1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Carter, Ally. 2015. ALL FALL DOWN. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-545-65474-6.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
At thirteen, Grace suffered through the tragic loss of her mother. Now at sixteen, she finds herself back on Embassy Row in Adria, where she spent her childhood summers with her grandfather, the American Ambassador. Grace is plagued by memories of her mother, as well as memories from the night she died. She is convinced her mother was murdered by a man with a scarred face, but no one seems to believe her due to her reputation of mishaps and fumbles. Grace, along with an eclectic mix of co-conspirators, search high and low to find the one responsible for her mother’s death.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Admittedly, this is not my favorite YA book. It is not a bad book, but it is not exceptionally good, like most of the other books I have posted on this blog. I was excited to read a mystery novel, and there were thrilling parts of the story. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I am somewhat tempted to read the following books to see if the unfinished storyline comes to a satisfying ending.
The main character, Grace, has experienced personal trauma. Due to this, she experiences a lot of flashbacks, anxiety, and even panic attacks. Of course, this affects the first person narrator perspective. Even with the first person voice, the characterization of Grace is challenging to understand. This may or may not be intentional. The secondary characters are very limited in description and depth, which is disappointing.
The emphasis is definitely on the plot action and the development of the mystery surrounding the mother’s death. The progression of the storyline feels a little disjointed. Transitions aren’t as natural as they could be.
The setting is intriguing. I like political dramas, which is partly why I chose a book set in a foreign diplomatic community. The abandoned Iranian embassy and the ancient underground tunnel system were intriguing backdrops for some of the more exciting parts of the story.
I hope the following books continue to develop the characters from book one, and help bring the story elements together.
4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Booklist, November 2014, “A supporting cast of other spunky teenage children of ambassadors brings levity to the darker turns in this thriller. Readers will be excited for the next book in the series, sure to be a hit with Carter’s already sizable audience.”
Horn Book Guide, October 2015
Kirkus Reviews, November 2014
Publishers Weekly, November 2014
School Library Journal, November 2014, “Grace's justifiable anger and spunk are sure to resonate with teens. With its intrigue and clever plot twists, this series opener will leave readers hungering for more.”
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), February 2015
5. CONNECTIONS
*This is the first book in the Embassy Row series, by Ally Carter. See how they run is book two, and Take the key and lock her up is book three. Carter is also known for her Gallagher Girl series, which contains six books, and Heist Society series, which contains three books. Her most recent books are the Winterborne Home books.
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