The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Title: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Year of Publication: 2012
Genre: Science Fiction, YA
Pages: 309

First Line: "Leo, it's about six hours since you've left the island."

Summary: It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they're old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. And then you're dead.  When sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her best friend leave for school without saying good-bye, she never dreams that she might not see him again.  But then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community, infecting young and old alike. As the dead pile up, the government quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one cam come back.  Those still healthy must fight for the island's dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of the people she holds dearest, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save those she loves. Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Source: Back of book.

Review:  This novel reminded me a lot of Michael Grant's Plague (third in the Gone series), except adults were present in this story.  I did not particularly like or dislike this book yet still found it difficult to put down and read it quickly, despite the fluctuating pace.  Some characters were definitely more rounded than others, which was irritating but understandable given the rest of the content which necessitated truly secondary and tertiary characters.  I feel Crewe left a lot of the philosophy which she could have included out.  This allows the reader to do more of the thinking on their own, but it also makes the reader do a lot of the work as far as which direction to go in, as there are so many.  After reading the novel, I felt somewhat unsatisfied regarding many plot points and wondered if there might be a sequel, but have decided (without any research, mind) that there probably will not (or at least should not) be a sequel.  Crewe's main character, Kaelyn, was believable and likable.  Though I didn't love the method of telling the story (through an as-far-as-we-know unsent letter/series of letters to her best friend), I did think it was something a little different and appreciated the effort in the idea.  Overall worth the time for a nice summer read that was not entirely brain candy.


Disliked: Too many questions were left unanswered by the end.

Liked:  The romance in the novel was not over the top or the main focus of the story which was a nice change.  I expect this had something to do with the fact that the letters were supposed to be for Kaelyn's best friend, but it might have just been the author's decision regardless of context.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Other Books by This Author: Give Up the Ghost


Author's Website: Megan Crewe