Bending the Spine: Review: Fallen by Traci L. Slatton

Description

When the world ends, all that is left is love. Mysterious lethal mists have scourged the Earth, killing billions of people. As chaos descends, Emma guides seven children through France to the scarce safety that remains. Along the way she meets handsome, charismatic Arthur, who leads a small band of men with a safe, strangely well-provisioned camp. Emma strikes a bargain with Arthur for the security of her little tribe. She does not realize that Arthur hides a dark secret. The madness of the end days imparts psychic gifts to survivors, and Emma finds herself with inexplicable healing powers. These powers draw the attention of a cruel gang who kidnaps Emma. Emma must save the dying son of the gang’s leader or be killed. Arthur rescues her, and she begins to realize how deeply she has fallen for him, despite knowing nothing of his past. Hungry and battered, terrified and traumatized, survivors make their way to Arthur’s camp. Danger also arrives: a cannibalistic rogue band takes up a position on their western flank. Arthur’s men prepare for battle while racing to recreate technology for communication. Finally they make radio contact with the remnants of civilization in Canada. Canadian authorities have been in communication with a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. The ship harbors hundreds of starving, trapped people. Arthur and his men are their only hope. To save them, Arthur must move his camp. On the journey they are attacked by the crazed rogue band. Emma fights for her own life and the lives of her newfound family. One of her beloved children dies, and Emma turns to Arthur for comfort. At the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other. (Goodreads)

Book Details

Title: Fallen

Author: Traci L. Slatton

Genre: Dystopian Romance

Paperback: 242 pages

Publisher: Telemachus Press, LLC

Release Date: July 27, 2011

ISBN-10: 1935670891

ISBN-13: 978-1935670896

Author’s Website

Source: Publicist

Review

When I read the last word of Fallen the first thing I did was grab my laptop to find out if this is in fact the bitter sweet end of the story, and I’m thinking, “this can’t be the end. Please don’t let this be the end of this story.” So, as I’m crying and searching frantically on Traci L. Slatton’s website I find out that Fallen is in fact part of a trilogy.

I’ve read many YA dystopian books but this is my first adult book in the genre and I think it was trying to tear my heart to shreds. If you are a parent be forewarned: Fallen will have you wondering just how far you would go to keep your children safe and loved. I can’t say that I loved Emma’s character but I found myself wondering, if our world was taken by the mist would I make the same decisions Emma did. I have to say that Emma is amazingly strong, and does everything she can to protect those she loves.

What do you do when the world you know ends? Do you find others, band together, and help them? Maybe the mist changed you, (many people now have a power they didn’t have before) if the mist did change you would you try to gain power and hold it over others? Or would you help those around you? Arthur has the greatest power of all and he has decided to help those around him. Emma and Arthur together are wonderful and heartbreaking all at the same time and when you read the book you will understand why I say that. In the end, finding out why Arthur has the ability he does was not a surprise it was more of a sadness.

I think I will be haunted by these characters until I get my hands on the next book. Fallen had me crying more than once, there were times of great hope, love, and bitter sadness. I have no idea how the Fallen trilogy will all work out but I am one reader that is happy to be along for the journey.

Happy Reading

Rebecca