Rating: 
Summary: My favorite novel of all time!
Review: And that's not an exaggeration. "Fall on your Knees" is an absolutely amazing feat of skillful narration. That is what I love most about this book...the devastatingly clever and wry, furtively honest and poetry-beautiful voice of the third-person narrator. This is storytelling at its best -- the reader gets hooked in and cares about the fates and thoughts of even the most depraved characters. The author moves seamlessly between many, many viewpoints, and the effect is incredible. She makes it look easy.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING
Review: This story was absolutely amazing. Beautifully written....I couldn't put the book down. Definitely one of my favourites. A must read!!!! Stunning!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: "Fall on your Knees" Falls Short
Review: Fall on your Knees is like watching a car wreck. You can't stop, though you know you should. No good feelings will come out of watching the wreck or reading this book. Afterwards you can't stop thinking about it although you know you should be doing and thinking about other things. All the main characters are tragically flawed whether inherently or due to circumstances. Whatever the case is, their lives proceed to the benefit of none and more than likely to the detriment to those around them. Not a feel good book. But if you are in the mood to poke your eyeballs out with a hot poker, you will enjoy this twisted family saga immensely.
Rating:
Summary: DISAPPOINTED
Review: This book started out different and interesting by James marrying a Lebanese 12 year old girl. About a 1/3 way through the book it goes downhill. The writing is meandering and choppy with stupid conversations between characters. The story seems surreal with all the weird stuff happening and does not quite gel. I didn't enjoy the Lesbian angle. It seems like many "modern" books centered on womens' trials and trevails have to throw in a Lesbian relationship because "only women understand women." Yuck. I usually keep all the books that come into my house but I think this one will go to Goodwill.
Rating:
Summary: Not enough research
Review: This book is very out of touch with Catholicisim. Only in the past few years have SOME churches taken to putting a body in water. Before that, a little of it was poured onto the head. Could a 5 year old really hold those babies in her gown? Why not take the easy way and use a sink or bathtub? For that matter she could have gotten a cup of water and used that. I have never heard of a 5 year old having been confirmed. She hadn't even made her first communion!Another beef I have with the religion part is they were going to have Lily exorcised. Really! This has just about never been done and not in the 20th century - not much. Very sloppy research but an interesting story even though it is really into Catholic bashing. The writer has a way with words and a good imagination but should be more careful with her research.
Rating: 
Summary: If a rating of LESS than 1 star was available...
Review: This book would earn it! If you enjoy reading poorly written, endless graphic accounts of incest, death, homosexuality, then this book is for you. I selected it because it was on Oprah's List. There are plenty of uplifting, truly interesting books to read. Don't waste your time on this one.
Rating:
Summary: i dont even know what to say
Review: i sat down to read this book with the greatest expectations.. a few people had recommended it.. as i read i noticed great attention to the small details.. but at only 11 pages into the book i was suprised to see that ann-marie had not done her research.. when writing it is important to research the topic. "...took off his jacket and began to work... he had already removed a few ivory keys and was bent behind the pianos gap toothed smile..".. being as i play the piano and have seen the piano tuner at work many times.. i know that the piano keys DO NOT come off of a piano.. i found it hard to finish the rest of the book.. but managed to pull it off.. all in all a good book.. but sloppily arranged
Rating:
Summary: YET ANOTHER DISTURBING BOOK
Review: Some readers have praised the writing as lyrical and wonderful. I find that this kind of choppy writing which goes back and forth between time periods, sometimes talking about characters that have yet to be introduced...is an annoyance and a gimmick that has been overused in the past 25 years. Quit switching back and forth and just write a good story! More importantly, I was so disturbed by the content that I really felt I needed to take a shower in some parts. The childbirth scene and ritualistic baptisms were really nauseating. I was also turned off by the depiction of the Catholic religion. Catholicism is portrayed (yet again) as a sick, guilt-inducing, superstitious religion that makes people act very strange. I am a Catholic and I am sick of reading these stereotypes!!!!!This book was chosen for my neighborhood book club and I am very interested to hear what the others think. ...
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Read In A Variety Of Ways
Review: I've ready many of Oprah's picks & I was reluctant to read this one, due to the setting & when it took place. The more I read, the more I loved it. It has so many facets: I laughed, I was sad, I was angry at times, confused, and slightly surprised.
Many people wonder as to why Oprah always picks these books where there's so much drama & turmoil w/in the story. I'm finding that to read a story such as this where a character can go through such difficult, almost unbearable times, it's even more inspirational to me.
I was so sad to see this book end. It's been four days now & I've yet to start another book. Still can't get these wonderful people out of my head.
Also, I must add I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue between the sisters when they were little, specifically Frances, Mercedes, & Lily. What a pistol that Frances was! I was laughing out loud.
So many twists & turns in this story, you'll never predict the outcome.
Please read this! You will not be disappointed. A great cold weather read!!
Rating:
Summary: a painfully unsatisfying read
Review: This book was very difficult to get through. The dysfunction of the Piper family was very disturbing and the novel didn't have any redeeming qualities to make up for it. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
| 
