Ryan Quinn

The Fall: A Novel is a breath-taking book in several areas. Ryan Quinn is good with his words. I liked the part he described Haile's observation of a broken-hearted Jamie when Jamie realized that the relationship he was in, was as good as over. This was not the only part. I liked how the stories interlinked. The surprise with Casey's coins. The way Haile just walked away from Ian. It was memorising, the way Quinn did it.

The stories shared in this book felt so real. These are problems that show more any young adults may be facing, out there, today, as we speak. I admire the way Quinn captured the mood and moments in words. Haile and Ian are avoiding confrontation. She, with her mother. He, with his parents. Casey is avoiding confrontation too - his lack of commitment to his girlfriend, Krista. And throw in Haile with the past she does not want to face and Ian with his secret life, the book was entertaining and engaging.

Although confusing at first, I did like the way Quinn tried to start the stories for each of the characters, when it came to their turn. Haile, with the subtitle. Ian, with the idea of a video capturing the moment he was in, before his stories began. And Casey, with the poking, tagging, status updates and so on, presumably Facebook activities. However, at times, their stories were short and I was lost as to focus on whose stories I was reading on.

That said, I was a little bitter about not being able to give this a 5-star. I wanted to, so badly because I was enjoying the book. However, it felt like the book focused more on Haile, the fag hag. Sorry, but she was. She was so in love with Ian that she did not want to accept his homosexuality at first. And bitterly disappointed to know that she could not have Ian. Here is what I felt wrong with the book. The description stated Ian first. Haile was described last. Ian was said to be in love with a football star, which Casey was described as one. Typical gay boy falling for his best friend stuff, it seemed. However, the story focused more on Haile and her issues. There was little to describe Ian's confrontation with his parents. Casey was thrown in, not for Ian, but for Haile.

So, Ian ended up as the secondary character in a novel which was sold as a gay themed. Haile got the scheme. Haile got her confrontation issue with her mother. Haile faced up to her past. And Haile got the boy. Who did Ian get? A guy whom Ian could not commit to, initially, and a guy who could not commit sincerely to Ian, eventually.

The funny thing was also about how Ian got a problem down there after posing naked for Haile. I mean, tired body after hours of posing, and he got a 'north pole'. It should have been a scene between Ian and Casey. Are we selling to the wrong crowd here? I felt that Haile got an ending. Ian got a brush-off. It was not really about Casey. So, I ended up reading a gay-themed book on a girl who got her way. Like wow... Really?

Still, I look forward to Ryan Quinn's future work, if it is involving gay theme again. He writes beautifully. show less

While not poorly written, I didn't find this story interesting. It explains how the Highmaul ogres came to be servants of the Iron Horde, and while it shows some interesting scenes/descriptions of the Iron Horde, the rest is very dull.

Billed as a "coming of age" novel, I found this quite a hard slog to read.

The story surrounds 3 senior students at Florence University in Pennsylvania who are close to graduation. Two are fraternity brothers, Ian and Casey. The other, a gifted young woman Haile (a self made up name pronounced like Halle Berry) who is a classical musician. Ian is gay and I did feel the book was promoted as a "gay novel"....erroneously as it turns out. There is a lot of angst, partying, some casual sex thrown show more in and the usual rites of passage expected in a novel about university students. I just felt that despite all this action...not very much happened.

Unsurprisingly, Ian, Casey and Haile have emotional problems, parent trouble and, in Ian's case, not a notion of what he wants to do with his life.

A bit stereotypical and cliched for me I'm afraid. show less

One is a disturbing data Corporation that Kera comes into contact with in her job. Reminds me of Atlas Shrugged, but kind of lost steam at the end. Too many loose tendrils.