The Upside of Falling Down By Rebekah Crane
„Its not the current that will drown you. It’s the exhaustion from fighting it.“
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clementine wakes up after surviving a horrible plane crash.
She is the only survivor.
But when she wakes up she has no memory of her old life before the crash.
Beginning to panic, she escapes the hospital and leaves to find her memory, adventures and a little bit of love ❤️.
Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even though I really liked the main character Clementine, i loved Kieran. He always supported her and let her be the one she wanted to be. He was adorable.
His nickname for her was “Bunny”, how cute is that? 😍
Relationships ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a really sweet and funny love story.
It had some cliches, but it was still original in his own way. I really liked it. It made me smile 😊
Writing style ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really liked the writing, it was poetic in some way. Rebekah Crane Full review to follow!
Quick thoughts:
- Well, this was dreadfully boring and underwhelming.
- Hard-to-follow, hard-to-believe character motivations.
- Weakly written, cartoonish characters with angst-y backstories that made me roll my eyes.
- Lackluster writing style interspersed with generic, feel-good motivational crap (e.g. letting go, finding who you are, making changes).
- Annoying, hypocritical protagonist who hardly thought or acted logically? Jesus.
- Token diversity (i.e. a side character that likes to announce he’s Jewish and gay to literally everyone he meets).
- What’s the exact opposite of sizzling chemistry? That’s what Clementine and Kieran had.
- Poorly executed attempt at an interesting mystery. The reveals were also terribly done.
- Circular dialogues about who saved whom. Eww.
- SO. MANY. PLOT. HOLES. This wasn’t cohesive in any way.
- The resolution was really rushed, and I cringed the whole time.
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- No emotions outside of cringing were felt as I read this.
Actual rating: 1 star
* Read more of my bookish shenanigans in my natural habitat! Rebekah Crane Although this book starts on an interesting note with Clementine surviving a plane crash, the story unfortunately becomes cliche and predictable. It becomes your run of the mill YA romance: girl meets boy. Boy helps her find herself. He finds himself, too. There’s drama and jealousy. Yada yada. While this is fine, I personally was hoping for something more.
Am I becoming too old for YA? Maybe that’s the problem. I could see myself loving this five years ago. Now, it feels like a washed down version of 5 other YA novels I’ve read before.
But if you’re into those warm fuzzy reads where everyone seems to find their way in the end, and you’re younger than 18, I wouldn’t not recommend this. There’s nothing wrong with the writing or story, really. I just found it to be a little too boring. Rebekah Crane This is a fast, sweet, cute, light summer read. When Clementine wakes up in a hospital, she remembers nothing, but her wonderful nurse, Stephen, tells her name, that she’s 18-years-old, and she’s in Ireland, but is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and, oh yeah, she’s the only survivor of a plane crash.
Clementine makes a hospital break with Kieran, except she lies to him about why she needs his help escaping. Miraculously, mysteriously, and improbably, her photo hasn’t made it into the news yet, so he buys “Jane’s” story. Her plan is to run away with him to the small town of Waterville, get her memory back, and then return to the United States.
Everyone she meets is so kind it’d be easier to believe that the Die Hard franchise is a documentary on what it’s like to be a police officer. There is Kieran’s prickly sister and the god awful rich American, but, in general, everyone she runs into is preposterously generous. I have met people, including strangers, willing to go out of their way to help another human, but not at the frenzied pace Clementine/Jane does.
So while I thought this was fun and uplifting, it was a little too sweet for my taste, even with a nice twist toward the end, but if you’re looking for a light read, I recommend this.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Rebekah Crane What is the point of cheating death if a life doesn't exist when you wake up?
I loved Rebekah Crane's The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this one just as much. Rebekah has such a knack for making you fall in love with even the most unconventional of characters. Her ability to mix witty banter with sensitive topics gives you that heartwarming feeling in the end.
In the Upside of Falling Down we are introduced to Clementine Haas, an 18 year old from Cleveland, Ohio who has miraculously survived a plane crash, being the only survivor, waking up in a hospital in Ireland. Only Clementine has no memory of the accident, she has no memory of her past, she doesn't know why she's in Ireland either. As Clementine awaits the arrival of her father, a father she can't remember, she is feeling an overwhelming sense of panic. She feels trapped, trapped in a world that isn't hers... of this Clementine Haas... someone's life that she can't recall. Her nurse, Stephen, agrees to take Clementine out to the courtyard of the hospital for some fresh air. This is where Clementine meets Kieran. A peculiar young man who has a strange affinity for orange Jell-O. This is where Clementine's life is left behind and Jane's life begins. For fear of Kieran finding out who she really is and that she is the survivor of the plane crash, she lies, she tells Kieran her name is Jane. As a friendly game of truth or dare unfolds, Jane dares Kieran to take her away from the hospital. She creates a phony story as to why she's there in the first place and asks for his help. Kieran agrees to help. From this point on Clementine is forced to keep up the lie and the life of Jane. She's introduced to Kieran's twin sister, Siobhan, who is pregnant, and has a strong dislike for Jane. She meets Siobhan's boss, Clive, an eccentric shop owner who has a hidden love for Jane Austen novels. Soon, Jane has found her place... she falls in love with Waterville, Ireland, with Clive and his mohawk, and Siobhan and their love/hate relationship... but most of all, she's fallen in love with Kieran. So, how can she leave this behind? She knows that she has to return to her father, to her life as Clementine, even though she still doesn't know who he is and ultimately who she is.
Could you imagine? Waking up with amnesia, not remembering anything from your past? Being reborn again? What a flood of emotions that would bring? Fear, panic, sadness, confusion, frustration, but mostly the feeling of isolation. Even though you really wouldn't be alone, I can't help but think it would be a very lonely thing to go through. You have to reestablish yourself all over again. You can't just simply reenter your life like re-spawning in some video game. Rebekah Crane presents Clementine as a strong young woman... I would say mature well beyond her years, and it's not until later in the novel when Clementine finally finds herself that you truly understand where this strength comes from. All things considered, I will admit, this was the only part of the novel that I had a hard time with. I felt that the character that was being portrayed should have truly been older than that of someone who was 18/19 years of age.
The way the story unfolds in the end at first seems to almost have this poetic justice about it, and although I saw it coming, my heart ached for Clementine. I didn't want her story to end there, carrying more guilt than she already felt. Everything unravels and it all begins to fall down around her. But I promise... with this story, there is an upside to falling down.
I want to thank NetGalley, Skyscape and Two Lions, and Rebekah Crane for allowing me the chance to read this novel in exchange for my review. It was truly a pleasure! Rebekah Crane
For Clementine Haas, finding herself is more than a nice idea. Ever since she woke up in an Irish hospital with complete amnesia, self-discovery has become her mission.
They tell her she’s the lone survivor of a plane crash. They tell her she’s lucky to be alive. But she doesn’t feel lucky. She feels…lost.
With the relentless Irish press bearing down on her, and a father she may not even recognize on his way from America to take her home, Clementine assumes a new identity and enlists a blue-eyed Irish stranger, Kieran O’Connell, to help her escape her forgotten life…and start a new one.
Hiding out in the sleepy town of Waterville, Ireland, Clementine discovers there’s an upside to a life that’s fallen apart. But as her lies grow, so does her affection for Kieran, and the truth about her identity becomes harder and harder to reveal, forcing Clementine to decide: Can she leave her past behind for a new love she’ll never forget? The Upside of Falling Down
Predictable and tropey, but beyond that I spent the entire book just furious that she was so selfish and thoughtless to her dad. Am I just too old for YA? I don’t mind characters being unlikable as long as I feel that the author is aware of it, but this girl’s terrible behavior (leaving her father to be worried senseless in Ireland for three weeks, snooping through other people’s things) is all excused by the fact that the poor baby has amnesia. It wasn’t fantastic enough for me to set aside my expectation of reality so the “reality” annoyed me. It was all too perfect and adorable. This one was a GR giveaway. Rebekah Crane I received a free ARC by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ireland. I fell in love with Ireland as soon as they defeated Bulgaria in the Quidditch World Cup final of 1994. So I really, really want to visit Ireland. Right now. So when I read the synopsis I was like: yasss, girl. But oh boy was I wrong.
➵ PLOT
Clementine Haas wakes up with amnesia. She’s in a hospital and has no clue where she is, or who she is. All her memories are gone. It turns out she was in a plane crash and that she’s the only survivor. Clementine panics and only wants one thing: find both herself, and her memories.
In order to do this, she decides to ‘flee’ with a fake identity. Kieran, a charming Irish boy, helps her run away. She ends up in a small town where she meets Siobhan, Kieran his sister, and the ever so funny Clive. Clementine tries to find herself, but gets caught up in a web of lies instead.
➵ CHARACTERS
Clementine is one of the most annoying characters I’ve ever stumbled across. She’s both annoying and hypocritical. She pretends to be Jane, tells one lie after another, but gets upside when others don’t tell her the truth. In addition, she takes drastic ‘matters’ in order to get rid of her old self (because of all sudden she does not want to be Clementine anymore?? Like OK???), which I could not understand AT ALL.
Kieran and Siobhan are the reason I could not give this book 1 star. They’re twins, but whereas Kieran is funny and sweet, Siobhan is distant and sulky. Precisely those differences made me love them, especially when you realize they’ll always be there for one another.
➵ PROS/CONS
Don’t get me wrong. The Upside of Falling Down is definitely not a “bad” book. It’s highly unrealistic, is all.
Pros
+ Stephen the Nurse, Clive the Jane Austen Guru and Kieran the Irish Gentleman saved this book. They’re funny, witty, sarcastic, but also really sweet.
+ The setting. I desperately want to visit Ireland. I already booked my ticket (jk).
Cons
- The story is incredibly unrealistic. As if it’s possible to just, randomly, escape from the hospital. As if it’s possible to ‘hide’ for a couple of weeks, in a small and desolated town.
- Clementine. Oh dear goodness. She’s so annoying. I can’t even. I had to put this book away a couple in times as I could not handle her behaviour anymore. Her hypocrisy was unforgivable. In my opinion.
- The end. It bothered me. A lot.
➵ CONCLUSION
Like I said: The Upside of Falling Down isn’t terrible. It has a nice writing style, the characters are believable (even though some of their actions are not) and while reading this book I felt like I was right there, right there in Ireland.
The reason I am not able to give this book more than two stars, is because it’s (like I already said… I’m repeating myself dang it) unrealistic. Some of the dialogues sounded fake, which made the overall a bit messy.
It’s a cute novel, though.
Rating: ★★
Blog (Dutch) | Tumblr | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter Rebekah Crane Contemporary teen books and I are not usually friends. I still read them because when I like one it is often amazing. The Upside of Falling Down is an unusual situation as I didn't love it or hate it. It was okay. I find I don't have any strong feelings one way or the other.
Plot
Easily the best part of this book is the plot. Rebekah Crane takes us on a journey with our lead gal who has temporary amnesia. And while she has all the correct supports in place; she still runs away because in her mind she isn't the girl everyone at the hospital thinks she is. I can absolutely see myself as a teen doing exactly what our lead gal does. The twisting road the anmesia leads us on as readers is interesting. We only know what our lead girl knows; which means we have an unreliable narrator that may not be giving us all the details in the right order or even accurately. As the reader we also don't know what our lead gal is leaving out. What details is she not seeing or choosing to ignore. If you're a smart reader you'll actually focus on what she isn't telling us more than what she is.
Love Interest
Here's where The Upside of Falling Down looses me a bit. Yes there is an obvious, in your face love interest; and of course he's attractive, rich and without the 'constraints' of parents being present in his life. The perfect scenario for our lead girl to fall into. *rolls eyes*
The thing is that the actual lust/love aspects of the story are quite genuine. The first time is a bit glossed over but overall the interactions between the two feel genuine and reminded me of my own stumbling teenage years and relations with boys. So while the scenario may be convenient I'll give Crane props for making our teens act like teens.
Overall
There is a fun twist to this book that all goes back to our unreliable lead gal whose telling us the story. I liked how by the end I was ready for what happened and felt it made good sense. For some it may seem far-fetched but I didn't feel that way. With the exception of some convenient moments in the plot and characters I overall felt this was a well put together contemporary teen novel. And from this pessimistic teen literature reviewer that is actually a pretty good compliment.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review. Rebekah Crane Well that took me by surprise. Well done Mrs. Crane. Rebekah Crane The Upside of Falling Down had a promising premise but it didn’t deliver the story I expected. I was all here for magical realism and Ireland but the uncomfortable romance that replaced it was not my cup of tea. Maybe if miscommunication and lying were not one of my biggest turnoffs in romance, it wouldn’t have been so bad. I just struggle to see how people can ship two characters whose entire relationship is based on false impressions and straight up manipulation… which is why Clementine and Kieran’s relationship didn’t work for me. Kieran’s behaviour was simply unacceptable. The lengths he took to pull off that level of manipulation made me sick. I cannot believe that he genuinely believed he was doing the right thing. I wanted Clementine to have nothing to do with him. I was in complete agreement with Siobhan.
The plot was also so goddamn unbelievable. I empathise with Clementine’s situation - meeting her father was a Big Step that she was not ready to take - but the plot preceding her escape from the hospital was kind of ridiculous. I couldn’t suspend my belief that far. It is probably a preference thing but I wanted to focus on Clementine working through her trauma, discovering who she wanted to be as a person and all of that, not a convoluted romance.
Oh well.
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Clementine (mc) has retrograde amnesia.
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