Book Review: Fallen - Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen (Fallen #1) - Lauren Kate

Release Date: The edition I have was first published September 28th 2010

Publisher: Ember

Pages: 452 (paperback, first edition)

Goodreads 

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.

For quite some time, I eyed Fallen every time I saw it in a bookstore. A cover that pretty is a total head-turner and thankfully, what's inside is just as beautiful.

Luce Price was a typical teenager on the surface but ever since she was little, she had been haunted by what she called the Shadows. She told her parents about it and, as expected, they tried to help her by bringing her to eye and ear doctors, and eventually to shrinks, but they had done nothing to help eliminate the dark figures until she grew tired of the meds and sessions and just decided to pretend that she was already fine. She was doing well until one night, the Shadows hurt her and killed the guy she liked. Everyone except Luce's parents and her friend, Callie, believed that she was at fault for the death and branded her a troubled kid, so she was sent to a reform school. Luce thought it was the end for her until she laid her eyes on Daniel Grigori who was hot-one-minute-and-cold-the-next, but she never could have imagined the reason why...

I read the book twice before making this review. The first time, I gave it four out of five. I was planning to give it a three because I found it totally dragging, particularly the middle part, but the ending saved it for me. But on the second time, the story just enthralled me and I enjoyed it a whole lot more.

No story is perfect though, and I had two problems with this one. Number one: the characters were not developed enough. They had to be taken at face value, and I think number two explains why: the book was written like a movie. Most of the characters’ thoughts and, at times, even the setting were not elaborated enough. But the good thing about that is that it makes it easier to picture the scenes in your head because there are fewer things to include in what you imagine, and reading Fallen was just like watching a movie.

Nonetheless, this was a really good book and I’m planning to read it again before going on to the sequel when I get to buy it!

...AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE MOVIE! ♥

My favorite part: Daniel showing his wings to Luce. That was so heavenly. "Twitterpated" is probably an understatement of how I felt while reading that.

Rating: 5/5

(photo from goodreads.com; summary from author’s website)