Title: Fallen - Book 1
Series: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Publication: December 8, 2009
There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her
Ashley's Review:
What can I say about Fallen? Let me start by saying I had very low expectations from the start due to some of the reviews I had read previously. It seems as if you would either love it or hate it. I thought ok some people really don’t like this book, but didn't really get the reasoning behind it. It’s simple really, there is a complete lack of character development and nothing throughout the book makes you feel like it’s a believable story. I have read some books that I realize are not the best books, I mean some are not even good…but in those books I have found I have at least been entertained throughout the story. I would say they would be more of a guilty pleasure *cough* Blue Bloods. In Fallen it felt like a chore to even get through. Why it is 452 pages? I am not sure because absolutely nothing happens. Sure there are a few points made throughout the book, but yet I left it feeling like there was no point to the story.
Lauren Kate attempted to bring all the usual characters in her story, but unfortunately they were completely flawed from beginning to end. There was the pathetic teenage girl who felt like she was the reason for all destruction around her, the bad boy mentality, the good guy, the weird girl, the girl that just wants a friend and of the course the villain that you never saw coming. At one point the villain who shall remain nameless says “When you die tonight — you die. That’s it. Kaput.” This really jumped out at me because I thought did that really just happen?! Who says that?! I will say the characters had potential, but I feel as if the story jumped around A LOT. One minute she was bff’s with one character, the next with the other and then there were the characters that really played no part in the story at all, yet there they were on the sidelines. Luce was a complete boy crazy girl and I totally get that being a teenager, but considering her past experiences it seems very quick for her to be checking out new guys.
I believe the idea behind the story had a lot of potential, but once on paper it just didn’t work. At the end of the book when I had roughly 20 ages left, I was so over it that I only skimmed through and read the dialog. This is definitely a first. I am not sure yet if this depiction of an Angel story will sway me all future Angel stories, we will see. At this point, I have no interest. I feel like a total basher, but hey I don’t want anyone to suffer through what I just experienced. Consider this a warning! How she will recover in Torment, I am not sure…but I can tell you I will not even attempt to find out.
The movie is really coming together with an all-star cast. As we all know Jennifer Lawrence will play the beloved Katniss and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta. If you have not seen them on the big screen yet, check out Jennifer in Winters Bone and Josh in The Kids Are Alright. Liam Hemsworth will be Gale Hawthorne, known for his role in The Last Song. We now have all 12 District’s tributes casted! Gary Ross seriously has his head down and working his hardest to start production! You may recognize a few of the tribute’s faces. Of District 1, Glimmer is Levin Rambin who most recently played in One Tree Hill, but was previously on a few episodes of Grey’s Anatomy. If you have seen her in either of these series, I am sure you all will agree she will make a perfect Glimmer! Marvel will be played by Jack Quaid, Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan’s son! Isabelle Fuhrman, the star of the movie Orphan will be Clove of District 2. As well as Alexander Ludwig as Cado. He was in Race to Witch Mountain, but you may also have seen him in the contestant feeds to play Jace Wayland. We are going to see several fresh face newcomers as well as several stunt actors/actresses for the remaining Districts, along with Prim and Mrs. Everdeen.
