixteen. It is, by several accounts, one of the funniest novels ever written. It’s just a shame it was supposed to be a psychological thriller.
Helen has worked in many jobs, doing everything from theatre stage management to phone counselling. She discovered her passion for writing for children and young people while working as a youth support worker, and now helps children find their own passion for storytelling through her business Brain Bunny Workshops, which runs creative writing holiday programmes and afterschool classes.
She has written an impressive collection of books for everyone from preschoolers to adult readers. Her work has been both traditionally and independently published, and she has won and been shortlisted for numerous awards.
She lives in Wellington, New Zealand, with her disability assistance dog, Bindi.
Overall Helen just loves telling stories, and is always excited when people want to hear or read them.
Helen has worked in many jobs, doing everything from theatre stage management to phone counselling. She discovered her passion for writing for children and young people while working as a youth support worker, and now helps children find their own passion for storytelling through her business Brain Bunny Workshops, which runs creative writing holiday programmes and afterschool classes.
She has written an impressive collection of books for everyone from preschoolers to adult readers. Her work has been both traditionally and independently published, and she has won and been shortlisted for numerous awards.
She lives in Wellington, New Zealand, with her disability assistance dog, Bindi.
Overall Helen just loves telling stories, and is always excited when people want to hear or read them.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 14, 2020
Combining a coming of age story, with paranormal aspects, this YA novella sensitively incorporates the subjects of disability and same sex attraction.
The main character, Myra, is a circus kid, who once old enough, had joined her parent's aerial act. Then she fell, injuring herself badly, so she now lives with constant pain, and the differences that the disability in a circus environment have created in her life. Now working on other performers costumes, Myra has become an acute observer of the circus life, she spends her life shaking the sequins from her hair and clothes, wearing, but not able to perform, in the trappings of circus. She's particularly close to the only other person of a similar age to her in the travelling group - seventeen-year-old Luca, who definitely hopes there is more to the relationship than friendship.
When Giselle joins the circus Myra is fascinated. A teenager as well, Giselle is a blind fortune teller, although whether she is blind, or this is part of her act, Myra's not sure - but she's drawn to Giselle. Perhaps as her first ever female friend, perhaps more.
A novella in length, the title - WE ALL FALL has a double meaning. The circus has been plagued by falls and minor accidents recently, and Luca and Myra's personal feelings are definitely of the teenage falling variety, but is there more than coincidence to these accidents and the arrival of Giselle and her strange mother.
Addressing many challenges of young lives in such a short novel is quite an undertaking, and the way that sexuality, disability, and the difficulties of teenage friendship and family relationships are explored is beautifully executed. There are some paranormal aspects built in here as well and they don't clash with the rest of the narrative in any way. More of a supernatural styled thriller than an out and out crime novel, WE ALL FALL is well worth reading.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
The main character, Myra, is a circus kid, who once old enough, had joined her parent's aerial act. Then she fell, injuring herself badly, so she now lives with constant pain, and the differences that the disability in a circus environment have created in her life. Now working on other performers costumes, Myra has become an acute observer of the circus life, she spends her life shaking the sequins from her hair and clothes, wearing, but not able to perform, in the trappings of circus. She's particularly close to the only other person of a similar age to her in the travelling group - seventeen-year-old Luca, who definitely hopes there is more to the relationship than friendship.
When Giselle joins the circus Myra is fascinated. A teenager as well, Giselle is a blind fortune teller, although whether she is blind, or this is part of her act, Myra's not sure - but she's drawn to Giselle. Perhaps as her first ever female friend, perhaps more.
A novella in length, the title - WE ALL FALL has a double meaning. The circus has been plagued by falls and minor accidents recently, and Luca and Myra's personal feelings are definitely of the teenage falling variety, but is there more than coincidence to these accidents and the arrival of Giselle and her strange mother.
Addressing many challenges of young lives in such a short novel is quite an undertaking, and the way that sexuality, disability, and the difficulties of teenage friendship and family relationships are explored is beautifully executed. There are some paranormal aspects built in here as well and they don't clash with the rest of the narrative in any way. More of a supernatural styled thriller than an out and out crime novel, WE ALL FALL is well worth reading.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
June 29, 2020
Read for the 2020 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominations.
August 3, 2019
A thrilling read! It starts off like any normal tale. A 15-year-old girl, born into a trapeze family takes an awful fall and remains crippled. Then a blind girl-fortuneteller and her mother join the circus. Myra befriends her as both girls have several things in common. Both are working in the trade since earliest childhood with over-protective mothers, let alone their disabilities. And from that point on, the story gets a lot darker and more gruesome. There's a growing number of accidents in the circus, mostly falls. Some are publicly speaking of a curse though most people don't REALLY, believe it, but something definetly is amiss, ...
This is a quick read, very entertaining and with a darker side, you didn't see coming.
I got a free arc from the author and this is my honest review.
This is a quick read, very entertaining and with a darker side, you didn't see coming.
I got a free arc from the author and this is my honest review.
May 13, 2026
I stumbled across this one completely by accident and I'm so glad I did. It's short, I finished it in a single sitting, but Helen Vivienne Fletcher packs a surprising amount of atmosphere into under 100 pages.
The circus setting is everything. There's something inherently eerie about that world even without supernatural elements, and Fletcher leans into that beautifully. The strange hot wind, the unexplained falls, the tension rippling through the performers, it all builds with a quiet dread that kept me turning pages faster than I expected.
Giselle was my favourite part of the whole book. A blind child fortune teller who may or may not be entirely serious about spirits? Absolutely compelling. I wanted three times more of her on the page.
Myra is a solid protagonist, grounded and skeptical in a way that made the supernatural elements land harder when she could no longer deny them. Her emotional journey feels genuine rather than rushed, which is impressive given the novella length.
My only wish is that it were longer. Some plot threads felt like they deserved more room to breathe, and the ending moved a touch quickly for me.
Still, for a rainy afternoon read with a cup of tea? Pretty much perfect.
The circus setting is everything. There's something inherently eerie about that world even without supernatural elements, and Fletcher leans into that beautifully. The strange hot wind, the unexplained falls, the tension rippling through the performers, it all builds with a quiet dread that kept me turning pages faster than I expected.
Giselle was my favourite part of the whole book. A blind child fortune teller who may or may not be entirely serious about spirits? Absolutely compelling. I wanted three times more of her on the page.
Myra is a solid protagonist, grounded and skeptical in a way that made the supernatural elements land harder when she could no longer deny them. Her emotional journey feels genuine rather than rushed, which is impressive given the novella length.
My only wish is that it were longer. Some plot threads felt like they deserved more room to breathe, and the ending moved a touch quickly for me.
Still, for a rainy afternoon read with a cup of tea? Pretty much perfect.
September 13, 2021
Mystical and mysterious with a gentle dose of humanity
This author has a beautiful way of organically weaving real human issues and societal considerations through books which captivate your attention with mystery, suspense or the supernatural. The main character in We all Fall is dealing with the realities of a disability as a result of an accident as a Trapeze Artist in the circus, complex relationships, falling in love and trying to discover the mysterious cause for a run of accidents with her circus-mates.
It is a gentle read with some complex issues. Great starter into YA fiction.
August 17, 2025
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/three-new-zealand-fantasies-we-all-fall-by-helen-vivienne-fletcher-tyrelia-by-s-r-manssen-dragon-rift-by-eileen-mueller/
I thought this was OK. A short, effective story about a girl growing up in a circus family, getting to grips with disability, same-sex love and the paranormal stuff that seems to be happening around her.
I thought this was OK. A short, effective story about a girl growing up in a circus family, getting to grips with disability, same-sex love and the paranormal stuff that seems to be happening around her.
May 10, 2020
I'm reading this for the Vogels, so judged as an SF/F/Horror story its nothing special - a perfectly competent YA story with a spooky element, but nothing that makes me sit up and take notice, or want to read more. Which doesn't sound like much, but actually puts it well ahead of most of the other contenders.
August 8, 2019
I am new to this YA author, and thoroughly enjoyed getting acquainted with her unique paranormal style. This story kept me wondering until the end.
Myra is fifteen and she has spent her life in the circus. When she was old enough, Myra joined her parents aerial act. Until her fall. Now Myra creates and repairs costumes for other performers. She could do without the near constant pain from her injuries, but all in all is happier on the ground. Being alone to create her designs is much more fulfilling, not something her mother understands.
There has only been one person near her age in their circus, Luca, a seventeen-year-old, and Myra’s best friend. Being homeschooled didn’t afford her the opportunities for a social life most teens took for granted.
Today the new fortune teller is arriving, another teen girl, Giselle. Giselle is supposed to be blind, adding mystique to her act. Myra just isn’t sure if it’s an act for the punters or a fact, but she is intrigued. Myra doesn’t believe in fortune telling, but there is something about this girl that draws her. Is this the chance, her first chance, for a female friend, or something more?
Their circus has become plagued with falls and minor accidents since Myra’s much more devastating fall. It seems to be happening even more after Giselle and her mother join the performers. Surely it must be a coincidence, right? The lovely girl that Myra becomes so attracted to couldn’t have anything to do with this run of bad luck!
Myra is fifteen and she has spent her life in the circus. When she was old enough, Myra joined her parents aerial act. Until her fall. Now Myra creates and repairs costumes for other performers. She could do without the near constant pain from her injuries, but all in all is happier on the ground. Being alone to create her designs is much more fulfilling, not something her mother understands.
There has only been one person near her age in their circus, Luca, a seventeen-year-old, and Myra’s best friend. Being homeschooled didn’t afford her the opportunities for a social life most teens took for granted.
Today the new fortune teller is arriving, another teen girl, Giselle. Giselle is supposed to be blind, adding mystique to her act. Myra just isn’t sure if it’s an act for the punters or a fact, but she is intrigued. Myra doesn’t believe in fortune telling, but there is something about this girl that draws her. Is this the chance, her first chance, for a female friend, or something more?
Their circus has become plagued with falls and minor accidents since Myra’s much more devastating fall. It seems to be happening even more after Giselle and her mother join the performers. Surely it must be a coincidence, right? The lovely girl that Myra becomes so attracted to couldn’t have anything to do with this run of bad luck!
October 14, 2019
Great book, So much was fit into such a short amount of pages. Amazing read!
Also wonderful to meet Helen at a craft fair in Wellington, lovely woman who was nice enough to sign my book! Made my day :D
Also wonderful to meet Helen at a craft fair in Wellington, lovely woman who was nice enough to sign my book! Made my day :D
August 8, 2019
Dark, engrossing, magical and mysterious. Refreshingly original. Read it in one shot.
(The author kindly provided an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!)
(The author kindly provided an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews