Customer Reviews

Freefall

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Freefall, a Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner for teen readers. Set in Israel, we follow Aggie,the main character, through the tender terrain of the time right before her army service begins.

Freefall skillfully covers the usual romance and friendship parts of a Y/A novel, but what kept me reading, is how that plays out in an Israel under attack. Abby's deep, vulnerable, strong and always true. As is her story. And that's what makes Freefall a wonderful read.

Check out Running on Eggs, Anna's first book. You won't want to miss out on that story. And if there are younger kids in your life, picture book age, look for Anna's other new book, Jodie's Hanukkah Dig.

Michelle Edwards, Chicken Man, A Knitter's Home Companion

Teenage girls have their dramas. Hormones, crushes, clashes with friends, wrangles with parents, and, of course, self-doubt, are all included in the trials of the typical post-adolescent. But what happens when the average 18-year-old - influenced by MTV, fashion magazines, and potato chips - is stripped of her Levi's, her concert tickets, and her mirror - and is (quite literally) dropped into real-life combat training?

Aggie, fresh out of high school and preparing for mandatory service, wants to join the most dangerous army unit in the Israeli Defense Forces. Driven by a heartfelt sense of nationalism combined with a basic love for her friends and family, she is swayed by no one. Her parents squawk at the notion of her carrying a weapon, and her sister and her best friend tease her; but her very traditional Moroccan grandmother and her humble love interest, Noah, give her a great deal of confidence.

Underweight for the combat unit's requirements, Aggie proves to everyone that her physical size doesn't hold a candle to her burning determination to stand on the front lines in defense of her country. Though dehydrated and exhausted from her first day of training, Aggie manages the strength to take on extra duties, including relieving a fellow soldier from night watch patrol.

In the midst of such tough situations, Levine manages to incorporate the small dramas that concern young women everywhere. Having rejected her boyfriend, Ben, Aggie finds herself drawn to her best friend's brother, Noah, who is himself a combat soldier. It is not difficult to fall as hard into love with Noah as Aggie does - his hazel eyes are only second to his peaceful demeanor and sharp sense of humor.

All signs point in the direction of Aggie heading off to two years of combat training. She seems more than ready to go - to get into the dirt and to do something few women have done before. But fate has other plans. A barrage of rockets and escalading violence on the Northern border with Lebanon sends Aggie - to the utter disproval of her mother - to help rescue animals abandoned by frightful owners seeking shelter from rocket fire. Levine's descriptions of the empty streets and abandoned homes in which Aggie finds herself are eerily accurate. And one wouldn't ordinarily believe that weddings take place in bomb shelters, but Levine writes with an honesty that is hard to deny. Weddings do, in fact, take place in bomb shelters.

Though she may be young and a bit naïve at times, our young warrior Aggie, who indeed comes to feel like a kind of universal "daughter," has an enthusiasm that is highly contagious. A difficult book to put down and a library must-have for anyone interested in Israeli life through the eyes of a young soldier, one only hopes for a sequel to 'Free Fall' - maybe even a film.

I was completely surprised at how much I enjoyed reading Freefall. From the get go Anna captured my attention with her vivid descriptions of the sites and sounds of Israel, from the sweltering heat in the country, to the sites and sounds of the city, mixed in with the descriptions of the smells of spices and baked goods. It's not very often I have the chance to read such a realistic book, set in the country of Israel and narrated by a strong female character who wants to be apart of an elite Israeli paratrooper group.

In country where threats from terrorists and rumors of war are a daily part of life, I was quickly thrust into the fears and normalcy of Aggie's life. When sirens are blazing to head the warning of bombs being dropped, Aggie's mom is making brownies. It's that mix of war's daily occurrence in Aggie's life, that captured my attention more. It's not uncommon for Aggie to see soldiers with their guns hanging from their shoulders around town and on the buses. Freefall isn't all about war, but it's realistic approach to life in Israel is what really drew me in. I felt an instant connection to Freefall's characters, whom I really loved getting to know.

Aggie is such a wonderful teen heroine, who is trying to find her place in a world that's full of hopes and fears. When Aggie sets her mind to do something, she does it. Despite the fears her parents and sister have about her being in active duty, who Grandmother who served her country in active duty support her decision, as does her best friend's older brother Noah. I loved the sweet romance between Noah and Aggie. In fact, I craved more than I got. That's not a bad thing, but with being such a quick and engaging read, Aggie's story wasn't just a love story, as it was about her finding the strength to fulfill her desire of being apart of an elite team.

War changes anyone who's been through it, and Aggie gets a taste of the camaraderie that comes with trusting those you serve with, with your life. I really enjoyed reading about the weekend boot camp she attends, as it's her first test to see if she has what it takes to eligible for active duty. With other girls, Aggie has to prove she can handle all situations, and it's there she not only finds her strength, but she mets and befriends another favorite character of mine, Lily. Lily adds spunk to the story. Lilly was born in Israel, and having moved to the US when she was young, she's just moved back to join the Israeli army.

Aggie's voice is no different than many teen girl voices. She has friend and boy drama, she worries about normal teen stuff, and though war is a constant threat in her daily life, she's a very real, relatable character. I absolutely loved getting to know her and though I liked where her story ended, I also wanted more. The setting was unique and one I really enjoyed. Don't let the cover fool you into thinking it's a silly love story, as it's not. It's a wonderful read that readers will connect with as Aggie expresses her concerns about love, life, friendship, and her thoughts and feelings with life and being a 17 yr old and making her mark on the world.

I love this quote from Aggie: "There are moments in life when you have to jump. You throw yourself into the atmosphere hoping you'll land right, hoping your parachute will open and ease your fall. If you're lucky, you'll have a crowd of onlookers waiting on the ground to greet you. Some chutes glide with the wind until you land effortlessly. Others get caught up in the turbulence and the ride down to earth is bumpier, the landing harder. The thing is you never know how it'll be until you step out and take the chance." - page 250

I highly recommend picking Freefall up.

I knew very little about the military service commitment required by residents of Israel before picking up this book. I loved learning about all of that, and enjoyed the action scenes, but I got swept away by the touching romance. What a treat to read about a strong young woman like Aggie. My only complaint: I didn't want the story to end. I wanted more!

I love books about young women who push against boundaries, both external and internal, and Aggie does both in Freefall. The first-person, present-tense narrative lends an intimacy and immediacy that makes her excitement, doubts, and adventures -- both physical and emotional -- engaging and dramatic. At the same time, the setting and story are so different from the lives of most readers, they'll be transported to a whole new world.

FREEFALL by Anna Levine is one of those special books that make you stay up all night, laughing and crying. Aggie is all young girl with the same desires as any girl, but she's not just thinking about the next dance but also on noble and heroic things, like serving her country and laying down her life for peace. I think above all the humanity of this story touched me. Freefall is about the vast leaps that we make from childhood to adulthood. It's scary, exhilarating, and must be embraced. I can't recommend this book enough.

The quality of writing in this novel is really extraordinary - a first person narrative that truly sings. The story is told through the eyes of Aggie, an 18-year-old Israeli girl who has opted to do her military service in an elite combat unit, despite the fact that she is perceived by friends and family as an unlikely candidate - brainy, but not strong, daring or brave. Furthermore, she has an easy out if she wants - her dad is a government official with some clout, and it would be easy for her to get a much cushier post for her required military service. But Aggie is determined to prove herself, and prove herself she does.
The enormous strength of the novel is the way each character and scene is brought to life through Aggie's humorous, insightful, and quirky observation: her feisty grandmother, her zaftig friend Lily, even strangers on a bus spring to life as she tells us about them. Her tentative and unfolding romance with Noah, another soldier, is lovely, believable and touching. For me, the portrayal of the army seemed a little idealized, and I wondered if there wouldn't have been more diverse opinions about the war, but that didn't detract from the many pleasures of reading this novel. Anna Levine is an amazing writer, and I definitely recommend this book.

Aggie is a typical teenage girl growing up in Israel. When it comes time for her to enter the Israeli Army she decides to try out for an elite combat unit, despite the incredulity of friends and family. This is the story of Aggie's growth and bonding with fellow soldiers, as well as her first tastes of romance and of danger. While Aggie's experiences are specific to Israel, her emotions are universal. The book is an engaging, easy-to-read, surprisingly apolitical story that teen girls will relate to (both story and jacket design are aimed at a female audience). At the same time, readers will learn quite a lot about Israeli life without even realizing that they are doing so. This 2009 Sydney Taylor Honor Book is a highly recommended young adult novel. Grades 8-12. Heidi Estrin

Freefall was an enjoyable read, but the scene that moved me most was the brief one in the hospital when the character Noah tells Jonas about the soldier he spoke harshly to, and who later died. I'm at an age where my deepest recurring regret is that I didn't appreciate people and events in my life. Maybe that's a regret of someone who is older, or maybe it's a human regret, but that scene hit home. I am grateful to the author for having written the book. It lets people know that Israel is a normal country with normal human concerns.

Aggie now eighteen is contemplating her choice of assignments in the IDF. Despite her small thin size she is seriously thinking about requesting a combat unit, much to the chagrin of her mother, disbelief of her best friend Shira, and amusement of Ben, her latest crush. But a surprise goodbye kiss from Shira's brother, Noah as well as his encouraging, if not respectful appreciation for her inner thoughts is at once bewildering and exciting. Aggie's overnight introductory boot camp training tests more than her physical stamina and emotional resolve. Many of the seemingly unplanned for challenges, like losing her backpack and gear the first night, are a test of her determination to continue. And when she is paired with Lily, a girl who is not above finding any solution, honest or not, to her survival, Aggie's training extends to the understanding of the loyalties and trust she must develop with her fellow soldiers. Levine's stark portrayal of her protagonist's experience through realistic dialogue and a first person narrative will have readers enthralled as they admiringly watch a young woman transfer her hesitancy to confidence, ready to make a difference in her own way. A genuine look at the realities of Israeli military life through the eyes of a young woman. - RITA SOLTAN - WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI