Started 1/5/20
I decided to read this at the behest of my then girl friend as I knew it was her favorite book. In fact, it was what inspired me asking her to choose half my TBR this month (from my shelf). I choose to read Fall on Your Knees first of course. I am happy it is not disappointing. I am thoroughly enjoying following this family through the generations. It is a hard hitting family drama fraught with abuse, tragedy, and loss. I love a good character drama, and even more than that, I love a good domestic drama.
Ann-Marie MacDonald writes beautifully, and it is easy to get lost in her writing. She has an expert way of convey the naivety of the young girls in the story as we watch them grow into young women. I can definitely see how some people might not enjoy this, but it is exactly because the story is so tragic and real that makes it so enjoyable.
My biggest issue with the book is the length. I don’t exactly understand the overall structure. We have jumped from one member of the family to the next, but I would like to see a more cohesive message beyond the suffering of young woman as they learn to come into their own. Part of my frustration may have come from trying to rush it in the end, as I have about 10% of the book left. That is why I decided to let it sit rather than rush to finish it just because I have a readathon I am participating in right now. I would rather finish this off at a pace I can enjoy and fully appreciate it.
Finished 1/20/20
In the end, I really enjoyed Fall on Your Knees. This is one of the first books I’ve decided to try a new rating approach with where I rate a series of factors, weighted by how important they are to me, to come to decide on a final rating. I really enjoyed MacDonald’s writing, and overall, I enjoyed the plot of the novel. The length had be a little tired toward the end. I made a concious decision not to rush to finish this book before the January AYEARATHON to come back to the last quartor of a book with a fresh mind.
I am glad I decided to do that because it was much fresher when I returned to it. I think I also was able to better appreciate the ending which was great. MacDonald did a fantastic job connecting all the characters with the ending so that we really appreciate the overarching relationships of the women in this family. I enjoyed how she structured the book and and could easily follow along. I probably won’t reread it, but I think there is a small chance. I will admit that I used the “special” category to bump this novel up because I choose to read this at the behest of someone close to me. Because of that, I this book will hold a special place for me. All in all, 4/5 stars!
Rating Break Down
Writing Style (7%): 9/10
Plot (15%): 9/10
Characters (15%): 10/10
Ending (1%): 10/10
Engagement (5%): 8/10
Enjoyment (25%): 6/10
Comprehension (20%): 7/10
Pacing (2%): 7/10
Desire to Reread (5%): 3/10
Special (5%): 10/10
Final Rating: 3.84/5
Note, each rating is weighted based on personal importance.
For the Love of Science 
2 thoughts on “Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald ★★★★”