It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be babbling your secrets and chatting with strainers like they're old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.
And then you're dead.
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn's community, the government quarantines her island--no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?
Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl's bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.
My Review:
What can I say? I majored in biology and journalism for my undergrad and have a masters in environmental science...viruses absolutely fascinate me. I think we all wonder, "What would happen in the face of a pandemic?" Megan Crewe gives us a glimpse into one possible scenario.
The Way We Fall started out a little slow, but it wasn't too long before I was pulled into the story. Kaelyn's dad is a doctor on a small island in Canada. When people start coming down with a new virus, the island is shutdown. Kaelyn's mom, dad, and brother do the best they can to survive, but hope starts dwindling pretty fast.
It's hard to give a spoiler-free review because this story constantly broke my heart, but I never cried. I felt Kaelyn's emotions, her self-loathing, and despair, but wanted to feel it a little more. There were times when I asked myself, "How can anyone survive this?" And I'm not talking about just the virus; Kaelyn loses so much.
The story is supposed to be written in a series of letters to her best friend, Leo, but besides the date and an occasional reference to him, it mostly followed novel prose. I know a lot of reviewers had a problem with this, but I was able to look past it.
Overall, I enjoyed The Way We Fall. I think the premise is believable and real. If you like viruses and tales of hope, you'll enjoy this book.
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