Rating: 
Summary: .....Prayer for a happy death.....
Review: Dont let the thickness of this book completely take your interest to read it, for it is a gigantic mistery full of suspicion and astonishing secrets. Ann-Marie MacDonald can be catagorized as an explicit author because of her utilization of detailed imagery and dialouges free of adverbial phrases thoroughly throughout the novel, creating a vivid picture of the scenes and the emotions of each character in the mind of the reader. The main argument that differentiates this novel from others is how the author alters the basic concept of a family, which is composed of a mother and father living happily with one another and their joyful children sharing the same love and care as a whole. However, Ann-Marie grasps this universal belief and modifies it in such way that the idea of love and care remains but with a warped sense of reality between each other and their lives. The secrets within mistifies the reader to realize the odd and complex sense of the family structure. Ann-Marie successfully manipulates the sense of equilibrium by distorting emotion. She manages to counteract the idealistic views of a family.
Rating: 
Summary: Grim, Grimmer, Grimmest!
Review: Ugh! What a mess this book is! How can anyone write hundreds of pages of unrelenting misery, suffered by unbearable, unrealistic characters? I was most interested in Materia and in Kathleen --until the author killed them and ran off into a miasma of sick, dark, implausible "plot twists." Yeah, twisted is right! Child prostitution, incest, domestic violence, insanity, transgenderism--for pity sake.... That final 100 pages or so was nothing but an insult to the readers(like me) who've slogged through, hoping against hope for *some* redemption...
Rating:
Summary: Sorry I spent so much time reading this book
Review: I am saddened that this book is an international besteller. Ms. Macdonald has a lovely writing style. It's too bad she wasted her writing skills on these lowly, perverted characters. It's hard to believe that thousands of people felt this was interesting stuff. It does not say alot about our world when homosexuality and incest are good reading material. It was like watching a movie and when you were finished you wished you had not wasted your time.
Rating: 
Summary: What Is Wrong With Redemptive Fiction Now and Then?!!
Review: If you want a redemptive story featuring characters that are "real" but not consumed by incest or rapists (i.e. a challenging, yet ultimately uplifting, inspiring story), skip Fall on Your Knees and instead pick up "In the Fall" by Jeffrey Lent or "Shade of the Maple" by Kirk Martin. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am by Oprah's pick - a dark, depressing, unwieldy story.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: An outstanding novel, big, mystical and awe inspiring. I could not put it down . . .read it in 2 days. The other negative reviews are surprising. This is a well written and thoughtful book.
Rating:
Summary: One of the most painful books I've ever read
Review: (some spoilers here... be careful!)
I've been meaning to write about this book for some time, but I keep putting it out of my mind. In fact, that's how it was reading it. When I had it in my hands I was insatiable, sucking down the wordsmithing of the author, enjoying the way she presents and re-presents ideas in different lights and voices. Amazingly good writing. It's a rare thing.
But the content is ... depressing. Contemptable. Predictable, even. The central family is so tragic that it is actually funny at times. And then I feel embarrassed for laughing. The father is a pedophile. The mother is one of the most sympathetic characters I've ever seen. Then Frances, the filthy woman-child, becomes the center. But not quite... Lily is a beautifully drawn character, as are all the girls. Oh, and Rose. I could love Rose. Who wouldn't? so many artfully done views of the characters! Ya love 'em, ya hate 'em. But when I would put the book down it was days before I could pick it up again.
I have to compare it with Grapes of Wrath, the way it moves between generations. There are no surprises in this book, just layers of misery. And that's not a criticism, rather an observation about this book. I think some readers were looking for some great discovery, only to find that they already knew what was going on.
I was surprised when the weight was somehow lightened at the end. Like the disgruntled debutante finding peace at her 20 year highschool reunion, when the son shows up with the family tree there is a kind of warm nostalgia... Makes you wish you could hear the piano stylings of Daddy Rose...
Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: I had high hopes for this book. For one, it says "novel" on the cover, and two, Oprah picked it for her book club. I admit that after i saw it on her show i had to pick up the book. I had expected it to be as great as they said it was. However, I am smack in the middle of the book struggling my way to finish so that I may start my lord of the rings series. Not only does this book take forever to get to the point, but it has really horrible grammar for a published writer. Yes i will struggle a little more and try to make my money's worth for this book, but I highly doubt that it will end any differently than the begginning..which is very confusing..she's dead then she's alive oh opps she's dead again.. a little confused? don't get this book! trust me it's a waste of money.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocore
Review: This was my first Oprah book. It was a huge disappointment. I figured out all of the "secrets" in the book early on. The story was told in a slow, predictable manner. The most interesting part were the sections from Kathleen's diary. I would not recommend this book - there are so many other great fiction novels out there.
Rating:
Summary: Good beginning...boring end
Review: I enjoyed the beginning of the story very much. It all centered around the early history of the Piper family, Materia's family and the little town of Cape Breton. But something just went wrong in the middle and as far as the end, I really didn't enjoy it at all, in fact I just skimmed through it. There was something about telling the whole conclusion in a diary format and in the past tense that really just didn't work for me. By the time the whole mystery of Katherine in New York unfolded, I didn't care. I am not sorry I read it, but it just ended badly.
Rating:
Summary: fall on YOur Knees
Review: Fall on Your Knees before you buy this book. Stop Yourself..it is a maudelin wordy recap of a very sick daddy and helpless females that can't find a brain cell to get them out of their perverse situations. Are you a fan of listless women with no guts or intelligence? Do you love stories about sick daddies who sleep with their daughters?? A story of characters with complete lack of a moral compass? Hate Redemption..actual plots and well written sentences..then buy this book. I thought this would be less sick and senseless than most of the other Oprah picks..I was wrong. There are smart, right thinking moral folks out their who do not have incest as a skeleton..healthy folks can make for a great story ..go buy Peace Like a River...
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