Rating: 
Summary: A richly layered dramatic masterpiece
Review: "Fall on Your Knees" will take you through highs and lows as a reader. The beginning is a little slow, but it definitely picks up. You feel as though you truly know the characters by the end, and I wanted to read more. Parts are dark and it's definitely not meant for a "light" read. Ann-Marie McDonald did a wonderful job of creating the characters' lives as well as the setting in rich detail. This book is a great read and will shock you right to the end.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful and captivating
Review: This book was hard to grasp through about the first 100 pages. But it was worth hanging in there. This was a great novel with a lot of twists. You have to pay attention to everything. MacDonald's talent for keeping the plots intwined is remarkable. I have to say that the last 200 pages were the best! - full of surprises. Yes, some of the book was disturbing but it created a provacative and powerful read.
Rating: 
Summary: Loved It, loved it, loved it
Review: This was the most amazing story I have read in a long time. I bought the book on a Friday and had it read by the following Wednesday. I was pulled into the story by the complexity of the characters and the ever changing plot. I couldn't wait to see what the characters were going to do next. They became so real to me, I could almost see them standing next to me living the story. Highly recommend this book to any reader who wants to find a fulfilling book that leaves you amazed at the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Dark?
Review: There are many disturbing themes in this book (mainly incest), but it is not (in my opinion) a depressing story, because the writing style of the author sort of lightens the tragic events so that the blow is softened for the reader. Some parts of the story were even quite funny; for example, the passages about James' and Materia's naive expectations about marriage. Furthermore, the author did an excellent job of creating three dimensional characters- in spite of the horrible, unforgivable acts that many of them committed (James in particular), there are still aspects of each of them somehow make even the worst of them somewhat sympathetic. I just didn't find the story of the Piper family to be so dark; on the contrary, in spite of the incredible dysfunction that marked their lives, the sisters showed remarkable strength and courage. Yes, you mourn for what their lives could have been, but at the same time, you are inspired by their perseverance.
Rating:
Summary: Just read it!
Review: From the moment you read the first sentence, "They're all dead now", you can't help but be hooked. The introduction alone, "Silent Pictures", tells you just enough about the setting and the family to make you curious enough to want to read more. The story has an eerie quality to it, and the words are smooth and almost seductive, flowing into each other so effortlessly that before you know it you are mindlessly turning the page, and when you finally look at a clock you realize you have been reading for hours.
Rating:
Summary: why all the confusion about this book?
Review: I happened to catch the Oprah where they were discussing this book months ago and just now got around to reading it. Judging by that show and several other reviews, people seem to have had a hard time following the narrative here. That baffles me! MacDonald has laid out a very complicated but very neatly tied up story. By the end, I found all my questions answered-- and I must say, I anticipated many of the "surprises." MacDonald is just so very good at giving us juicy hints all along the way-- on everything from James attachment to Kathleen to the relationship between Rose and Kathleen. The trick is, you just have to hold the whole thing in your head as you're pacing through it. MacDonald gives us absolutely no excess information so anything that strikes the reader as out of the ordinary is a clue-- it's important! And she uses short declarative sentences addressed directly to the reader when she really wants us to pay attention. This is an astonishing piece of jigsaw puzzling. And to me, the parts that might seem "vague" are really just more poetic-- and what a welcome respite! Otherwise, the relentless and heart-rending blood and brutality of this book would be hard to stomach. As it stands, it's a clear, if meandering, narrative that does not condescend to its reader. Yes, I had to do some work myself to follow her but I found that work exceedingly rewarding.
Rating:
Summary: Difficult to keep the story straight!
Review: I struggled through about 3/4ths of this book before deciding that it just wasn't worth finishing. I liked the story, but it was a difficult read.
Rating:
Summary: Depressing and Creative
Review: As I read this book over a period of 2 weeks, I found it to be compelling,as well as,unpredictable and in some instances unbelievable. The author developed compelling characters who were understandably flawed, extremely neurotic and in some cases attempted to redeem themselves and in other cases revelled in their pathologies. The author also managed to integrate her commentary on the Catholic church, race, incest and a multitude of other social issues within the story using historical and cultural references. The story stretches one's imagination to the limits and in spite of myself was fascinated by her creative way of giving her readers a memorable literary roller coaster ride. Hold onto your hat!
Rating:
Summary: Depressing, but compelling and unforgetable
Review: It took me about 100 pages to get into this book, but once I did, I could not put it down. While I wasn't reading it, the characters stayed in my thoughts until I could read again and find out what happened to them. It definitley is dark and somewhat depressing, but I just had to find out what happens to everyone.Its been 6 months since I read this book and I still think about it. I gave it to my friend to read and not only did she finish it over a weekend, but asked to keep it so she could read it again. It took me longer than a weekend to finish, but I would and have recommended this compelling tale.
Rating:
Summary: About a 3 1/2
Review: I didn't want to read this book. When I ran out of things to read, I read this book. It was confusing. When I got into it though, I had to do a little back reading to straighten it all out, but this is a good book. Don't read it with distractions.
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