Falling Under [Mass Market Paperback]

Danielle Younge-Ullman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 29, 2008

"After surviving a turbulent childhood, Mara Foster hasfi nally gained independence and success as a painter. Nowin her late twenties, she lives alone, still burdened by atroubled past involving a teenaged aff air with an olderman and the tragic loss of her college boyfriend. But whenMara meets Hugo, the walls she has built around herselfbegin to crumble. Despite herself, she starts to fall in loveand realizes she must either confront her dark secrets or beconsumed by them. And either way, she risks losing Hugoand her second chance at happiness.Written in spare, crisp prose and marked by wry humor,Falling Under is a gripping contemporary urban tale ofhuman weakness, friendship, and hard-earned redemption."

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Danielle Younge-Ullman redefines modern fiction with this finely wrought, edgy debut. She is the best kind of new author— enormously talented and utterly unafraid.”
—Kristy Kiernan, author of Catching Genius

“Mara’s journey is a wild ride. And Danielle Younge-Ullman writes about human connections and with thrilling energy, honesty and fury.”
—Ellen Sussman, editor of Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Danielle Younge-Ullman is a novelist, playwright, and actor from Toronto, Canada. Her one-act play, 7 Acts of Intercourse, debuted at Toronto’s SummerWorks festival in 2005. This is her first novel. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Plume (July 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452289653
• ISBN-13: 978-0452289659
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,230,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Danielle Younge-Ullman is a novelist, playwright and freelance writer. She studied English and Theater at McGill University, then returned to her hometown of Toronto to work as professional actor for ten years. Her one-act play, 7 Acts of Intercourse, debuted at Toronto's SummerWorks Festival in 2005. Danielle lives in Toronto with her husband, two daughters, and their dog, Finny. Falling Under is her first novel.

For more information including updates, a book club reading guide and links to interviews and podcasts, visit the author's website.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Ending!, July 30, 2008

By 

Neil and Tracy "www.bookroomreviews.com & www... (IA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Falling Under (Mass Market Paperback)

Falling Under explores the complexity of what happens after a child grows up with parents who are too caught up in their own struggles to care for their own daughter. Mara Foster is used to having to care for her alcoholic father and tiptoe around her heartbroken mother. As an adult Mara uses her sexuality to push her demons away. She discovers a passion and success as an artist. But Mara continues to struggle as an adult after she experiences a tragedy. When she finally finds someone who just wants to love her, she finds herself struggling to open herself up again. And there is that special someone else who she is bound together with body and soul, by a dark secret.

"My skin, all at once, is like an open wound, my insides a battlefield. There is no thought to trace it to, no moment of warning before it happens, and yet I should have known I wouldn't be able to do this.

No matter what my heart begs, my body will not let me love.'

Falling Under may sound like it is all dark and dreary. But there are lots of wonderful funny moments as Mara navigates through her life. I loved Mara's character. Danielle Younge-Ullman's writing made me feel Mara's heartbreak deep in her soul. Women will find themselves identifying with her. Her best friend since childhood, Bernadette is a wonderfully fun character. And then there are those two men competing for her heart. When I reached the end I, found myself turning to the front cover and then suddenly it all made sense. The ending is amazing and I won't say anymore because you will want to have the experience for yourself. I highly recommend Falling Under. There are compelling subjects for discussion for book clubs, such as alcoholism, absentee parents, and then that wonderful ending. Believe me, the discussions will be heated. I look forward to many more books from this author.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty and engaging., July 30, 2008

By 

Joanne (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Falling Under (Mass Market Paperback)

Wow, this debut by author Danielle Younge Ullman left me breathless. Gritty, dark and very thought-provoking, Falling Under is a must read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one woman show, August 7, 2008

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Falling Under (Mass Market Paperback)

When she was a young girl, Mara Foster's parents acrimoniously divorced; besides learning Santa was a fraud that Christmas Mara knew dad was never coming back. She took it personally blaming herself and it still affects her relationships as an adult. Mara always sees the dark side to humans as she suffers from the anxiety disorder agoraphobia.

Men do not want to deal with Mara's issues. That is until she meets Hugo, who wants to be with her in spite of her phobias. He encourages her to move on, but to do so Mara must look deep inside herself; a thought that frightens the young woman, but enough to run from or towards Hugo remains to be seen as she loathes touching and he wants intimacy.

FALLING UNDER is a one woman show as the story line deals with Mara's phobias that make it impossible for her to have an intimate loving relationship; though in some ways she does have that with her only friend who is as angst laden with demons as she is. The storyline focuses on whether besieged Mara can move past her terrors encouraged by the kind Hugo. Readers who relish a realistic study of a tormented lonely person will appreciate FALLING UNDER as the quince will wonder whether Mara finds her groove or remains tortured in self afflicted hell. PS the ending is realistic but not easy to swallow.

Harriet Klausner