Reviews

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

andrearbooks's review against another edition

3.0

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley was a book that ultimately was a little flat for me. All the ingredients for a great thriller were there, and I just felt like there was so much potential unrealized. That said, this book focuses on a plane crash. A rich and prominent family, the flight crew, and a "down on his luck" painter (that's from the description of the book, not me) are on a small plane that crashes. The only survivors are the painter and one of the family's young children. Then, the questions begin. Why was the painter there? What happened? Is there more to this story? The book explores the story of each of the people of the plane focusing on before and up to the last moments of the plane. It also follows the investigation as evidence is discovered. It was interesting at times, but ultimately, this just didn't have enough twists and turns of drama (especially in the ending) for me.

agmaynard's review against another edition

1.0

Pretty poor in a number of ways, such as misogyny 

leyza052's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

findyourgoldenhour's review against another edition

3.0

Definitely a good book for this genre. I listened to this one, and the audible version was really good. 3.5 (c'mon goodreads, give us the ability to rate half stars!)

edottiffany's review against another edition

3.0

3.5

nsmith521's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

2.5

killa2022's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

sarahnodarseowen's review against another edition

2.0

I have never—read a book—with so—many—em dashes. Seriously, the most glaringly obvious and distracting thing. The dialogue was unrealistic throughout, and the many many pages waxing poetic and repeating (almost word for word) themes and opinions added up to a book that was far too long. There was nothing creating empathy for the characters, who mostly just float around and live inside their own heads, occasionally pretending to care about others. The ending felt like such a cop out, perpetuating violence against women in a novel that could've had a very compelling resolution.

megatronix's review against another edition

5.0

What a wild ride of a novel. One of the reviews on the back of the book talked about mistrusting everyone, but still caring about them, and I can't help but agree. The way the story brings you through the lives of all the victims one by one just to say "they lived, and now they're dead" was really... oof.

And the way that JJ just automatically bonds with the man who saved him is SO HEARTWRENCHING. This book seriously just tugged all my heartstrings in so many ways.

readyxaimsxfire's review against another edition

2.0

I must first state that everything in my head told me to rate this book as two stars, but I did get super engrossed in the backstory for some of the characters and that's the *only* thing that bumped up the rating.

Why oh why must authors keep ruining good books with endings that shoot straight out of left field? Endings that don't match with where they were taking the reader? Endings that are so poorly done they ruin the lasting good impressions one has of the rest of the book?

Just stop doing it! Stop trying to force the "twist ending"!!! There doesn't have to be some big surprise bombshell or sleeper cell to make your story good!!!