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on May 11, 2017
This book was given the Edgar award as best book for 2016. I am a writer, I was curious just how good a book has to be to win this award. I started reading, reading fill, and more fill... where is the plot? Where is the suspense? I am a hundred pages in and trying desperately to fight the desire to throw it away. The Edgar awards must be political, because I can name 30 books I have recently read that grab you, and you cannot put the book down. Shame on you MWA.
on June 22, 2016
I'm frankly surprised that this book has garnered so much attention and so many favorable reviews, including some suggesting that this book is "the" book for the summer. It's neither suspenseful nor particularly interesting; the characters are flat and predictable, as are the plot and the dialogue, and the repeated use of introspective (or pseudo-introspective) soliloquies on the part the "hero" are pretentious and boring and serve only to interrupt whatever narrative flow the book generates.
Some reviewers have talked about the "surprise" ending, but from my perspective it's totally unsurprising and lame.
I wasted my money and time buying and reading this book. I would recommend that others avoid doing so.
Some reviewers have talked about the "surprise" ending, but from my perspective it's totally unsurprising and lame.
I wasted my money and time buying and reading this book. I would recommend that others avoid doing so.
on July 6, 2016
First, this story centers around a plane crash, and the investigation that follows. Certainly, there is a mystery to solve--why the crash?--but I would not describe this book as a thriller. It's more of a character study or studies, and some philosophizing about life and chance and survival and starting over.
The dialogue is well done. The author obviously has an ear for this as an experienced writer for TV. But the characters are mostly cliche and predictable. There are chapters devoted to various characters and their back stories, but much of the information is irrelevant to our story, so either the author is trying to confuse us to make the mystery more mysterious (!) or it was meant to drive home the message that life is funny and it's just so weird how a certain set of people end up in the same place at the same time, even just for a few minutes.
Based on the promo, I thought the book would spend more time on the relationship between the 2 crash survivors, but this aspect of the story is left kind of half-baked.
A good summer read but not much to highlight and no point reading again.
The dialogue is well done. The author obviously has an ear for this as an experienced writer for TV. But the characters are mostly cliche and predictable. There are chapters devoted to various characters and their back stories, but much of the information is irrelevant to our story, so either the author is trying to confuse us to make the mystery more mysterious (!) or it was meant to drive home the message that life is funny and it's just so weird how a certain set of people end up in the same place at the same time, even just for a few minutes.
Based on the promo, I thought the book would spend more time on the relationship between the 2 crash survivors, but this aspect of the story is left kind of half-baked.
A good summer read but not much to highlight and no point reading again.
on June 10, 2016
Let me start this review by saying my comments on the ending will be conceived as spoilers for anyone who has not read the book. Before the Fall is an undeniably poignant look at the human condition, the society we currently find ourselves to be parts of, and how a traumatic experience can shape the life of a person who is able to walk away from that tragedy. If you like writing that makes you stop and re-read sentences out of appreciation and stories with fully formed characters, you should read this book. If you haven't read the book yet, however, the rest of this review should be avoided at all costs.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
While I understand some people's dissatisfaction with an ending that seems underwhelming, I think that those who were displeased with the ending may have missed a larger point.
One of the things that makes this book so brilliant is that one of its major thematic statements is what leads to so many false conclusions on the part of the reader. We see that the president of ALC News and a billionaire wanted for trading with terrorists were aboard the plane so we assume the final explanation must match the high stakes we have naturally applied. We, as readers, have allowed ourselves to fall into the same trap that Bill Cunningham has set for his audience. We assume the sensational, and it's this assumption that drives the 24 hour news speculation cycle more than anything else. When we learn that the reason for the plane crash is one of the oldest stories that's ever been told, a man loves a woman who doesn't love him back and can't deal with the consequences, our instincts may lead us to feel disappointed. But that feeling of disappointment also contributes to the demand for entertainment masking as news that people like Bill Cunningham provide.
This book serves as a warning of how these natural assumptions have shaped the world we live in today. People like Bill Cunningham can exist solely because of certain evolutions in how we have come to consume "news."
Noah Hawley does a masterful job throughout this book of holding up a mirror to our most voyeuristic tendencies, and the ending is perhaps the best example of that.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
While I understand some people's dissatisfaction with an ending that seems underwhelming, I think that those who were displeased with the ending may have missed a larger point.
One of the things that makes this book so brilliant is that one of its major thematic statements is what leads to so many false conclusions on the part of the reader. We see that the president of ALC News and a billionaire wanted for trading with terrorists were aboard the plane so we assume the final explanation must match the high stakes we have naturally applied. We, as readers, have allowed ourselves to fall into the same trap that Bill Cunningham has set for his audience. We assume the sensational, and it's this assumption that drives the 24 hour news speculation cycle more than anything else. When we learn that the reason for the plane crash is one of the oldest stories that's ever been told, a man loves a woman who doesn't love him back and can't deal with the consequences, our instincts may lead us to feel disappointed. But that feeling of disappointment also contributes to the demand for entertainment masking as news that people like Bill Cunningham provide.
This book serves as a warning of how these natural assumptions have shaped the world we live in today. People like Bill Cunningham can exist solely because of certain evolutions in how we have come to consume "news."
Noah Hawley does a masterful job throughout this book of holding up a mirror to our most voyeuristic tendencies, and the ending is perhaps the best example of that.
on September 13, 2016
Our book club loved this book. Alternating back stories of the characters with events as they unfolded was handled very well. The story was full of enough intrigue and conspiracy theory to keep the reader guessing although the pace was calm. This is not a "thriller" but rather is a tender, thought provoking novel. I felt empathy and admiration for Scott (the only adult survivor) as he dealt with survivor guilt, the media pressure, his relationship to the child that he saved, and reflecting on his own personal journey of self-analysis. The media coverage of the event and willingness to do or say whatever it takes for audience appeal was thought provoking and scary to see how easy it is to ruin a person's reputation. It raised questions in my mind about destiny, personal decisions, the power of the media and so much more.
on June 26, 2016
Seven passengers and three crew members board a private jet for a routine 30- minute ride from Martha's Vineyard to NYC. After 16 minutes the plane mysteriously crashes into the ocean.
Scott, a forty-something year old artist and JJ, the 4 year old son of a wealthy media giant survive the accident only to find themselves somewhere between Martha's Vineyard and NYC in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean on a dark, foggy night. Scott carries JJ on his back, swimming for eight hours to shore. Upon his arrival, Scott is branded a hero by the media, for now...
There is a whole lot going on in this book. It reveals each passenger's story and reason for being on the plane. The reader is left to piece together a plausible reason for the accident;, causing the reader to ponder the randomness of life, what causes people to converge at any given place and time and how quickly life can completely and irrevocably change.,
Also told in alternating chapters between the victims stories, is the story of the accident investigation, the story of the survivors and the story of the media circus following the crash.
I'm not sure which part of the story I found more interesting; the basic plot (the investigation of the accident) or the underlying themes (media creating heroes or villains, etc). This book works well on so many levels.
If I have any complaints they would be that most of the men in the book were portrayed as jerks with overly inflated egos while the majority of the women were almost saintly. Not that I have a problem with women being portrayed in a good light, it just seems a little unrealistic that there were only 3 potentially decent men and the rest were pretty sleepy or damaged and then all the women were exceptional human beings (with only one having questionable intentions) . I also found the last chapter to be a bit farfetched but none of it made me unable to enjoy the book., satisfying, but farfetched. The book is still definitely worth reading.
Scott, a forty-something year old artist and JJ, the 4 year old son of a wealthy media giant survive the accident only to find themselves somewhere between Martha's Vineyard and NYC in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean on a dark, foggy night. Scott carries JJ on his back, swimming for eight hours to shore. Upon his arrival, Scott is branded a hero by the media, for now...
There is a whole lot going on in this book. It reveals each passenger's story and reason for being on the plane. The reader is left to piece together a plausible reason for the accident;, causing the reader to ponder the randomness of life, what causes people to converge at any given place and time and how quickly life can completely and irrevocably change.,
Also told in alternating chapters between the victims stories, is the story of the accident investigation, the story of the survivors and the story of the media circus following the crash.
I'm not sure which part of the story I found more interesting; the basic plot (the investigation of the accident) or the underlying themes (media creating heroes or villains, etc). This book works well on so many levels.
If I have any complaints they would be that most of the men in the book were portrayed as jerks with overly inflated egos while the majority of the women were almost saintly. Not that I have a problem with women being portrayed in a good light, it just seems a little unrealistic that there were only 3 potentially decent men and the rest were pretty sleepy or damaged and then all the women were exceptional human beings (with only one having questionable intentions) . I also found the last chapter to be a bit farfetched but none of it made me unable to enjoy the book., satisfying, but farfetched. The book is still definitely worth reading.
on June 15, 2016
Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. Put this on your “Must Read” list for the summer. This is one of the most beautifully crafted books I’ve read in a long time. On the surface, the plot is a “Who Dunnit” involving a tragic plane crash, but under that story is the thread that most captured my attention…the other tragedy of the death of journalistic integrity in the United States. I stopped taking newspapers years ago because I was so tired of reading endless opinion pieces or slanted stories instead of pure journalism…the truth. I can now barely stand to turn on the television for the same reason. Hawley captured this sad state of affairs through the reporting on this plane crash and how that reporting impacted the players. Hawley used terrific one-liners and gorgeous sentences. Unlike many authors who skip from character to character and time frame to time frame leaving the reader confused, Hawley simply told his reader via chapter headings what he was about to discuss. THANK YOU, MR. HAWLEY! It is so nice to know where I am in space and time when reading a novel and not wonder which character is being discussed and in what decade of his or her life. I really only have two criticisms for this wonderful novel. First, Mr. Hawley chose to rather explicitly state over and over that the “bad” journalists just happened to be Republicans. I wish he had not done that. Conservative newspapers and television talk shows are no worse than Liberal leaning rags and shows. They have ALL forsaken journalistic integrity. It was not necessary in my opinion to caste the reporters as belonging to any particular party, and I thought it took away from the quality of the discourse. Second, Mr. Hawley chose (or his publisher chose) for him to use the “new” method of almost forgetting that a past tense exists…and most of the book is arranged in the present tense. Personally, I find this annoying although I understand this is supposed to make the reader feel more excited. I only feel excited about getting out my teacher’s red pencil and attempting to make corrections. But buy the book! It is simply terrific. I shall read it again before passing it along to friends.
on January 7, 2017
So much to admire in this many-layered story. The first chapter introduces several characters, all of whom, with the exception of a struggling artist and a young boy, die shortly thereafter in a plane crash. From there, the novel is a whodunit--why did the plane crash--combined with a story of the transformation of the artist, inspired by his heroism in saving the boy, plus backstory on the other passengers on the plane.Hawley is especially good at describing action in great detail without being boring. A few beautiful descriptions pop up, too. The book delivers lots of food for thought concerning the scandal-driven reporting on cable news. The setting is mostly New York (do agents and publishers think no one outside NYC reads?) where extreme wealth seems commonplace. The main characters include a cable network CEO and a Wall Street tycoon. The only thing I didn't like were some disgusting sexual comments by two of the male characters, but there were no graphic sex scenes. Hawley is a writer who knows what he's doing and gives readers their money's worth.
on July 18, 2016
Well written, suspenseful and full of surprises.
Before the Fall is a book containing extremely rich (no pun intended) characters, most of whom are quite flawed; some are likeable (Scott, Eleanor & Gus), some are detestable (Bill & Doug, etc.). Throughout the book, everyone is trying to figure out who or what caused the crash, That is the mystery.. Who are the good guys? Are there good guys or is everyone so fatally flawed that it makes them sinister? Scott at first, is portrayed as the hero though the media slowly tries to shatter that image, simply because, well, it makes for a better story.
Several thought provoking issues are brought up, via the media coverage of the events after the Fall, that make me wonder: 1) How much of the news reported today is real and how much is trumped up?; and 2) How far do journalists really go to get the story? (I guess those questions could be answered by Brian Williams. :-))
Noah Hawley did an excellent job of providing back stories for each of the characters. He then wove them together beautifully leading up to the events of the mysterious fall. The book's pace never slows keep the reader's interest until the end.
In truth, it was an extremely satisfying read that I wished wouldn't have to end.. I wanted to follow Scott whenever he went, but what would that make me? A stalker or worse, the Paparazzi? Lol. :-)
Published: June 8, 2016
Published on Goodreads and Amazon
Before the Fall is a book containing extremely rich (no pun intended) characters, most of whom are quite flawed; some are likeable (Scott, Eleanor & Gus), some are detestable (Bill & Doug, etc.). Throughout the book, everyone is trying to figure out who or what caused the crash, That is the mystery.. Who are the good guys? Are there good guys or is everyone so fatally flawed that it makes them sinister? Scott at first, is portrayed as the hero though the media slowly tries to shatter that image, simply because, well, it makes for a better story.
Several thought provoking issues are brought up, via the media coverage of the events after the Fall, that make me wonder: 1) How much of the news reported today is real and how much is trumped up?; and 2) How far do journalists really go to get the story? (I guess those questions could be answered by Brian Williams. :-))
Noah Hawley did an excellent job of providing back stories for each of the characters. He then wove them together beautifully leading up to the events of the mysterious fall. The book's pace never slows keep the reader's interest until the end.
In truth, it was an extremely satisfying read that I wished wouldn't have to end.. I wanted to follow Scott whenever he went, but what would that make me? A stalker or worse, the Paparazzi? Lol. :-)
Published: June 8, 2016
Published on Goodreads and Amazon
