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    The Way We Fall
    The Way We Fall
    The Way We Fall
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Way We Fall

    Written by Megan Crewe

    Narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Megan Crewe has received both critical accolades and popular acclaim for her young adult novels. The Way We Fall launches a new series featuring 16-year-old Kaelyn, whose island community is quarantined after the outbreak of a deadly virus. Before long, people begin to turn against each other as they fight for dwindling supplies. Remarkably, in the midst of this chaos, Kaelyn discovers both an unlikely ally and a surprising love interest. And with prospects for survival growing dimmer with each passing moment, she will need all the help she can get.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateFeb 3, 2012
    ISBN9781464029158
    The Way We Fall
    Author

    Megan Crewe

    Like many authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives with her husband, son, and three cats in Toronto, Canada (and does on occasion say “eh”); she tutors children and teens with special needs; and she can’t look at the night sky without speculating about who else might be out there. Along with the Earth & Sky trilogy, she is the author of the paranormal novel Give Up the Ghost and the postapocalyptic Fallen World trilogy. She can be found online at www.megancrewe.com.

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    Reviews for The Way We Fall

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    • 4/5
      In a lot of ways this book reminded me of Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, which I hated. Thankfully, I did not hate this one. The similarities are in the narrator and the scope of the story. Kaelyn and Miranda, at least at the outset are pretty similar characters, although Miranda is much more social. Both are whiny and a bit selfish at the beginning though.

      Both stories are also written in a diary format, although Miranda writes hers to herself and Kaelyn writes to her friend Leo, in preparation for making up with him when he comes home or, once things start going to hell, for him to find once she's dead. Their tales focus on the way their lives are affected and have no real view to the world at large.

      However, the big difference here is that The Way We Fall is, in my opinion, much better written, although employing a similar simple style. Kaelyn is not an outstanding girl; she's not extraordinarily smart or beautiful, and she's socially awkward. At the beginning, I found Kaelyn pretty annoying, although I did think it was really cool that Kaelyn wants to study animals. She was awesome in her passion, if nothing else. As the book went along, though, she really develops into a much stronger character.

      So far as the reader knows, this disease outbreak is primarily limited to the island, meaning that the scale is much reduced from that of most dystopias. However, not too far into the outbreak, the government stops helping like they should be. Left to their own devices, people seem to do one of three things: try to save everyone, hide from everyone and everything, or descend into anarchy and violence. Mankind is, as is often the case in dystopian literature, as, or perhaps more, terrifying than the disease.

      The Way We Fall also had a couple of awesome quotes, which I would like to include, although the reader should keep in mind that they could have been changed before publication (although I hope not).

      In reference to the disease which is starting to become a problem: "It's like we're trying to fill up every second of silence with meaningless talk so we don't have to say anything real or scary."
      This is why I come to like Kaelyn: "If I need to be saved, I'll do it myself. I think I can handle that."

      Crewe should also be given credit for resisting the urge to make the disease turn people into zombies, which has already been done quite a bit. I think what she did is so much cooler.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Title: The Way We Fall Author: Megan CreweGenre: Young Adult ThrillerPublisher: HyperionFormat/Pages: NetGalley eBookRelease Date: 1/24/2012 (subject to change)Kaelyn is trying to change, to be more friendly and outgoing. She wants things to be different this school year. But she never realized how different things would end up being. A virus, one that kills, is spreading across the sleepy little island she lives on. A virus that will change her life and the life of everyone she knows. The government quarantines the island, no one can leave and no one can come home. Food is becoming scarce, as are other supplies. Kaelyn must survive losing her friends, her family and her life as she knows it. Will things ever get better?Megan Crewe has crafted a taunt, page-turning thriller in The Way We Fall. Intelligently written and perfectly executed, it keeps you interested from the very beginning. Crewe takes the story of a deadly virus, in the vain of The Stand by Stephen King, and lets the reader experience it from a teenager’s point of view. The reader experiences what Kaelyn experiences through her journal pages, written to a childhood friend. We feel her pain, her confusion, her sorrow and every other emotion imaginable. It felt like I was reading a young woman’s heartfelt emotions poured out on paper. Crewe’s writing is smart and believable; she pulls the reader into the story and the life of her characters. This was an extremely entertaining book. I always enjoy a well-written thriller, especially one written with such as amazing clarity. Crewe never falters in her writing, crafting a superb story. I will be recommending this book to not only my girls but also my librarian friends, as I believe it would make a great addition to any library.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars“The Way We Fall” starts out as a journal Kaelyn is writing to her former best friend Lee. Kaelyn lives on an island off the coast of Canada and Lee is on the ferry to the mainland where he will proceed to NYC to pursue his dancing goals. In Kae’s journal entries we discover that a strange virus has appeared on the island and it’s killing the inhabitants. The island becomes quarantined and life changes for Kaelin and everyone else on the island.I honestly thought when we got to the virus portion of the book, that it was going to turn into a zombie story…thankfully it didn’t! I really enjoyed the whole story as journal concept. We got a glimpse into Kaelyn’s life when all was “normal”, relatively speaking. We learned the purpose of the journal and what Kae’s goals were with the journal. It provided a well-rounded view of Kaelyn.The virus portion of the story was surprising in that there were a group of community minded teens who established a way to help the community and did it without prompting from anyone. There was also the usual group who were out for themselves…but it was Gav’s group which proved so hopeful.My only real complaint was the ending. Honestly, the story had been so thoughtful and complete up until the December 19th entry. It felt like the author wasn’t sure how to wrap up the journal and this seemed like the best option? The book was so good otherwise and I felt cheated on the ending.
    • 3/5
      So there is a disease spreading in a geographically isolated community, an island. The setting is perfect for an apocalyptic event. Kind of like how an abandoned summer camp is perfect for a horror movie. Gradually the island is cut off from the rest of the world and as the title suggests, not so gradually society unravels. On the island, there are some people who step forward and want to help take care of others and there are some people who decide to take advantage of the unprotected. There is never any true starving in this story – definitely going without; but, because of the disease, there is sadness and death. The author weaves in issues of race and sexuality but she does this so covertly that it is not too preachy. Perfect for a young adult book. Just the facts and the readers can make up their own minds. I am guessing if a reader is not interested in these issues or perhaps, comes down on the other side of the political coin than me – that reader would still enjoy the story, that is how subtly it is written. One of the characters is gay and his parents are disappointed in him; when the boy’s sexuality is discovered there are consequences for the entire family. Several of the characters are mixed-race or a race that is not common to island; very subtly the issue of “difference” is addressed. The story begins very slowly, so slowly that I initially put this book down and decided not to finish it. But eventually I wondered what happened with the characters and well, I felt guilty for not following through, so I returned. The fist 80-90 pages (up through about the first 30%) are slow, not badly written just incredibly slow with no action. Crewe sets the atmosphere and introduces the readers to the characters. I strongly suggest that if you plan to read this book, you just accept that the beginning will be slow going. The lack of action is compounded by the method of storytelling. The main character is writing a letter to a friend, but the letter turns into a journal. I love survivalist themed books and movies. I don’t care if the enemy is a virus, the weather, zombies, corporations, a government or another country – I love this sub-genre. And this book fits directly into what I love. So why could I not get into the first 80 pages of this book and why did I ultimately rate this book with just three stars? The beginning of the book has no action, nothing is happening and the journal format is a dry and removed way to experience the story. I kept thinking – haven’t I read this story before? Then I realized in a way I had read this story before when I read Life as We Knew It which is young adult apocalyptic themed book told by journal. Each book has very similar stuff. Teen-aged girl, has issues with both her parents, witnesses an event that leads to society’s breakdown, we are treated to the before the event and the slow unraveling of society. The young girl likes to go scavenging in empty and abandoned homes. She takes on the responsibility of helping and caring for people. Where the books differ, is the event and the perspective. The Way We Fall involves more characters outside of the main character’s home and so the reader is able to see more of what is happening in the community. So is it worth reading The Way We Fall if you have already read Life as We Knew It? I don’t know, if you are a fan of the genre than yeah and I do think Crewe wrote a better story than Pfeffer. The main character in the Way We Fall is much more likeable and less whiny. The plot is less depressing in the Way We Fall compared with Life as We Knew It. The story ends with hope, but it is not resolved and there is room for a sequel. Will I read it? Probably, will I rush to buy the sequel the day or month of release? Probably not. There are slight references to sex and sexual activity, but nothing explicit. There is some kissing scenes. I can see this book being appropriate for kids aged fourteen and older. flag
    • 4/5
      Kaelyn has recently moved back to the island where she lived as a young child, and is pining for her best friend Leo (who no longer lives on the island, but his new girlfriend Tessa does). Feeling isolated, Kaelyn starts a long letter/journal to Leo. Through her writing we get to experience her perspective of life on the island and the hierarchy of her girlfriends.It isn’t too long before one of her friends comes down with a strange virus that gives her flu-like symptoms, a desperate and terrible itching, and a loss of inhibitions that causes her to babble all of her innermost feelings to anyone who will listen. At first the illness seems like an oddity, but it soon becomes evident just how deadly the virus is and how quickly it has spread.A sense of fear and desperation take over her writing after the island is quarantined. As in many young adult books, the teenagers are able to see aspects of the problem that adults don’t notice. Some of the teens run around doing good deeds, while others are more focused on commandeering resources for themselves. Tensions are high as the survivors face not only the virus but also the panic and vigilantism of those who haven’t been infected yet.I saw many similarities in themes between this book and Blindness by Jose Saramago, but The Way We Fall is more tailored to a young adult crowd. (I say that because I found some parts of Blindness to be very upsetting, but The Way We Fall takes on these themes in a more youth-friendly manner.)Both books deal with: Selfishness vs. sharing resources Helping others vs. saving yourself The perception of government as evil for enforcing a quarantine Gangs who take power where they canThe author does a good job of keeping the intensity and terror of the situation in the forefront without going overboard with goriness or violence, and I really appreciated that.I recommend The Way We Fall for those who like young adult and epidemic stories.(I received a free copy of this ebook for review.)
    • 4/5
      I can tell that right when I started this book, that the way it captured me that I knew I liked it. This book is so much different that what I've read in other books. Most books I read about this particular plot line, it's always about survival. In this book, it is just not only about survival, but about the life around it. I enjoyed reading the book, seeing Kaelyn's struggle for the her life and the one's that she loves.Kae is normal teenager caught in the midst of a terrible disease going around. One thing that is in this book that I like is how the main characters is connected to the virus. Kae struggles with lots of death, uncertainty in what she can do, and what her future will be like. I like seeing the frustration of Kae. It made the her much more likeable because she seems so real to the reader.Of course this book carries a plot line that I always enjoy reading. A virus spreading so fast, no one can stop it. The government blocking off the island from the rest of the world along with phones, internet, tv, etc. It was like the government knew there is no way to stop it but plug it up and let it die. I felt so bad for the healthy people just trying to survive. Ms. Crewe created such great tension in the book. I adored that way the people went crazy, breaking into stores, fighting over food and medicine. The animalistic traits came out in those fighting for their life. The overtaking of hospital, innocent people dying...Ms.Crewe's world of death and disease brought out a horrible nature in people. This is why this book so great to read. To be able to fill the shoes of Kae and see things through her eyes is amazing.The love interest in this book felt so right. Even though timing is all wrong (the virus and all) the little peace in this book of seeing two characters share of love through all of the death is perfect. I adore the relief of stress when they come together. It's as if everything is normal once again. No one savaging the streets, no killing over food, just love and innocence. I really like how these characters did some major growing up. They took things in stride in what needed to be done.This is a great book of a virus over running a small island with no one to help. Kae is amazing character who I hope I can be if ever such a incident were to ever occur in the real world. Dark times come in Kae world and she survived, can you?
    • 2/5
      I found this story to be rather…boring. A horrible word I know, but I think it’s just because people getting sick and dying off without any real action isn’t interesting to read, at least to me. The story moved rather slow and the plot wasn’t fast paced…I was able to set this one down and completely forget about it.The fact that The Way We Fall was written in journal/letter form worked for it. If it was written differently, I think it would have been more boring and flat than I already think it was. Or maybe having it written in journal/letter form is what made it boring? I’m not sure. Reading about day to day things is rather boring like cooking, bathing, and such. I do understand that when you are going through a disaster or disease is sweeping and killing people, these things become important. No matter how important they are, they aren’t fun to read to me.The characters weren’t too special to me and didn’t stand out. If you have great characters, even if I find the setting and the theme of the story not for me, I generally enjoy the book more. I wasn’t feeling any emotions with horrible things were happening.I will admit that I’m rather curious as to how this series is going to continue just because of how it ended. I’m curious enough to ask someone who ends up reading book number two, but not necessarily reading it myself.
    • 4/5
      I wasn't expecting The Way We Fall to be written in letter format, but surprisingly it didn't bother me. I usually am not one for prose, email or anything but narrative, but Kaelyn's voice and way of writing drew me right in, and I almost forgot she was writing to her friend. Megan Crewe created a chilling situation with the virus. It is contagious, it has no known cure and it can kill, all this on an island. I didn't know how this could be fixed or how the main character and others would manage to survive and escape being infected, but I knew that I wanted them to figure it out and was on edge right with them through the scary stages of the illness and watching those they loved and cared about get sick. I pulled for Kaelyn and really connected with her. The love she had for her family, and ultimate respect for her dad and trust that he could come up with an answer. The relationship with her brother and the protective instincts for her little cousin Meredith. As well as the unlikely friendship and connections that she makes while trying to help those on her island and those who are sick. I appreciated her wisdom in figuring out the things that are worth fighting for, and makes life worth living. I liked the story, but there wasn't much of a conclusion. I wanted a few more answers, and I wanted to know more. Bottom Line: A chilling, action packed scenario with a main character I cared for.
    • 4/5
      Outbreaks are scary. Really, the entire concept of a viral contagion that spreads quickly, and with no cure, is just about one of the most frightening things out there. Whenever this has happened before throughout history, it's resulted in the deaths of hundreds, or even hundreds of thousands, and the worse part is that people are virtually powerless against viral plagues.This concept is explored in The Way We Fall, the first book in a new young adult dystopian series by Megan Crewe. Much like in the typical exploration of the concept, a plague suddenly appears and quickly surges through mankind, contaminating countless people, including our narrator, Kaelyn. Kaelyn, along with everyone else on her home island, is quarantined, and Kaelyn is left to struggle to survive and deal with the loss of family and friends.Told in a diary-style format, The Way We Fall captures the emotions of crisis, along with the drama of survival and loss. The diary format offers an interesting look into Kaelyn's mind, and her personal struggle with understanding what is happening in the world around her and most importantly -learning to accept the world as it comes crashing down. While this approach allowed for a highly personal and complex understanding of the main character and the issues in the novel, it still had its drawbacks. There weren't really any other developed characters in the story other than Kaelyn, though she talks about her lost and new loves, plus there's a serious lack of dialog. But I'll admit -I can let this slide because the writing was incredibly intriguing and offered a unique exploration of a commonly-explored topic. I blazed through The Way We Fall. Even though it breaks a lot of the rules, it's an excellent and compelling exploration of human survival, love and loss in the face of crisis.
    • 4/5
      This book was so good! I am a zombie lover personally, and whilst this book isn’t specifically about “zombies”, it is about a killer virus that is wiping out the whole island. Which is close to zombies. Kinda.The thing I really enjoyed about this book was that so often in these types of apocolytic stories where people get sick, and crazy and are dying, there’s always SO much focus on the sick people. This story talked of it, but really the focus was on the healthy people in Kaelyn’s life which made it really emotional, especially since it truly highlighted the acts of desperation she would go through just to make sure those close to her were safe, including putting her own health at risk.It really made me seriously question “what would happen if this were to take place?”. And as far fetched as you may think this is, the book is written in such a real way. Think swine flu. Except with this virus, there is no cure, doctors are scratching their heads and it’s highly contageous. It’s virtually a death sentence if you catch it. Hey, it could happen!Written in a diary format from the perspective of teenage girl Kaelyn, she is writing this diary to a friend of hers she has not seen for a long time, Leo. A guy that she actually once loved, but he didn’t recipriocate. Instead, he fell for a girl named Tessa. Who ends up being Kaelyn’s closest friend in the book. Leo is living in New York and Kaelyn writes her journal to him as a way to let him know what happened in case something ever happened to her. Seeing as all communication in and out has been hampered, it’s one way for her to get her truth out.I really enjoyed the writing style, especially as we see Kaelyn’s mental health detiorating. It really shows in the diary entries, and I thought this was really very clever.I loved the characters also, especially Gav who I really want to know more about. He was quite private and mysterious and not the talkative, open type. But I feel there’s more that we’ll find out about him later.Whilst reading this I didn’t realise the book was the first in a series admitedly (as this wasn’t on Goodreads at the time), and I thought the ending was quite abrupt since I ended up with more questions and it finished us on a cliffhanger note. BUT. But. Megan Crewe has confirmed that The Way We Fall is in fact just the first book in a trilogy and I cannot express how much this makes me smile, because it’s such a fantastic story.Highly enjoyable and easy to read!
    • 3/5
      Kaelyn misses her former best friend Leo, who left for school on the mainland before she got a chance to apologize for the falling out they had a couple of years ago. So she starts a diary addressed to him to attempt to express her feelings. When a mysterious virus spreads through the island and they are quarantined, it becomes even more important for her to get her feelings down in case she gets sick. Kaelyn forms new friendships and learns new things about herself the longer they go without contact with the mainland.
    • 3/5
      Kaelyn is trying to reinvent herself this year, to stop being the old, timid, shy Kaelyn. Before making decisions, she asks herself, "what would the new Kaelyn do?" The new Kaelyn would visit a sick friend, and try to strengthen that budding friendship. But that friend has the cough, and the unbearable itching. That friend has the virus. That virus is infecting more and more people across the small Canadian island, and soon the World Health Organization is called in to quarantine then. Supply boats get mobbed; riots break out on the docks. People keep getting sick, and the doctors, the immunologists, the WHO, nobody has any idea what's causing it or how to cure it. Almost nobody survives the virus, and with food and medical supplies growing scarce, it's starting to look like nobody will survive not having the virus, either. Kaelyn is trying to hold things together for her family, but her family is falling apart around her. As is everything else.

      Modern-day setting makes this feel less dystopian or post-apocalyptic, and really it isn't either. It is, in its way, apocalyptic, though: the quarantine isolates the island, making the islanders effectively the only people still around. The unknown virus epidemic is an apocalyptic event, destroying everything and everyone. Things never get super-desperate, but there is looting, and hoarding, and scavenging of food.

      I wanted to see more from this, though I can't put my finger on what, exactly. The letter-writing format doesn't really work; I think it would have worked better to call it diary format and do away with the gimmick of talking to the old friend. (The old friend reappears at the book's conclusion and the PR copy already calls this the beginning of a new series, so maybe it was just to keep him relevant.)

      Audience: mostly high-school girls, given the light romance beginning, family dramas, and lack of action. Similar in tone and voice to Life as We Knew It (also similar for scarcity of both goods and people, and epidemic of illnesses); other readalikes include Epitaph Road (fatal illness wiping out full communities), Matched (seemingly-weak female drawing on inner strength), How I Live Now (ditto; also organization in light of disaster).

      e-ARC via NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      The Way We Fall is a captivating and scary novel told through letters. Kaelyn's island has fallen victim to a deadly virus that is quickly sweeping its way through the population. Kaelyn tells this story with letters to an ex-friend of hers who now lives off the island. I thought the letters were heartfelt and well told, but I didn't find Kaelyn's voice all that convincing. She just seemed so much younger than sixteen to me though this did get slightly better towards the end of the book.

      Other than that, I loved it! I was completely drawn in from the very first page and dying to know what was going to happen to Kaelyn and her community. There is a lot of description in the book- though not too much- and Kaelyn's world is really brought to life. I could easily picture this terrifying situation in a regular setting. This book isn't a happy one... it's quite depressing and dark, actually. But that is simply the reality of an island being destroyed by an illness.

      The world was very convincing. It was fascinating to watch how differently everyone reacted to the situation- some people did everything they could to help out others, and some just went crazy and prefer to take a destructive route to ending it all. There is a huge level of distrust within the island, between the islanders themselves and of the government which basically abandons them and lets them fend for themselves.

      The romance was believable and the friendships and family relationships very sweet! I didn't want to set this book down and was so eager to find out how everything was going to go. I'm not sure how I feel about it being series. It would be nice for a YA novel to be a standalone for once but I will certainly be reading the sequel whenever it is out!
    • 4/5
      THE WAY WE FALL is a sort of quasi-apocalyptic novel. The YA apocalyptics and dystopians we’ve all come to know and love usually start after the bad guys have won. When the pendulum has swung all the way from “normal” to “rock bottom, FUBAR.” By contrast, THE WAY WE FALL starts on the eve of a disaster, on a peaceful island off the coast of Canada.

      Things go wrong bit by bit. One person dies of a strange new virus. More get sick. The hospital fills up. The schools shut down. Eventually, the whole island is put under quarantine.

      At first, THE WAY WE FALL feels gentler, sweeter than the average dystopian. There’s so much hope. This is Canada, after all! The government arranges food drops. The World Health Organization steps in to help. The heroine’s father is a medical researcher, so surely he’ll have something to contribute, and Kaelyn herself is full of ideas.

      But the title was not chosen at random. As the book progresses, everything falls apart. The disease becomes an epidemic. The population shrinks and the island’s basic infrastructure crumbles. People, too, buckle under the pressure. Under the loss.

      The heroine, Kaelyn, is wonderful. She starts the book determined to be a better person – to be more outgoing and upbeat. When the world starts to fall apart, her new attitude carries her through. She bakes cookies for the ill. She volunteers at the hospital. She wants to be helpful and finds a way.

      Which is how Kaelyn ends up among the good guys as the islander population fragments. One of my favorite things about THE WAY WE FALL is that most of the island’s population still wants to do the right thing. In a lot of apocalyptic/dystopian novels, the urge to help has been beaten out of the general population. Here, the average person still wants to lend a helping hand. That gives the book a unique feel, and makes it all the more tragic when simple goodwill, people banding together in a time of crisis, can’t save the day.

      There are bad guys, too. Very human, very believable, very relatable, but bad.

      The romance is sweet but there’s not a whole lot of chemistry or heat between Kaelyn and her man. In fact, if they’d removed all the kissing the romance would work just fine as a nice, platonic friendship.

      It appears that THE WAY WE FALL is going to be part of a series – the ending felt abrupt and inconclusive to me, anyhow. If so, I’ll be first in line to buy the sequel.
    • 4/5
      This book is in a journal narrative. I’ve known some that may not like that format - I’m okay with it as long as it’s interesting. For the majority of the book, it is VERY interesting. Kaelyn’s a great narrator. Everything is through her eyes, so you know her thoughts, but you can definitely feel her fears and her concerns. Especially her paranoia. Oh yes, you can feel it. I myself, started getting itchy all over just because the way she describes it gives you the heebie jeebies. (It’s like watching the movie Contagion...and having to wash your hands 6 times and getting nervous when the people around you start to cough). It’s interesting to note this takes place on a small island, so you’re not going to have a huge societal breakdown where massive amounts of chaos and anarchy come to life. Yes, there is a breakdown in order but nowhere near what you usually come across in books that take place in great metropolitan areas for example. Still, I like the way Kaelyn takes charge. I like how she manages to take care of Meredith despite all the circumstances. I just love her strength. It really resonates throughout the novel as the virus spreads. The virus itself is scary and well written. It’s enough to get you all paranoid and make you want to whip out the hand sanitizer every few minutes. There were moments of sheer rage in the book, just because some people just acted so stupid (realistic, however, given the circumstances) and I just about screamed for blood about the outcome of a certain character (not going to give it away!).So after reading all this, I had to ask myself; Where in the WORLD is Drew?!?!?! and the ending just got me impatient for the next one. This is definitely worth a read. YA Readers will gobble this up and enjoy reading it as much as I did!
    • 4/5
      The Way We Fall wasn't what I expected; I figured there would be more to the story. I love dystopian stories, but this wasn't really one, and it was my fault for thinking it was going to be one. A deadly airborne virus strikes an island, and starts wiping out humans. Those who contract the virus start itching, and then a few days later start coughing. Next, they feel an uncontrollable urge to be social, and try to get close and friendly with everyone. The final stage is paranoid hallucinations, and then death. The government, once it realizes a quick cure isn't happening, decides to quarantine everyone on the island. Kaelyn, a 16 year old whose dad is a doctor at the island hospital, describes what happens in the ensuing days and months, through a journal written to a boy, Leo, who left the island before the outbreak. I enjoyed it, but kept waiting for something more; a breakthrough revelation leading to a cure, a rebellious break for the mainland (which was hinted at), or people doing crazy things to prove they are alive. Even though I thought I wanted that, the book is actually better because it doesn't have those predictable events. I'll definitely read a second book if there is one, just to find out if the virus did make it to the mainland, why the ferry is being allowed out to the island, and whether the romance between Kaelyn and Gav continues. I like that the author was from my home town, Toronto, Canada and wondered whether, in her mind, she was picturing Centre Island or one of the other Toronto islands when she wrote the story.
    • 4/5
      Written in diary form from the main character to her estranged friend, Leo, the novel chronicles the spread of an epidemic in a Canadian island that becomes quarantined and isolated from the outside world. The disease starts with a cough and scratching, includes a stage where social inhibitions are diminished and ends in death in almost all cases. While medical teams are scrambling to understand the illness, other citizens are either mobilizing to help or forming gangs to loot and terrorize. Conditions continue to deteriorate on the island throughout the book. Despite all the suffering, romance and friendship still manage to bloom for the main character. Reminded me a bit of Pfeffer's Life as We Knew It.
    • 5/5
      The first novel in the Fallen World trilogy is an excellent beginning to the story of a truly frightening possibility faced by our world today. When a small island is infected with a mysterious illness, one of the residents, Kaelyn, begins to fear for the safety of those she loves. Megan Crewe has created a scenario that is scary because it is a completely plausible threat. It is one thing to read about aliens attacking Earth, but quite another to read about a killer virus that could just be a mutant strain of something out in the world right this moment. Megan has written a fantastic story. It is told through a series of journal entries to Kaelyn's friend, Leo, who has moved off the island. The journal entry format was used well to express the deep fears of Kaelyn, which are likely reflected in all of the residents. It also serves to make the story much more personal. With viruses it is so easy for the story to become about symptoms and statistics, but this format makes it about the people stuck in this situation and their families. It really helped me to connect with Kaelyn, as well, because it felt so honest. I thought the characters overall were well fleshed out and mostly likeable. Even the characters that didn't play as big a role, like Kaelyn's dad, were very realistic. His concern and his frustration felt genuine. Megan does really well at using the little things to make her characters come alive. There was a little romance included as well, which added a great element but didn't interfere with the real purpose of the story. I also loved the mystery that surrounded some of the characters, like Kaelyn's brother, Drew. There were many different aspects to the story which were meshed together extremely well. The way the illness was written was gripping and mysterious. I loved how little things were revealed bit by bit. I had so many questions about what was going on and they were answered one by one, keeping me constantly intrigued and in suspense. It was very well thought out! The reaction to the illness was also interesting - not only that of the islanders but also of the people on the mainland and the government. Conflicting views, misunderstandings, knee-jerk reactions... there was so much realism to the scenario which only accentuated how entirely possible this whole idea is. In all, this was a really great novel. Well written, suspenseful, and mysterious. There was great atmosphere and tension, and the feeling of alienation that takes over was great. In the end, I was left with many unanswered questions that I can't wait to see solved in the sequel, The Lives We Lost. 4.5 stars!
    • 5/5
      First off lets get the technicalities out of the way. I bought this book with my own money. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for them.That being said here is my review:Kaelyn the main protagonist of the story lives on an island somewhere off mainland Canada. Having lived in Toronto as an outsider for many years Kaelyn tends to keep herself guarded from those around her. I wouldn't call her anti-social just cautious and set in her ways. The Way We Fall is written from a Journalistic viewpoint. Most of her entries are written to Leo a boy/best friend/former crush she watches leave at the beginning of the book. Throughout the book we learn she has had a previous falling out with him and possibly due to that overwhelming guilt this is why she has chosen to focus on him in her writing.It starts with an Itch and a cough. The disease is an unknown Flu type strain. What happens when you can't leave but staying may result in your death? This is the premise of The Way We Fall. The Book is divided into three parts-Symptoms,Quarantine,Morality.Symptoms covers the initial outbreak of the virus. That tickle in your throat, that scratch that won't go away. Guess what that means (at least in Megan Crewe's world) that your infected. Kaelyn has just started allowing herself to relax in her new surroundings when the whispers start to spread that something nasty is going around. Suddenly not only are people sick but they are worried. What if this isn't just some cold. What if it is much worse?Quarantine covers what happens after the bodies start to drop. The Army moves in promising protection and safety but when fear and paranoia starts to take hold they fall back leaving the island alone and cut off. With infection spreading, panic setting in and supplies running low all Kaelyn and her family can do is wait but at what cost?Morality covers what happens when you have nothing left to lose. Society as it once was has crumbled. With the majority of the population dead or dying and bands of looters roaming around with no lawmen to stop them. How do you hold onto hope that things can still get better.I absolutely loved this book! I've always found Epidemics intriguing, there is something so terrifying about a virus or infection that can with a cough or a sneeze exterminate a large group of people.The Book is the first in a trilogy so the ending does cut off quite abruptly. This is a dark dystopian. Very little feel good moments in this book. You really do feel Kaelyns isolation and loneliness. We barely see the mainlands perspective except for a few brief conversations that occur through secondary characters and their loved ones. I feel this creatively adds to the Quarantine feeling.I did have two small issues with the book. First Kaelyns father, He saw the danger firsthand and yet did nothing to prepare supplies for his family. If that was my family, at the first drop of serious sickness I would of bought stuff so that they at least were provided for. Yes, there is no guarantee that the stock pile would be safe from looters but they at least wouldn't have to scavenge for quite some time.My second issue is just isolating loved ones in a bedroom. Heck no you wouldn't be sick and staying in the house. It might be cruel but outside is where you'd be staying even if it meant tethering you to a tree or locking you in a shed so you couldn't wander off infecting others. These are personal gripes not those directly aimed at the Author.I am really looking forward to the rest in the series. I care about Kaelyn and want to see what happens if and when the quarantine is lifted. I am giving this book 5 ★★★★★
    • 3/5
      A good and enjoyable read. Looking to see what happens next...
    • 5/5
      MY THOUGHTSABSOLUTELY LOVED ITKaelyn's family has moved from Toronto to an island that is a vacation spot where her father has a new job doing microbiological research. She makes new friends, finds her first love, (Leo), and in a series of diary entries and notes written to Leo who has moved off the island. There, a virus is taking over the island and when it turns deadly, the government closes off the area to everyone. No one can leave and they are forced to deal with shortages, illness and loss of communication to the outside world. It starts out with cold like symptoms, quickly proceeds to a high fever with delusions and then death. So with the world crashing down around her, Kaelyn must quickly adapt to survive.This whole plot would make an amazing Twilight Zone episode. They way it is written conveys clear imagery of a perfect world gone mad with characters that are all too real. Kaelyn is one of a handful that survives the virus and in the process loses her mother and later her father. In a sense it becomes almost like Lord of the Flies, where teens are taking on grown up roles, with some being good and others becoming self serving and cruel. Kaelyn also forms a tenuous relationship with Tessa, her rival for Leo's affections. Tessa is a perfect counter point to Kaelyn with her love of plants and both seem to be on the same level intellectually.I adored the way it was written in a diary form since it seemed much more personal with a journalistic approach to the story telling. Kaelyn is forced to face all of her worst fears along with the rest of the town. Of course, the guys split into two factions - good versus evil -- where one group helps out and the other devolves into thugs. Her brother is another interesting point which I would have liked to explore more, but his appearances are brief. There are some seriously sad parts to this book, but it also uplifting at the same time. This is one of those books that you must read in one sitting since you will be dying (cough) to find out what happens next.
    • 4/5
      Great book, not so great ending. I would have loved the ending of this book to be more developed as it ends rather abruptly.Written as a series of journal entries,The Way We Fall follows the events of a deadly viral outbreak on an island that subsequently gets quarantined. Great suspense, a smattering of romance, and plenty of detail.....until the end.Definitely worth reading for fans of this genre, just don't expect the ending to leave you completely satisfied.
    • 5/5
      This is not a book you want to read when you’re sick. Unless, of course, you don’t mind driving yourself crazy with fear. THE WAY WE FALL has a way of getting under your skin. The story itself does start off rather slowly, but once it takes off, and the virus begins wreaking havoc, you won’t be able to put this book down.The story is told in journal form. Sixteen year old Kaelyn, who hasn’t talked to her best friend Leo in sometime, decides to write to him daily via her journal. She details every moment – before the virus hit, and after. Her father, who happens is a doctor, tries to contain it. But when the virus begins to spread throughout the island, the Government decides that it is best to quarantine the island; forbidding anyone from leaving or entering.Through Kaelyn’s journal entries to Leo, you can feel the panic and the fear spreading amongst the island. It’s heartbreaking because no matter how hard they try to fight the virus, only a few will manage to survive.I genuinely enjoyed THE WAY WE FALL. Crewe did a fantastic job of creating characters that readers will care about and a plot that will lure them in until the very end. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
    • 4/5
      It begins with an itch, and then the familiar symptoms of the common cold: sniffling, sneezing, and a tickle in the throat. When the virus finally takes hold, it causes those inflicted to seek out companionship, helping it spread to others, before it attacks the mind, driving the person mad before killing them.Sixteen-year-old Kaelyn doesn’t think anything about the illness that seems to be spreading throughout her tiny island community. It’s just a cold, or maybe an early case of the flu. But when her father, a microbiologist studying the disease, forces she and her brother to stop going to school because of how quickly the virus spreads, she realizes maybe this is more serious than she thought. As people start to die, the entire island is soon quarantined, completely cut off from the mainland. As the virus spreads, and the doctors race to find a cure, Kaelyn’s world is turned upside down. People have started to riot and people she knows are dying: friends, neighbors and even her family. It’s then that Kaelyn realizes the lengths to which she, a normally shy and withdrawn girl, will go to protect those she loves.The Way We Fall is the type of book that will stay with you long after you finish reading. It’s really creepy and thought-provoking. There are no zombies, no power-hungry leaders, or anything else you would normally find in many of today’s dystopian reads. This one hits especially close to home because it is so realistic. It reminded me a bit of the SARS and swine-flu outbreaks.When I first started reading the novel, I wasn’t sure about it. It starts a little slow, and it took me a bit to adjust to the format of the book. It’s written as a letter from Kaelyn to her friend, and one-time crush, Leo who no longer lives on the island. As the book progresses, she recounts in journal-style entries how the disease started and how it progresses. About fifty pages in I finally grew accustomed to the writing style and I was really drawn in. The characters, the setting and especially the situation are all extremely realistic. Don’t be surprised if you find your skin itching while you read it.I recommend this one to fans of dystopian fiction; especially those looking for a new take on the genre.(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
    • 3/5
      Depressing, morbid, and oddly fascinating. I had a difficult time with this book. The story is told in journal form written by Kaelyn, a 16 year old girl. She is writing to her estranged friend Leo. The setting is an island off coast of Canada. Kae is attempting to turn around her life, she is a shy girl trying to become more outgoing. Then disaster strikes. In the form of a virulent plague/virus. The book follows Kae and her family through the epidemic. We see people dying left and right. Not just nameless, faceless people, but people close to Kae. Friends, and family. She herself gets the virus but is one of a very few spared death. We come to know Kae very well via her writings in her journal. We see the raw emotion as she watches the horror around her. The death, destruction and lawlessness that erupts in the aftermath of the virus. A bright shining star in all this is her friend Gav. A fellow student who tirelessly works to aid others during the epidemic. The story is well written and easy to follow. I was able to 'feel' the emotions as Kae felt them. The characters had depth and strength, especially Kae's parents. The ending was unfulfilling, but I hope the author will clear things up in a second book. So much was left unsaid, so many of my questions left unanswered. How could an entire community rebuild after such a devastating loss? Guess I'll just have to wait and see.