In Ready to Fall by Marcella Pixley the premise alone stops me with its awesomeness: his mom dies of a brain tumor that then, he believes, moves into his own head. Raw, a little crazy, huge potential for story. And the book did not disappoint.
So many things I loved: the prose is delicious, metaphor that works coming and going, narrator voice that’s quirky and unique and a little nuts without being off putting or strained, complex world with a full cast that feels real and well drawn. Having just read a novel with a very thin cast—well drawn but few—I can say the background characters keep the protagonist from seemingly narcissistic despite the strength of his internal focus (I mean he thinks he has a brain tumor! Can’t get more internal than that!).
I also appreciated the storyline that unfolded without feeling premeditated. No coy devices, no “secrets held in tension,” just a solid, compelling story. Pacing was excellent, layers of complication and meaning plentiful.
So is there anything not to love? Hmmm. One thing—the only thing—I wasn’t thrilled with was the Trust Fall trope. This is entirely my (jaded adult seen-it-all) perspective, but trust falls make me cringe the way an unsubtle metaphor does. Love as a rose. Insecurity (instability etc.) as a trust fall. Meh. But I got over it and ultimately find the book amazing despite this one small gripe. Fabulous book!
In this delicious interview, discover Sandra Nickel’s forthcoming book Nacho's Nachos, which tells the true story of Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, who invented one of the world’s favorite snacks.