Ann-Marie MacDonald
Author of Fall on Your Knees
About the Author
Ann-Marie MacDonald was born in Baden Sölingen, in the former West Germany on October 29, 1958. She attended Carleton University before moving to Montreal to train as an actor at the National Theatre School of Canada, where she graduated in 1980. She has performed in theatres across Canada, and show more continues to act in film, television and theatre. She has appeared in several independent Canadian films including The Wars and Better Than Chocolate. She won a Gemini Award for her role in the film Where the Spirit Lives and was nominated for a Genie for her role in I've Heard the Mermaids Singing. Her play Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) won the Governor General's Award for Drama, the Chalmers Award for Outstanding Play, and the Canadian Authors' Association Award for Drama. Her first novel, Fall on Your Knees, was published in 1996. Her other novels include The Way the Crow Flies and Adult Onset (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Ann-Marie MacDonald
Works by Ann-Marie MacDonald
Associated Works
The Pill: The Untold Story of the Drug That Changed the World [1999 film] — Narrator — 2 copies
Where the Spirit Lives [1989 film] — Actor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- MacDonald, Ann-Marie
- Birthdate
- 1958-10-29
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- Canada
- Birthplace
- CFB Baden-Soellingen, West Germany
- Places of residence
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Montréal, Québec, Canada - Occupations
- novelist
playwright
actor
broadcast journalist - Relationships
- Palmer, Alisa (spouse)
- Organizations
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Awards and honors
- Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Order of Canada
Governor General's Performing Arts Award
Members
Reviews
Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
interesting reading but a saga, without credibility
½This was one of Oprah's last selections of her FIRST book club (she quit and restarted later), and as was typical of her choices it dealt with abuse, incest, dysfunction.
MacDonald carefully controls the revelations however, so that there are still surprises toward the end. Still, looking back, you recognize foreshadowing used throughout. It's a powerful book, but NOT an enjoyable read. I did not like Frances at all; but I love Lily.
Our book group had a great discussion.
MacDonald carefully controls the revelations however, so that there are still surprises toward the end. Still, looking back, you recognize foreshadowing used throughout. It's a powerful book, but NOT an enjoyable read. I did not like Frances at all; but I love Lily.
Our book group had a great discussion.
I read this book loving it several years ago. It brought back my memories of living in the sixties during the Cold War; that part is still true. My patience and tastes must have changed as this time I felt there was way too many details and I didn't particularly like the "grown up" Madeleine. Overall, still a good read.
Loved it. Such beautiful writing and complex characters. Characters where you can hate their actions and deliberate ignorance yet love their motivations or their strength in one particular area.
The story reminded me of the writing of Dickens and the Bronte sisters. The writing is gothic with all the trappings of that genre -- a "castle", an ancient prophecy, women in distress, a beast within, high tension and stormy weather. Yet it deals with very 21st century issues of inclusion, intersex and homosexual rights and the freedom to be who you are.
It is about duality. A county that is in neither England or Scotland but somehow in both. Charlotte and Charles who exist in one person and who wants acknowledgement of their duality.
There were aspects of magical realism that, for me, weren't necessary: Byrn, regeneration, extended lives. There were times when modern sensibilities snuck into the Victoria time period: having Fayne declared a person, accepting titles such as Lord Charlotte and Lady Charles. And the ending seemed to, paradoxically, move too quickly and drag on a bit. But none of that mattered by the end of the book because of the engrossing story so richly populated with great characters and told in amazing writing.… (more)
The story reminded me of the writing of Dickens and the Bronte sisters. The writing is gothic with all the trappings of that genre -- a "castle", an ancient prophecy, women in distress, a beast within, high tension and stormy weather. Yet it deals with very 21st century issues of inclusion, intersex and homosexual rights and the freedom to be who you are.
It is about duality. A county that is in neither England or Scotland but somehow in both. Charlotte and Charles who exist in one person and who wants acknowledgement of their duality.
There were aspects of magical realism that, for me, weren't necessary: Byrn, regeneration, extended lives. There were times when modern sensibilities snuck into the Victoria time period: having Fayne declared a person, accepting titles such as Lord Charlotte and Lady Charles. And the ending seemed to, paradoxically, move too quickly and drag on a bit. But none of that mattered by the end of the book because of the engrossing story so richly populated with great characters and told in amazing writing.… (more)
Lists
BIRDS IN FICTION (1)
Canada (1)
Plays I Like (1)
Morphy Pick! (1)
Allie's Wishlist (1)
Female Author (2)
Canadian Fiction (1)
First Novels (1)
to get (1)
Unread books (1)
My TBR list (1)
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 13
- Also by
- 8
- Members
- 8,302
- Popularity
- #2,910
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 213
- ISBNs
- 150
- Languages
- 14
- Favorited
- 33
- Touchstones
- 354
