Rating: 
Summary: Not very good!!!
Review: I did not enjoy reading "Fall on Your Knees". It was a bit confusing, one of those books that you have to read between the lines so much just to understand what is happening. If not, you can get totally lost. To me reading is supposed to be fun, and not work just to understand it. I think authors should just flat out tell you what is going on, and this book didn't do that. I wouldn't recommend this book, especially if you want a leisurely read, don't choose this.
Rating: 
Summary: wonderful epic
Review: At first, I found it hard to get involved in this book. But once I got to know all of the characters, I could not put it down. I am reading these reviews saying that this book is disturbing but I really don't agree. This book is about a family, albeit a dysfunctional one. But I'm sure that there are many families existing today with similar histories. If the main character's biggest problem in a book is not finding a man, then that's really not a great novel. The end of the book grabbed my heart and I shed tears for hours after the ending. For one, because I was sad to say goodbye to the Pipers and also because it just tied up this story like a little bow, and put things at peace. Beautiful!
Rating: 
Summary: ugh...not another father incest and baby death book
Review: At first I thought the book started out with a bang, I couldn't put it down for the first 100 pages, then the reader is hit with the father incest stuff (boring and over done), the baby dying and not one likable character in the book (what was the Francis having a baby for Lily if she didn't even keep it to raise about?!). I kept hoping because the writing was decent that there would eventually be a redeeable person in the book. No luck and I didn't even finish the last twenty pages.
Rating:
Summary: Good writing with a shock-shlock exploitation plot.
Review: The writing carries you along so well that it's not until you've slogged through a good 300 pages that you realize that this is Flowers in the Attic-quality shlock. The "shocks" are, of course, incest and homosexuality. The plot points are, of course, pregnancies. This is Jerry Springer dressed up, as predictable as can be. The lesbian twist barely struggles above exploitation, but is still the most interesting and convincingly written part of the book, possibly because it includes actual emotions.I actually threw this book away when I was done with it, something I rarely do.
Rating:
Summary: Boundless
Review: The best way to describe this book is "boundless." In the spirit of a sublimely horrific gothic novel, Fall on Your Knees shocks, offends, and mesmorizes. The writing is excellent and the story is undeniably original. Like most other Oprah choices, this novel includes just about any kind of trauma and triumph you could possibly imagine, and most you wouldn't want to. MacDonald's ability to smash conventional limits keeps you enthralled and page turning deep into the night.
Rating:
Summary: Fall on your Knees
Review: I am usually a big fan of Oprah's books but this was awful!! I couldn't even finish it. Midway through, 2 main characters die, there is child molestation, infantacide and the maiming of another infant!! It was just too much. LGM
Rating: 
Summary: Unpredictable, yet revealing
Review: Most books are predictable in some way. This book is not. I couldn't put it down and found myself wanting to call in to work to finish it! Some parts are hard to read, but one must to make all the pieces fit together. As the reader goes more deeply into the book, characters that have committed atrocities against the others actually become sympathetic. It takes an excellent writer to do this. Things culminate in a way that is a suprise. So as not to spoil the ending, I'll stop here. Read this book, although it is more of a "chick book," so guys, beware!
Rating:
Summary: A Worthy Read, but Challenging
Review: Beautifully written -- Fall on Your Knees is a good choice for a reader who prefers something fairly (but not overly) complex and literary and who doesn't mind a rather depressing plot line. The characters are meaningfully drawn and well developed and will stay with you long after you turn the last page. The author's masterful use of Nova Scotia as the setting is absolutely perfect (and perfectly rendered) for this dark and disturbing story. A solid selection for your book club.
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: This is one of the greatest stories I have ever read. The first chapter is more like the ending of the book. MacDonald has worked six characters lives into one compelling story. Each person gets his/her own story told which builds up to the single big picture. There is something new happening in every chapter. I laughed, cried, and felt touched by this story. It is a masterpiece to the literary world. This would make a great movie for the Sundance channel. But on the contrary there is no possible way this book could be made into a movie without keeping everything in it. This would make a great mini series though. What a beautiful work of words.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste Your Time on this Depressing Book!
Review: This book is around 500 pages and after over two weeks of reading, I found myself at page 251 and said to myself, no more. Last night I skimmed through the rest of the novel just to see if my hunches were right about the conclusion, which they were, and today, this book is going out of the house. I have never read such a depressing and unneccessary story. The author gives you small snipets into the lives of these poor people so you never get full charactor development. As a result, you don't feel sympathy for them as they endure tragedy after ridiculous tragedy. It doesn't take much to make me cry but I only shed a small tear at a death scene near the end as I had no feelings for these women. I thought the writing style was poor and very hard to read (and I made it through the English Patient and enjoyed it). I love gothic tales but this one is just too dark. Don't waste your time, there are many other good books out there.
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