Monday 3 September 2012

Falling Fast review

Shameless Self Promotion alert! The awesome UKYA website does a series of people's Top Ten UKYA, and mine is on there today! Here's the link if you want to take a peek :)


Falling Fast
Sophie McKenzie
March 1st 2012
Simon & Schuster

When River auditions for a part in an interschool performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself smitten by Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. But Flynn comes from a damaged family—is he even capable of giving River what she wants? The path of true love never did run smooth . . . 

This is real life, not a rehearsal...


Falling Fast is a cute, quick read that I enjoyed, but that didn't really have any lasting impact on me. It also annoyed me a bit, but I think that that's just because I couldn't really connect with either of the main characters. Still, I thought it was okay, and it was just the kind of book I was in the mood for, so.

I kind of wish that I'd liked this book more, because I think that a lot of the problems I had with it were things that no one else really was that bothered about. In fact, I wish I had more feelings about it, because  I'm really struggling to write this review. I just can't think of that much to say... I haven't read any of Sophie's books before, but I know that her other series is meant to be really good, so I'll have to read those and see if they have any more of an impact on me.

The main barrier for me in this book was River and Flynn themselves. I just didn't get them. I didn't understand her need for this big, Romeo + Juliet 'die for you' love. And even if I did, I didn't understand why she would want it with Flynn. I think that River's a Fixer, though. She's one of those people who likes to be with people who are a little bit broken, and who think that their intensity is them being romantic. And though I wish it'd been a different kind of love interest, or a different kind of story, I also think that it's the only kind of relationship that River would be happy with. I just personally don't understand it myself. Then again, I have friends who want to be like R+J, too, so it's not like it's unrealistic. Everybody wants something different, and even if I don't like it, doesn't mean that I should make a big deal out of it.

But I really didn't like Flynn. I get that he's ad a bad life, but he's so unstable it's ridiculous. He has so many issues that River is never going to be able to fix, as much as she wants to. He doesn't need a girlfriend, he needs freaking counselling. And his mood swings were really bad, too. One minute he'd be fine, and the next he'd be shouting at River or just storming off, like he was blaming her for saying things that she had no clue were sensitive topics for him. I know that he doesn't want to be that way, but that doesn't change the fact that if he doesn't start sorting his issues out, then they're probably going to end up it a kind of abusive relationship. NOT GOOD. I don't know if this is just a standalone, or if it's going to be a series or have companion novels, but I do hope that the end wasn't, y'know, the END end. I'd like to see a little more development that isn't them kind of ignoring any issues they have.

But, I'm one of the only people that had these problems with it, and I'm probably reading too much into it anyway (I think that it was kind of the point of the book, and wasn't done in an unintentional way like it is when it pisses me off most, so it didn't annoy me as much as it usually would), so if you're into comtemps and are looking for something that won't take up much of your time to read, then you should read this. I actually really liked the whole idea about them meeting at the play (it sounds a bit cheesy, I know), but I liked the fact that River was cast as Juliet, and I liked that River was kind of shy and  not snarky all the time, because I love me some snark, but sometimes I need a break from main characters that are so witty all the time. It makes me jealous that I can't come up with comebacks that sharp and funny in seconds like they can. Not that I ever really have much of a use for comebacks, but still, it'd be nice.

I also really liked River's friends, Emmy and Grace, but that's probably because I definitely would've taken their side on the who Flynn thing. And, like them, I would've dropped it in the end because I wanted to see my friend happy even if I didn't really like who they were going out with. I liked how they stayed good friends with River, even if there were some times where it looked like there might be a rift forming. I liked how Emmy went with River's plan at the end of the book (even if it was an AWFUL idea), and seeing them all actually stay friends by the end of the book. 

Falling Fast was a sweet, fast read, and even if I couldn't really get on with the main characters, I do still think it's worth checking out if you're in the mood for something easy and romantic to read.

5 comments:

  1. I had the exact same feelings about Falling Fast as you! I thought it was a cute read, but 'meh' it didn't really have any lasting impact on me either and I found it hard to find much to write about in my review too. River, Flynn and their relationship also rather annoyed me :/

    But most of Sophie McKenzie's stuff is actually good, I normally really like her books. My favourites are Girl, Missing and Blood Ties - you should give those a go :)

    Catherine x

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  2. I felt the same about this book! I really didn't like Flynn for most of the book either, and I also couldn't help associating River with River Song which made me immediately dislike her ;P But apart from her name, she was okay... ;) Great review!

    You should try Girl, Missing and The Medusa Series- I read them a few years ago now but I remember enjoying them :) They're definitely Sophie's better books!

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  3. Blood Ties has been my favourite SMcK so far. I quite liked River though I love River Song :).

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  4. This sounds good! I haven't seen it around at all, I may have to add it to my list! Great review!

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  5. I'm a bit on the fence about this one--I liked Sophie McKenzie's other books (espesh Blood Ties) and the author herself is LOVELY. I think I'll try it anyway, because of the other books and all. I don't want to be left feeling like it didn't really make an impression on me though... :/

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