When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for 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?
Those still healthy must fight for 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?
I love a good science fiction epidemic YA book, so The Way We Fall was a book that I just had to read when I first heard about it. I came away after finishing the book feeling pretty let down because this book really did not impress me, unfortunately.
The start of this book was so difficult to get into, it takes over a hundred pages to even begin to care about the story or the characters and another hundred pages for any type of tension or suspense to come in, and even that is in short supply. I found that whilst some books with epidemics and diseases are full of suspense, this one was very day-to-day and monotonous. My issue really was that the disease wasn't that massive, it kills people, people say what they mean, sure you don't want to get it but it didn't make for suspenseful, thrilling reading. Maybe if the parts about the victims getting aggressive had been built on more I would have enjoyed it more. I also found that when the 'worst case scenario' (main character getting disease) happened there were about three pages to it then suddenly she's cured.
After that point I didn't see any point to the book, Kae has had the disease, so there's no more suspense or fear.
The characters were difficult to care about, I began to like Kaelyn more as I got further into the book, but to start with she seemed selfish and like she couldn't do anything for herself, I liked when she began to get a backbone and stand up for herself, I didn't really care for Meredith, or Tessa. I did love Gav though and I loved watching him and Kaelyn grow closer whilst being torn apart by the new world they're stuck in.
The writing wasn't too bad, I think that the journal style added something unique but did possibly stop us from caring about the other characters or seeing the full picture. I also didn't understand the 'Leo' thing, I kept expecting him to suddenly turn up but it seemed like a moot plot point when he didn't, Kaelyn pining over him had no point when we don't even know what went on with the two of them...
Overall, I believe that this book will be very successful but I personally didn't like the way that the plot was developed. the characters and writing were okay but I would have liked more action and suspense.
Overall rating: D+
Book to be released through Disney-Hyperion on 24th January 2012.
Book recieved as an eGalley from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Aww the idea of this one sounds quite good but I gather it's a little disappointing from your review... I'm not sure I'd get into it much tbh so I might give it a miss!
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