Rating: 
Summary: Fall on your knees(and read the book while you're at it)
Review: I'm not going to lie and say that this book was so breathless and page-turning that I finished it in one sitting. The truth is, I forced myself to take breaks, even though it IS both breathless and page-turning. In short, it's one of the most beautifully written stories I've ever read. BUT...here's the big but...this is also one of the most, well, disturbing story I've ever read. Anyone who finishes this novel will likely never forget the Piper family. Whenever I got the courage to indulge myself in these pages of fabulous dark story-telling, I always left the book feeling...haunted? gloomy? certainly not lighthearted. I had to read, stop and digest...read, stop and digest...repeat. The last 200 pages or so were the only exception, for the simple reason that I just couldn't resist the end of the whole mystery. So, if you're looking for something to read at the end of the day for relaxation, I don't recommend this book. But, if you're up for a story that will overwhelm you, pull you out of your world, play with your emotions, then toss you down and leave you gasping for your breath...please, please don't pass this up!
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Summary: Sisterhood in it's most sincere form.
Review: I have three sisters and this book captures exactly what it means to have siblings. Although we don't like to say it out loud we sometimes favor one over the others, either because they have a bad streak and we want to look out for them or perhaps they're younger and you want to guide them. All the sisters in this book from Kathleen to "other" Lily somehow captures all the different personalities that we can attribute to our siblings. This book is one of those rare finds that you can't put down becuase we hope that there's a good ending for all the sisters. People WITHOUT siblings who were always curious as to what it would be like should read this book because I found myself relating to some of the worries that Mercedes goes through and the naivete that envelopes "other" Lily. Read this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Saga That Spans Generations
Review: This book is certainly worth the money I spent at a used bookstore. This novel by Ann-Marie MacDonald is sweeping, spell-binding and completely amazing. This wonderful story of heritage and family is certainly bold and deep. But, don't let the length scare you away. This book contains everything a sage should have. Characters, plot, story, beautiful language, pace, and a talented writer show that "Fall on Your Knees" is a book that everyone should read. Don't get me wrong, this book isn't a happy story all tied up with ribbons, because it's not. But, it's because of those drama's and flawed characters that make you empathize and feel for the people you're reading about. You'll carry them with you, long after you've read the last page. This is a really wonderful book!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: This book is a compelling read. The beauty of the story lies not only in its poetic imagery but in its surprising twists and turns. In this day and age when you usually know what is going to happen next or where a story is heading well before you really should, this book is full of the delightfully unexpected and the daringly original.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, lyrical, can't-put-down-masterpiece
Review: I read this book for my Canadian Fiction class and thought it would be boring. I was wrong! What hit me first was the beauty of the writing. Then it was the story itself, the attention to detail, and the intense characterization. It held my interest all the way through. I don't understand other reviewers' complaints about it being too dark. I think there was enough humor in the novel to balance out the "dark parts". I'm sorry--but reading about a bunch a happy people just doesn't hold my interest--and that is not realistic anyway. I prefer these kinds of novels over fairy tales. I like characters with flaws. And this book is one of ths best.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read!
Review: Fall on Your Knees is a great read! If your looking for a summer book, this is the one. The story of this family, from their beginning until their deaths (hey, it's the first line of the book, "they're all dead now"), I was hooked. The characters are so well written, and so dynamic. My friend, who has NEVER read a book, read this one, and loved it. She now reads like crazy! A safe book to recommend to friends, and a great gift.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent but a couple of questions...?
Review: I loved the book but have a couple of questions: Why was it Francis' purpose to become pregrnant with Teresa's brother? Why did the father of her baby have to be black? Who was the father of Kathleen's babies? Was Rose a cross-gender person? I loved the characters, loved Materia, loved Francis, can't wait to read more....I read it on the heals of Poisonwood Bible and can see why one would like both! Thanks
Rating:
Summary: Stick with this one to the end-it's worth it!
Review: I have to admit I hit a speed bump in the middle of reading this one; the plot was getting mired and the climax seemed nowhere in sight. HOWEVER, that's about the only flaw I could find with this exquisite, haunting book. This family saga (a Canadian gothic?), full of secrets and complications, is beautifully and powerfully written by the author--and it's all the more stunning considering she deals with some very tough material. Many of the characters aren't likeable per se but as the family struggles through their anguished pasts, you're caught up in the struggle too. The end, once I got to it, was simply incredible and a total surprise. It earned the entire book.
Rating:
Summary: In the tradition of great female Canadian writers . . .
Review: This book hooked me from begining to end. The characters were vivid and remarkable...the kind that stay with you long after you've finished the book. But it was Macdonald's unique and prose that utterly blew me away: a distinct and impressive mix of sheer poetic beauty combined with a dark, often sardonically humorous edge. I can't recommend this book enough! It was given to me by a dear friend who is a fellow Cape Bretoner, and I have also given it to fellow "ex-pat" Cape Bretoners.
Rating:
Summary: dark, yet compelling read...
Review: This book held me thoroughly captive for days. The author's writing is fluid, dream-like, incredibly descriptive; at times, tender and humorous and others, menacingly dark and utterly disturbing. There were times, I wanted to throw the book across the room and not finish it, but I couldn't let it go, no matter how much I felt I should. It was heartwrenching to me. The father in the story is a hateful, despicable character. I day dreamed about what would be the best way to finish him off. I loved Materia and the girls and the sympathetic towns-people. It tore me up to read how James utterly destroyed his wive's and daughter's lives. Frances was my favorite character. I loved how the story slowly unfolded itself, how it went back and forth in time. Just when I thought the book couldn't get any more disturbing, it would. The ending was another twist I didn't forsee. I would love to discuss this book with other people, I just don't know anyone who would enjoy reading it. It will stay with me for a long time, but I won't re-read it. It was too upsetting at times.
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