Falling by T.J. Newman (2021)
Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I started seeing this novel in many bookstores and then heard about its skyrocketing popularity, so I had to grab a copy. The rights for a movie based on the novel were recently purchased by Universal Studios so there may be a film adaptation on the horizon.
The Analysis:
Airline pilot Bill Hoffman leaves his family to pilot a flight as usual. However, once in the air, Bill learns that this is no ordinary day at work for him. A man has taken his wife and young children hostage and gives him an ultimatum: crash the plane or your family will die. Knowing his duty to the passengers and crew, Bill must decide whether to save the 144 passengers on his plane or his own family.
Taking place for the duration of a cross-country flight from L.A. to New York, the book covers what is happening in the plane and on the ground below. There are also a series of flashbacks to give background information for some of the characters. I didn’t love the way the flashbacks were used without any transition. The abrupt start of a scene unrelated to the present was often confusing until I realized it was a flashback. However, the author did a good job of fleshing out the characters and I really felt for them with each triumph and trial.
Suspenseful right from the start, Falling keeps the reader invested the whole way through. I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. This book has the feel of a James Patterson or Jeffrey Deaver novel with reliable action and thrills.The author also was a flight attendant herself, which makes for realistic descriptions of both the setting and the thoughts and feelings of the crew. The book was a fast-paced and enjoyable read but do not read this on a plane or in the airport. Seriously, I had finished it a few weeks before a flight and thought about it the whole time.
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