beccalarose's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe if something happened in this book, it wouldn't have been so tedious. Or maybe if it hadn't been SO long. Not the worst thing I've read... but far from anything amazing.
sambiina's review against another edition
4.0
I am torn on what to rate this! On the one hand, I really enjoyed it. It added to the original story in a unique and clever way. I liked Madeline as a character and enjoyed her progression throughout the book. On the other hand, I did have a few problems with the length and parts of the plot not making much sense.
3.75 stars for now, I think.
3.75 stars for now, I think.
moonlightjuju's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really loved this book, so much that I finished it in one sitting (breaks included). It was a very interesting take on Poe’s The Fall Of House Usher and readers are left rooting for Maddie.
siobhan27's review against another edition
3.0
I really do not know how to review this book, because the more I say about it, the more I will ruined it for those that want to read it later. Well first off let me tell you that this book is capital C Creepy. While I was reading it I think I had a permanent weirded out look on my face that my husband questioned on an hourly basis. This creepy factor was the best part of the book because it kept you guessing from beginning to end. At time I had no idea what was going on and I felt like i was watching one of the horror movies I seriously hate because they scare the crap out of me!
My favorite part of the book were the characters. Of course we have our usually characters. the Family itself, but there was another character that I loved even more. The house. Throughout the book it became its own kind of character and I love that. It added another part of the mystery and it became something we dreaded as readers because every time the house was mad, something horrible would happen. This was the best part of the whole reading experience because this character was the most unpredictable of them all. We had no idea what was going to happen and it was that unknown that made this book as creepy as it was. The mystery element of the curse upon the Usher family and what that means for Madeline and her twin brother. This mystery curse kept me reading until the end because I wanted to why it effected every generation of Usher so strongly.
The writing style in this book was one of the things that took me out of the story on more than one occasion. I was not a fan of the flow of the book because I found it hard to follow at times. It was very disconnected and all over the place at tomes and n the end it left me feeling quote distracted. I usually love Bethany's writing but this time I was a bit disappointed. I wanted more from the story itself and in the end the writing style is the reason I gave the book threatening I did.
My favorite part of the book were the characters. Of course we have our usually characters. the Family itself, but there was another character that I loved even more. The house. Throughout the book it became its own kind of character and I love that. It added another part of the mystery and it became something we dreaded as readers because every time the house was mad, something horrible would happen. This was the best part of the whole reading experience because this character was the most unpredictable of them all. We had no idea what was going to happen and it was that unknown that made this book as creepy as it was. The mystery element of the curse upon the Usher family and what that means for Madeline and her twin brother. This mystery curse kept me reading until the end because I wanted to why it effected every generation of Usher so strongly.
The writing style in this book was one of the things that took me out of the story on more than one occasion. I was not a fan of the flow of the book because I found it hard to follow at times. It was very disconnected and all over the place at tomes and n the end it left me feeling quote distracted. I usually love Bethany's writing but this time I was a bit disappointed. I wanted more from the story itself and in the end the writing style is the reason I gave the book threatening I did.
pwbalto's review against another edition
3.0
http://somethingwickedcomesofage.tumblr.com/post/101692416170/the-fall-by-bethany-griffin
jacy_jean's review against another edition
3.0
Though I had no clue what was going on for most of it, The Fall was amazing. I liked how it was written in a lot of short chapters rather than long ones.
pisceanparagraphs's review against another edition
4.0
Despite the fact that I was confused the majority of the time I was reading this, I enjoyed this book very much. It was creepy and bizarre, just what I like to read.
jkreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The Fall follows Madeline Usher as she grows up in her historical family home, studied by doctors as she inherits the family illness. Madeline, like her mother before her, suffers "fits" at random moments, completely taken out of reality while they last. She speaks to her house, the only entity she has ever truly felt consistent love from, and it responds by convincing her that she never wants to leave. When her twin brother, Roderick, is sent away for school, she falls even deeper into the grasp of the house and uses her perception of its love for her to justify her staying there.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I picked it up as a part of a book club I joined at my school, and I read our first 100 page section in the hour I had between school and work that very day. The pacing, particularly in the beginning, is truly phenomenal. The disjointed narrative following Madeline for only a couple pages at a time and jumping to different years keeps the reader engaged, and I could hardly put down the book because I wanted to know what was to come next. As Madeline grows madder by the chapter, the reader feels very similar as they only get pieces of the story at a time. This narrative method also sets up suspense and excitement for the more put together and chronological telling of her 17- and 18-year-old years.
As for the characters, I loved reading from Madeline's perspective. As someone who has never left her house, she has a sense of innocence and naivety up until the moments she begins to distrust the house. She is sympathetic in her search for love and acceptance, and the reader is drawn in to the way she acts and feels. When Dr. Winston comes to the house and shows her a little attention, it is sweet to see her finally feel like someone will pay attention to her, but it makes it all the more painful in the end when he himself goes mad and becomes her worst nightmare.
I love the way the book sets up the connection to the inspiration of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. I read a summary of the short story in anticipation of my book club's fourth meeting, and the way the book ends is so perfect for the source material. The entire novel sets up the fall that is to happen, and introduces you to all the major players. Just like in the original story, the roommate shows up to try and help Roderick, meeting his sister for the first time and becoming desperate to help his friend. When Madeline crawls out of the coffin and confides in him her plan to destroy the house, he is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Ushers. In the end, he gets out and watches the house fall with the twins inside, but goes back to try and find them.
I think it was all the more powerful that Griffin made Madeline's interaction with the non-Ushers that truly seemed to care for her limited. Emily was probably the best person in Madeline's life for a while, but she was not around for long. Even Noah was like a breath of fresh air for her, but he only truly came around in her final moments. Madeline always felt this sense of loneliness, and it was that abandonment and lack of love that drove her to embrace the house and the madness in the first place.
Though my review may not be the most articulate thing in the world, I really just want to say that I liked this book a whole lot. I had some trouble getting through some parts of the middle, but when I actually took the time to pick it up I could not put it down. Griffin did a lovely job creating such a grim and bleak reading atmosphere, and it was perfect to read around this time of year. Overall, I enjoyed this read and am so excited to discuss my final thoughts in book club.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I picked it up as a part of a book club I joined at my school, and I read our first 100 page section in the hour I had between school and work that very day. The pacing, particularly in the beginning, is truly phenomenal. The disjointed narrative following Madeline for only a couple pages at a time and jumping to different years keeps the reader engaged, and I could hardly put down the book because I wanted to know what was to come next. As Madeline grows madder by the chapter, the reader feels very similar as they only get pieces of the story at a time. This narrative method also sets up suspense and excitement for the more put together and chronological telling of her 17- and 18-year-old years.
As for the characters, I loved reading from Madeline's perspective. As someone who has never left her house, she has a sense of innocence and naivety up until the moments she begins to distrust the house. She is sympathetic in her search for love and acceptance, and the reader is drawn in to the way she acts and feels. When Dr. Winston comes to the house and shows her a little attention, it is sweet to see her finally feel like someone will pay attention to her, but it makes it all the more painful in the end when he himself goes mad and becomes her worst nightmare.
I love the way the book sets up the connection to the inspiration of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. I read a summary of the short story in anticipation of my book club's fourth meeting, and the way the book ends is so perfect for the source material. The entire novel sets up the fall that is to happen, and introduces you to all the major players. Just like in the original story, the roommate shows up to try and help Roderick, meeting his sister for the first time and becoming desperate to help his friend. When Madeline crawls out of the coffin and confides in him her plan to destroy the house, he is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Ushers. In the end, he gets out and watches the house fall with the twins inside, but goes back to try and find them.
I think it was all the more powerful that Griffin made Madeline's interaction with the non-Ushers that truly seemed to care for her limited. Emily was probably the best person in Madeline's life for a while, but she was not around for long. Even Noah was like a breath of fresh air for her, but he only truly came around in her final moments. Madeline always felt this sense of loneliness, and it was that abandonment and lack of love that drove her to embrace the house and the madness in the first place.
Though my review may not be the most articulate thing in the world, I really just want to say that I liked this book a whole lot. I had some trouble getting through some parts of the middle, but when I actually took the time to pick it up I could not put it down. Griffin did a lovely job creating such a grim and bleak reading atmosphere, and it was perfect to read around this time of year. Overall, I enjoyed this read and am so excited to discuss my final thoughts in book club.