Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: While I'm Falling
Author: Laura Moriarty
Publisher: Hyperion
ISBN-13: 978-1-4013-0272-6 (Hardcover)
Release Date: August 2009
Genre/Sub-genre: Fiction
Year/Setting: Present day, Kansas
Overall Rating: 2.0/3.0
Sexual Content Rating: Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None/Mild
Violent Content Rating: None/Mild (Physical) - Moderate/Extreme (Mental)
Laura's Website: www.lauramoriarty.com
Dear Readers:
This is one of those difficult books for me to give an overall rating to, for the simple fact that even though I didn't like this, there are many who come from divorced/broken homes that would understand and appreciate what Ms. Moriarty has written.
This is a very personal book where Veronica, who is the daughter of divorce, is in college. She is a junior who works as a counselor at the dorm in order to get a free room. She absolutely hates her job, and boy is she bad at it. There are many that she could talk to and help, but she chooses to be so full of herself and her own heart-breaking life, that she doesn't give aide to the girls who need her.
Anyway, she has a wonderful boyfriend who really loves her and supports her in anything she chooses to do. When he brings up one night that he'd like her to move in with him, the nightmare of the failed marriage of her parents leads her to not only hesitate about the situation, but she also goes and does something stupid in a veiled attempt to get rid of the man who cares for her.
One day, after a car accident, Veronica is placed in a horrific situation where she calls her mother for help. Mom, of course, wrapped up in her own mind that is obviously slipping into the void of "crazy" hangs up on her own daughter, leaving her to deal with the life-threatening situation herself. These people are so preoccupied with what forced their lives apart - that they can't see the family around them who wants to help them through the dark times.
Veronica seems to be doing everything she can to self-destruct - like her mother. When her mother shows up at her dorm and begs her for help, the tables turn. Frankly, the only one I liked in this whole book was the dog. I felt bad that the poor animal had to be anywhere near these people. Don't get me wrong, the writer writes well. The situations are frightening, the locations are described in detail, and, obviously, she gets her point across which is what her job ultimately is.
But, again, I am not familiar with divorce. I've never experienced the ups and downs that come from a family splitting up around me, and I can only say to that - Thank God. I feel horrible for anyone who feels so little about themselves or so worthless that they have to become these individuals who can't feel anything for the people around them. Yes, it all ends up nice and fixed, and there is some humor between the lines, but, unfortunately, I just couldn't feel sorry for any of them. They didn't need me to. They already had that in spades.
If you have a background in this subject, this book will perhaps make you understand a bit more about what breaks up a family and what happens to a group of people who once - and, still do, in their own strange way - love each other.
Until next time, Amy
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