3/12/2013

Review & Giveaway: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe


To begin Megan Crewe week, I'm going to review the first book in the Fallen World trilogy.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe.

Published January 24, 2012.
Published by Disney-Hyperion.
Source: Won from Megan Crewe.

Goodreads Blurb:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.


When sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her best friend leave for school without saying goodbye, she never dreams that she might not see him again. But then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community, infecting young and old alike. As the dead pile up, the government quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for the island’s dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Poignant and dizzying, The Way We Fall is the heart-wrenching story of one girl's bravery and unbeatable spirit as she challenges not just her fears, but her sense of what makes life worth living.



My Review:

The first novel in the Fallen World trilogy is an excellent beginning to the story of a truly frightening possibility faced by our world today. When a small island is infected with a mysterious illness, one of the residents, Kaelyn, begins to fear for the safety of those she loves. Megan Crewe has created a scenario that is scary because it is a completely plausible threat. It is one thing to read about aliens attacking Earth, but quite another to read about a killer virus that could just be a mutant strain of something out in the world right this moment.

Megan has written a fantastic story. It is told through a series of journal entries to Kaelyn's friend, Leo, who has moved off the island. The journal entry format was used well to express the deep fears of Kaelyn, which are likely reflected in all of the residents. It also serves to make the story much more personal. With viruses it is so easy for the story to become about symptoms and statistics, but this format makes it about the people stuck in this situation and their families. It really helped me to connect with Kaelyn, as well, because it felt so honest.

I thought the characters overall were well fleshed out and mostly likeable. Even the characters that didn't play as big a role, like Kaelyn's dad, were very realistic. His concern and his frustration felt genuine. Megan does really well at using the little things to make her characters come alive. There was a little romance included as well, which added a great element but didn't interfere with the real purpose of the story. I also loved the mystery that surrounded some of the characters, like Kaelyn's brother, Drew. There were many different aspects to the story which were meshed together extremely well.

The way the illness was written was gripping and mysterious. I loved how little things were revealed bit by bit. I had so many questions about what was going on and they were answered one by one, keeping me constantly intrigued and in suspense. It was very well thought out! The reaction to the illness was also interesting - not only that of the islanders but also of the people on the mainland and the government. Conflicting views, misunderstandings, knee-jerk reactions... there was so much realism to the scenario which only accentuated how entirely possible this whole idea is.

In all, this was a really great novel. Well written, suspenseful, and mysterious. There was great atmosphere and tension, and the feeling of alienation that takes over was great. In the end, I was left with many unanswered questions that I can't wait to see solved in the sequel, The Lives We Lost.
4 stars!

I have a signed copy of The Way We Fall to give away to one lucky US/CAN follower! If you haven't started this fantastic series yet, here's your chance!


Some Rules (aka the not so fun but important part):
~ This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
~ No P.O. boxes.
~ Must be 13 or older to enter.
~ Winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email, otherwise they forfeit their prize and I will choose another winner, who must abide by the same rules.
~ Neither Megan nor I are not responsible for lost or damaged packages.
No cheating! In this case, I have the right to disqualify entries as I see fit.
~ By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to these rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

  1. I'm almost 100% sure that you were the one who told me about this series! It sounded awesome then and it sounds even better now! I have to admit that I haven't read nor purchased any of the books yet, so I totally jumped on the giveaway form! This is such an awesome week!

    P.S. I've got a giveaway running too.

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    1. I hope you give the series a shot because it really is fantastic! I'm glad you're enjoying the week already! :)
      And I'll go check it out!

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  2. I completely agree with you. Once I started reading this, I couldn't let it go. The ending was so abrupt though, I can't wait to see what'll happen. I have so many questions that need answering.

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    1. Same for me. I couldn't wait to start The Lives We Lost! Which was fantastic, by the way :)

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  3. Hi, I'm a fellow reviewer, and having seen you were doing a Megan Crewe week, I was wondering if you could share my blog around? I literally just published a review on the same book. Sorry if you don't do anything like that, I'm just trying to find my feet in the world of blogging and would appreciate a hand. Thanks! :)

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  4. Hi Gracie,
    I would share your link to your review but I wasn't able to access it. It said your blog was removed. Sorry! If you happen to stop back and want to leave me a link that works, I'd be happy to share :)

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  5. It sounds like an interesting story! I like the idea of it being told through journals.

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    1. It was definitely a great choice to write it that way. I loved the style :)

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  6. I think this book sounds so good. I cannot wait to read it. Thanks.

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    1. It was great. I hope you give it a shot!

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  7. I loved this book. The story was so interesting and it just pulled me right in and I couldn't stop reading. I can't wait to read The Lives We Lost and see what happens next.

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    1. I agree, it was so enthralling! I don't think you'll be disappointed by The Lives We Lost :)

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I'd love to hear what you think!