jcarvajal23's review
3.0
This one has been on my radar for a while. The premise looked so promising and the main character played field hockey (the sport I played my whole life) so it was a must read.
I have to say that I am slightly disappointed. I plot promised so much, but failed to deliver. To me, some of the actions and events are completely unrealistic and I had a hard time suspending reality in order to fully connect to the story. The main character, Zephyr, came off so oblivious and absolutely clueless to the manipulation and abuse she was experiencing. I can appreciate and understand the author's choice to present Zephyr's abuse to the extreme; however, it was frustrating to say the least. The book takes place over three months and I think it would have been more believable if it took place over 6 months or more. Zephyr is such a strong and vibrant character in the beginning and it was hard to see her become a husk of herself in three short months.
This is a very quick read and paced well. The author grabs you immediately and keeps your interest with her style of writing. This is the perfect summer beach read and I did enjoy it regardless of the negatives. I found it entertaining and a little far fetched, but hey that's why I love fiction.
I have to say that I am slightly disappointed. I plot promised so much, but failed to deliver. To me, some of the actions and events are completely unrealistic and I had a hard time suspending reality in order to fully connect to the story. The main character, Zephyr, came off so oblivious and absolutely clueless to the manipulation and abuse she was experiencing. I can appreciate and understand the author's choice to present Zephyr's abuse to the extreme; however, it was frustrating to say the least. The book takes place over three months and I think it would have been more believable if it took place over 6 months or more. Zephyr is such a strong and vibrant character in the beginning and it was hard to see her become a husk of herself in three short months.
This is a very quick read and paced well. The author grabs you immediately and keeps your interest with her style of writing. This is the perfect summer beach read and I did enjoy it regardless of the negatives. I found it entertaining and a little far fetched, but hey that's why I love fiction.
ps_a22's review
4.0
Before I even talk about the book, I need to state that I absolutely love the cover. It is simple, minimalistic and very artistic at the same time! It's so well-made.
The novel itself was good too. The plot was realistic and wholesome, fully conveying the life of Zephyr. I also liked how the trepidation regarding Alec was introduced gradually and way into the book. This made me understand the trust Zephyr would have had in him.
But, I must say, I don’t think I've ever been this frustrated over reading a book. Don’t get me wrong, it was an awesome book, but Zephyr throwing away her position in Boston University because of Alec had me screaming in frustration. It made me realise how I despise when people lose themselves in a relationship and how hard it is to realise it when you're "in love."
The novel itself was good too. The plot was realistic and wholesome, fully conveying the life of Zephyr. I also liked how the trepidation regarding Alec was introduced gradually and way into the book. This made me understand the trust Zephyr would have had in him.
But, I must say, I don’t think I've ever been this frustrated over reading a book. Don’t get me wrong, it was an awesome book, but Zephyr throwing away her position in Boston University because of Alec had me screaming in frustration. It made me realise how I despise when people lose themselves in a relationship and how hard it is to realise it when you're "in love."
cgreens's review
3.0
First, I wish I hadn't read the book summary before starting to read this! So, if you can avoid the publisher-provided blurb summary before reading, I think it makes for a better reading experience. It seems like the author intended for this book to have twists and surprises that the publisher just gave away.
Second, I'm glad that I stuck with this book, as I hated the first half and mostly skimmed it. Maybe it's because I hate sports and didn't find the dad storyline very interesting, but I found the first part of the book very dull. I also think Zephyr comes off as very bland and privileged.
I felt the book picked up a lot and looked forward to reading it the more I read. I loved the development of Zephyr's relationship with Alec.
Plothole-wise, I do wonder/laugh at why colleges would have online applications but mail-only admissions results and acceptance correspondence? Zephyr says she's the class of 2020, so the story takes place in the year it was written: 2016. Admissions results and acceptance forms have definitely been online for many years, if not decades.
Second, I'm glad that I stuck with this book, as I hated the first half and mostly skimmed it. Maybe it's because I hate sports and didn't find the dad storyline very interesting, but I found the first part of the book very dull. I also think Zephyr comes off as very bland and privileged.
I felt the book picked up a lot and looked forward to reading it the more I read. I loved the development of Zephyr's relationship with Alec.
Plothole-wise, I do wonder/laugh at why colleges would have online applications but mail-only admissions results and acceptance correspondence? Zephyr says she's the class of 2020, so the story takes place in the year it was written: 2016. Admissions results and acceptance forms have definitely been online for many years, if not decades.
ariellesbooked's review
2.0
I might have enjoyed this book more had it been paced differently. The beginning was drawn out, the ending was abrupt, and the build-up of the relationship between Zephyr and Alec felt...off.
The reason I was interested in reading this to begin with is because I think it's important to present narratives that make it very clear that relationships like these (and characters like Alec) are toxic, rather than something to aspire to. For awhile, it seemed trendy to romanticize male characters that are controlling, needy, obsessive, etc. While I feel the author did a nice job of combating this notion, overall The Girl Who Fell missed the mark for me.
The reason I was interested in reading this to begin with is because I think it's important to present narratives that make it very clear that relationships like these (and characters like Alec) are toxic, rather than something to aspire to. For awhile, it seemed trendy to romanticize male characters that are controlling, needy, obsessive, etc. While I feel the author did a nice job of combating this notion, overall The Girl Who Fell missed the mark for me.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
I don't believe there will ever be a book where the relationship starts in a way that works for me. Books just aren't like that -- the slow lingering looks and build-up of tensions don't translate when there's a whole story to be told. Especially not when the relationship IS the story.
With that in mind, THE GIRL WHO FELL tackles the slow burn of a bad relationship with an emotional manipulator. It's easy to be on the outside looking at Zephyr, telling her you see the signs that Alec is bad news. But that's not what we have going on here. You don't get to tell Zephyr's story for her. She's the one who has to figure it all out.
What really stood out to me was the Nice Guy subplot with her long time bestie, Gregg. The moment he kisses her and everything between them unravels perfectly captures the feeling of betrayal you have from being on Zephyr's side of things. You feel that sense of discomfort and wondering if the friendship has been tainted this whole time. Gregg's role is muddled and he works through his romantic interest in her to be the friend she needs, but they do not end up together and that means everything.
Zephyr's parents play a major role, and the takeaway from this book is not the dangers of such nefarious romantic attraction, but the way that our loved ones come through for us in the end. The story is as much about the people around Zephyr as it is about her--but in a way that highlights her experience, her truth, her reality above all.
I enjoyed this book and feel it is one that really belongs in the hands of young girls everywhere.
With that in mind, THE GIRL WHO FELL tackles the slow burn of a bad relationship with an emotional manipulator. It's easy to be on the outside looking at Zephyr, telling her you see the signs that Alec is bad news. But that's not what we have going on here. You don't get to tell Zephyr's story for her. She's the one who has to figure it all out.
What really stood out to me was the Nice Guy subplot with her long time bestie, Gregg. The moment he kisses her and everything between them unravels perfectly captures the feeling of betrayal you have from being on Zephyr's side of things. You feel that sense of discomfort and wondering if the friendship has been tainted this whole time. Gregg's role is muddled and he works through his romantic interest in her to be the friend she needs, but they do not end up together and that means everything.
Zephyr's parents play a major role, and the takeaway from this book is not the dangers of such nefarious romantic attraction, but the way that our loved ones come through for us in the end. The story is as much about the people around Zephyr as it is about her--but in a way that highlights her experience, her truth, her reality above all.
I enjoyed this book and feel it is one that really belongs in the hands of young girls everywhere.
piperhudsburn's review against another edition
1.0
" I'll always love you in the same way there's a chapel in a hospital- one foot in your bedroom and the other out the door."
Don't worry- those words aren't from The Girl Who Fell, they're from one of my most favorite songs of all time- "Hum Hallelujah"" by Fall Out Boy. The song details the in's and out's of fame, comparing it to the thrill of first love. I don't know if the song holds up that well almost ten years later, but it continues to capture that feeling in my opinion- of what love feels like. The Girl Who Fell did not.
"I don’t believe in lying to children
But when she asks me what’s wrong I still tell her the storybook version
I tell her that once a bad man broke into my home
I wish I’d also told her that bad men look like respectable young men........
That bad men will compliment your Nana on her lemon squares
Bad men write love poems"- Trigger Warning, Karina Stow
There's this beautiful slam poem here that details the kind of relationship Parker was trying to convey with this book. Love found in those relationships are all consuming- they strip away your sense of safety and your sense of self once they end.
The Girl Who Fell is just very unrealistic. Alec is made out to be this horrible man immediately, but in reality people like him can make you feel like magic at first. They can have a good relationship with your family, your friends- all the while slowly becoming emotionally abusive. All those factors tangle a relationship and make it hard to unravel. Toxic Relationships are not this touch-and-go, Lifetime extravaganza.
“Lying on my bed, my brain cyclones with thoughts of men and boys and boys and men. All making the wrong choices.”
The Girl Who Fell does not fail because most it's characters are one-dimensional, or because it's plot is chaotic, or because our narrator is a frustrating TSTL special snowflake- it fails because the relationship it tries so hard to convey is just so damn empty. There is nothing between Zephyr and Alec- they have this terrible kind of insta-love, all caught up in lust. And yes, lust is an important part of teenhood, but it doesn't result in this all-consuming love that Parker tries to say they have. Their relationship comes off as vapid and hallow.
The Girl Who Fell is simply just too problematic for me to like. I almost feel like the resolution makes us believe that this whole "mess" would have been avoided if Zephyr had just gotten together with her best friend instead of the new kid- which is a wrong message to send out. In addition, Alec is just too obviously maniacal- his plot doesn't make any sense, and yes I get it, he's a liar and a f**boy so what he tells Zephyr may not be true after all on purpose. I know he shouldn't be romanticized but he never acted like a human being.
Regardless, Parker only adds insult to injury when she chooses to give Zephyr absolutely no personality: Chica wants to go to BC but doesn't ever mention a major or her interests or what she wants to do with her life- hell she doesn't even give a shit about Field Hockey even though she's supposed to be really good at it? Because of this, I didn't notice the death of her personality in exchange for the love of her mustache twirling dick of a love-interest.
I'm not questioning Shannon M. Parker's moral character here, only the story that was written. I believe she was just trying to tell a story of how a girl realizes her worth, but failed to do so.
michelle_pink_polka_dot's review
2.0
2.5 Stars
This book in a word-- Meh. I've been wanting to read this since it came out & it was supremely disappointing. I usually love books that show the dark side of love, & I think it's important for teens to know what controlling/abusive behavior looks like. But the writing was... not great. The dialogue made me cringe-- so much teen talk!! And then there was a romance to get over the bad romance, which is my ultimate NO of all NO's.
This book in a word-- Meh. I've been wanting to read this since it came out & it was supremely disappointing. I usually love books that show the dark side of love, & I think it's important for teens to know what controlling/abusive behavior looks like. But the writing was... not great. The dialogue made me cringe-- so much teen talk!! And then there was a romance to get over the bad romance, which is my ultimate NO of all NO's.
emmatilley's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
alienor's review
2.0
Trust me, if there is a book I wish I would have loved, it's this one. From the moment I read the synopsis, I knew that I had to read it : a different take on all the instalove bullshit YA romance is feeding us way too often? Count me in! That's why I can't even express how disappointed and sad I am after closing [b:The Girl Who Fell|22864430|The Girl Who Fell|S.M. Parker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428377532s/22864430.jpg|42431495]. The concept is so interesting and important, but the fact that Alec and Zephyr shows not an ounce of chemistry fails the whole purpose : how am I supposed to believe in their instant attraction if I don't feel any connection with them?
But my biggest issue with [b:The Girl Who Fell|22864430|The Girl Who Fell|S.M. Parker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428377532s/22864430.jpg|42431495] is the fact that Zephyr comes as TSTL and kind of dumb, and I'm pretty sure that it should be the opposite when dealing with someone suffering from an abusive relationship : we should see how hard it is for her to realize that she's been manipulated, that IT'S NOT HER FAULT, but that's not what I saw and it makes me so so pissed - at the book, at myself, at the way this important issue was handled. Oh, yes, of course the book tells us that it's not Zephyr's fault if she's in a relationship with a psycho. Fortunately. But what does it show us? It shows us Zephyr making poor and selfish decisions, as if it was her fault to begin with, and I, for one, can't accept that.
Look, I know that the book is supposed to describe how a relationship can escalate into unhealthy territory without the girl (or the boy, for that matter) being aware of it but honestly, there are SO MANY warnings. Every plot twist is glaringly obvious and I saw them miles away. God, Alec isn't even a master of manipulation, and could have worn a "psycho" sign that his issues wouldn't have been more blatant, even at the beginning of their relationship.
Spoiler
The fact that he convinces her to stay with him instead celebrating her State champion victory with her team (WTF?!), his way of always being somewhere along the way (the park, for instance)Spoiler
The way he kissed another girl? His explanations do not make sense at all. I can't even count how many holes there are in them. He sees her hugging Gregg and then CONVENIENTLY finds another girl to flirt with on a blanket that appeared MAGICALLY at the SAME moment? REALLY?This said, as someone who reacts strongly when manipulated into guilt - I try to work on that, though - I have to admit that some of his pleas seem pretty accurate. See, reading their exchange, it is obvious to me that she's being manipulated into thinking that she did something wrong, but she only sees how upset he is. I understand that, and I wish the book felt more real that way.
Last but not least, what maddened me is the underlying feeling I got that nothing would have happened if only she had accepted her best friend's advances. Ugh, NO. You don't get to imply that. It is damaging, and so untrue, it pisses me off. Perhaps I am wrong to analyze it in that way but in my opinion the book sent these vibes. Not to mention that I didn't quite get how her feelings for Gregg would be filled with confusion like that.
Spoiler
Let me get this straight. She told us that kissing him was like kissing her brother, right? That level of gross. She stated it. Repeatedly. So how comes when he kisses her at the wedding she thinks that things would have changed if he had kissed her "like that" (understand : wonderfully) in October? Is there something I don't know? Is there a moment where your brother's kiss is not gross? I wish I could get this girl. But I can't.Read it and tell me if I'm wrong.
Most of all the story lacked tension, making the book excruciatingly boring to me, especially in the beginning. Their everyday life just didn't hold enough sparks to make me interested, even if I know - I know - that it was written in such a way to parody regular YA romance. Well, good job : it bored me all the same, and I would have wanted to feel despair, angst, SOMETHING. No such luck. If I did like the ending, it felt rushed and didn't make up for the lack of connection I felt throughout the whole book.
Oh, and, before I forget : there's a thing called native speakers. Please use them. I do believe that, with the internet and all, they're not that hard to find. No, Google translation doesn't count. Actually, Google Translation is better than what is written in the book. What? I did my homework :
The first sentence means something, and the second one is grammatically correct at least, even if we would never use "êtes-vous bien?" but rather, "Vous allez bien?" This is still better than this :
"Bonjour mes etudiants. Es-vous bien?"
This shows a complete lack of research about French language. I could forgive the absence of accents, but really? It doesn't even make sense. Also, I speak both French and Latin, and I don't believe that knowing Latin and "educated guessing" can get someone scoring high on the placement test for AP French on Senior year of High-School.
If it is, sorry, but your language course sucks big time.
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