Fallen (Lauren Kate's Fallen Series #1)
There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.\ Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.\ Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce—and goes out of his way to make that very clear—she can't let it go....
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There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce—and goes out of his way to make that very clear—she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.Publishers WeeklyBeautiful Lucinda (Luce) Price is banished from everything she knows after a mysterious fire leaves her friend Trevor dead and Luce shouldering the blame. She is forced to board at a decrepit reform school where students are under the constant watch of cameras and must go without cellphones or Internet access. Grief-stricken by Trevor's death and horrified by her new surroundings, Luce is also plagued by sinister, terrifying shadows that appear wherever she goes. The remote gothic setting provides the standard backdrop for the crux of the story, first in a planned series—the romantic feelings Luce develops for the elusive, unpredictable, and rather unlikable Daniel. Aside from the evil shadows, the plot can be summed up with a single word: pining. Luce longs for Daniel in various ways—dreaming of him, digging up information, trying to talk to him, experiencing rejection, then trying again. Some readers will pine right alongside Luce, but others may feel that Kate spends too much time on unrequited love and too little on forward movement in Luce's relationship with Daniel and the mystery of what, exactly, Daniel is. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)
\ Publishers WeeklyBeautiful Lucinda (Luce) Price is banished from everything she knows after a mysterious fire leaves her friend Trevor dead and Luce shouldering the blame. She is forced to board at a decrepit reform school where students are under the constant watch of cameras and must go without cellphones or Internet access. Grief-stricken by Trevor's death and horrified by her new surroundings, Luce is also plagued by sinister, terrifying shadows that appear wherever she goes. The remote gothic setting provides the standard backdrop for the crux of the story, first in a planned series—the romantic feelings Luce develops for the elusive, unpredictable, and rather unlikable Daniel. Aside from the evil shadows, the plot can be summed up with a single word: pining. Luce longs for Daniel in various ways—dreaming of him, digging up information, trying to talk to him, experiencing rejection, then trying again. Some readers will pine right alongside Luce, but others may feel that Kate spends too much time on unrequited love and too little on forward movement in Luce's relationship with Daniel and the mystery of what, exactly, Daniel is. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)\ \ \ \ \ VOYA - Paula Brehm-Heeger\ On her first day at Sword and Cross boarding school, Lucinda (Luce) meets Daniel, for whom she has an immediate and overwhelming attraction. Luce has no interest in pursuing her feelings. Her last attempt at love ended in tragedy, and she is certain that the menacing shadows that have followed her for her entire life will wreak havoc if she tries to get close to anyone. When a fire breaks out in the school's library causing the death of a student, Luce knows she is right. But she and Daniel are drawn together by a force they cannot resist. Luce is also pursued by Cam, and soon Daniel and Cam are fighting over Luce. Luce realizes that she, Daniel, Cam, and many of the Sword and Cross students and teachers are players in an epic battle between the forces of heaven and hell. The premise of the Fallen series is unique, and the writing is solid. Unfortunately the first installment is overwhelmed by the need to set up the series and introduce a seemingly never-ending parade of characters. Little time is devoted to character development. Many characters come and go, and it is difficult to remember who is who and what their motivations might be for their behavior. The story drags at first and builds little believable tension or attraction between Daniel and Luce; however, the last quarter of the book finally introduces action, passion, and several surprising plot twists. If the next book continues the action-oriented trend of the final section of this book, the series has potential to be popular with younger high school students interested in supernatural fiction and stories of star-crossed lovers. Reviewer: Paula Brehm-Heeger\ \ \ School Library JournalGr 8 Up—Luce must spend her senior year at reform school after her boyfriend dies in a mysterious fire. She suspects that the dark shadows that have tormented her all her life had something to do with it. When she meets supernaturally gorgeous Daniel, she feels a familiar longing, making her believe they have met before. Although Cam is clearly interested in her, Luce only wants Daniel, who runs both hot and cold. He tries to keep Luce at a distance, telling her that the truth would kill her as it has many times before. The first chapter is gripping and foreshadows the supernatural elements to come. The plot revolves around lovers who find one another, only to lose one another over and over again in a story that spans centuries. Instead of vampires, though, these are fallen angels. Many elements are not resolved, such as the cause of the fire and why angels are at this school. Still, fans of supernatural romance will be lining up for this book despite its flaws, and begging for a sequel.—Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH\ \ \ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsThere's no better place to encounter your centuries-old true love than reform school, right? Luce, newly enrolled at Sword & Cross School after a fire kills her sort-of boyfriend, is instantly attracted to two majorly gorgeous bad boys, elusive Daniel and popular Cam. She can also see clouds of dark shadows, but she doesn't know why or where they come from. With the help of a friend, Luce discovers that Daniel has a storied supernatural history. The Southern Gothic atmosphere, the best part of the book, is so well crafted that readers can easily picture Luce walking among the marshes and crumbling buildings. Daniel's angelic identity is one that will be obvious to any reader with knowledge of the Bible. By the time Luce figures it out, however, the evil school librarian has Luce in her clutches, threatening to end Luce and Daniel's One True Love. This would be no great loss, as Luce lacks personality, and it is never clear to readers why the two hottest guys in school would compete for her attention. This angel story fails to rise above. (Supernatural. YA)\ \ \ \ \ Children's LiteratureLuce notices Daniel right away. She sees him on her first day at Sword and Cross, a boarding school for troubled teens that she is sent to after her boyfriend dies in a strange accident. She finds him mysterious and familiar at the same time. Daniel, however, wants nothing to do with Luce. In fact, he goes out of his way to make sure Luce wants nothing to do with him. The more he pushes Luce away, the more she wants to know about him. As the year continues, she makes other friends, all of whom have their own mysteries and all who seem connected to everyone but her. When Luce starts to research Daniel's background, she uncovers something that seems impossible but is completely undeniable; she starts to see how she is in the center of everything. And the more she learns, the more the world around her turns violent and frightening. Although slow starting, once this novel gets going, it hooks readers. There are love scenes and action scenes. The supernatural elements are just believable enough to keep you reading. In a year where everything is vampire, Kate's take on the supernatural is innovative and imaginative. The stock themes are there (thwarted love, rebellion against authority, loyalty to friends), but they take on a new twist with fallen angels. However, while this book has an end, it leaves many questions unanswered, leaving readers waiting for the next in the series. Reviewer: Heather Robertson Mason\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalGr 8 Up—An ominous prologue involving a man and woman in another place and time (England, 1854) begins this darkly captivating fantasy (Delacorte, 2009) by Lauren Kate. In the first chapter, set in present day Savannah, Georgia, 17-year-old Lucinda (Luce) has just arrived at the reform school to which she has been sent following the death of her friend, Trevor, in a suspicious fire. The story begins at a slow pace as the author sets the scene and mood while introducing the characters, including the mysterious and beautiful Daniel, to whom Luce is immediately attracted. She feels as though she has met him before, somewhere. Listeners also meet Cam, to whom Luce is also attracted, albeit, to a lesser degree. As the story unfolds, the pace and intensity build, keeping listeners enthralled as the true nature of several characters are revealed, as well as the significance of the menacing, shifting shadows that have haunted Luce since childhood. Justine Eyre's smooth narration is delivered in a typical teen girl's voice—sometimes understated and verging on tremulous, and dramatic at other times. Obvious similarities to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series exist, but instead of vampires and wolves, the tale is populated with angels and demons. Many questions remain unanswered by story's end. Fans will eagerly await the sequel, Torment, which will be released in audio format in October 2010.—Mary Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH\ \
