Friday, January 31, 2014

The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft


Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
From her earliest memories, Penelope Sparrow's life centered around dance. When she awoke in a hospital bed, bound by injuries and doctor's orders, she began to wonder if her life would ever regain the momentum it once had. All she had ever known was ripped away from her in one moment.

Fighting to regain her footing in the world, Penelope must deal with both her physical and mental wounds caused by her accident and the events leading up to it. Along the way she meets a group of people who will offer her help - if she can conquer her demons. The main question on her mind is will she ever dance again?

Review:
I requested permission to read this book at NetGalley because both the cover and description intrigued me. What I thought would be a mystery turned into something more by the time I was a quarter of the way through the book. The cover is beautiful in its simplicity and portrays the feeling of weightlessness perfectly. In a sense it mimics what we can feel when we let go of the chains that bind us and do what is in our hearts.

The story affected me a lot more than I had anticipated. Not only was the story about a woman triumphing over adversity, in this case a pretty severe accident that she was lucky to live through, but it was also a story about healing in nearly every aspect of the word. Having watched someone close to me suffer through a chronic illness and then leave this mortal world, I could picture everything Angela was going through and then some. In a way, I was Penelope in some moments.

Because I connected with the story, the characters seemed more alive to me. At first I couldn't understand some of the reasoning behind the actions of a few characters. Once the story progressed, the ideas behind the worries and the reactions became clear. To me, it made them seem as real and flawed as we all are. But I'll be honest. There were a number of times I wanted to smack Penelope to get her to open her eyes. Still, she had to learn in her own time - exactly as we have to in this life.

From the first word to the last, the story moves at a steady pace. The minor characters and actions support the main characters and storyline perfectly. It all adds up to a very compelling and illuminated story on a number of levels. The author manages to tackle issues from life and death to battling one's self-degradation. She is able to do this in a thought-provoking and caring manner which disarms the reader and pulls them further into the characters world.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. Even though I need a few tissues at specific moments, it was well worth the snubby nose. If you're looking for an engaging and uplifting, educating story, this book is one to put at the top of your list.

The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft is available in either paperback or Kindle form. It can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking the link provided below.
The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft

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