Falling into Place

Amy Zhang

Sep 2014 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

One cold fall day, high school junior Liz Emerson steers her car into a tree. This haunting and heartbreaking story is told by a surprising and unexpected narrator and unfolds in nonlinear flashbacks even as Liz's friends, foes, and family gather at the hospital and Liz clings to life. This riveting debut will appeal to fans of Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver, and 13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher.

"On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton's laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road." Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? The nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High's most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn't understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn't understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang's haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.

Ratings and reviews

Very well written. The main character I disliked because of all the things she put into motion. But in the end it made me feel sorry for her and what she felt. Guilt. Ashamed. Lost. Not worthy. Not worthy of living. This is a must read. I would recommend this book.

I enjoyed this book, definitely kept me turning the pages but the ending was a little abrupt for my liking. 4 stars though, good read.

Loved the character development, the narrative POV coming from her imaginary friend, the flaws that encompass each character, the pacing, extended metaphors, and the vignette-esque structure of the chapters. Also, the non-linear timeline felt accurate to the way the mind remembers events.

About the author

Amy Zhang was born in China and moved to the United States when she was a young girl. She grew up in Wisconsin and recently graduated from college. She is the author of Falling into Place and This is Where the World Ends, and she currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.