Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

First words
I first read FALLEN back in 2009 when it came out. Now that the last book, RAPTURE, has been released, I've decided to re-read the whole series so I can do it justice! I haven't read FALLEN for a year or so now, but it's been like meeting up with an old friend that I haven't seen for a while, then suddenly realize how much we get on!


So, what's it about?
"Some angels are destined to fall..."*

When Luce arrives at Sword & Cross, a reform school by order of the court, it's a far cry from her old private school at Dover. But Luce doesn't belong here - at least that's what she says. However ... after the accident last summer, no one believes her.

Luce soon catches the attention of the charming Cam, and with his dark hair and green eyes, he's a welcome distraction from her new life . . .

Then she sees Daniel. From the moment their eyes meet, Luce feels like she knows him from somewhere . . . not just that, but these feelings she has for him . . . why does it feel like this has happened before?

Thoughts and opinions
First, before the story has even begun, is a quote that has stayed with me since the first time I opened the book.

"But paradise is locked and bolted ... We must make a journey around the world to see if a back door has perhaps been left open."

-Heinrich Von Kleist, 'On the Puppet Theater.'

What a perfect idea this is on its own. Even more so when you read it from the context of Luce or Daniel, and realize that it's true for them too.

This entwined love story is beautiful, dark and twisted all at once. It's complicated and seemingly destined to fail, yet you can't help but feel a sense of hope. Sometimes, a story where love, or at least extremely strong attraction, seems to come on very quickly, and from not a lot, can feel wrong and unexplained. This does not. Luce is, yes, interested in Daniel from the start, but I think she is also intrigued by him, and not just because she 'likes' him. 


Luce is written from third person, but it such a way, most of the time I forget and I feel like I'm reading in first. I really feel for Luce and the things she goes through, and, so far I really like her as a character. She has her funny moments, and she doesn't act stupidly and get herself into danger for the sake of it! I love the way that she has had the shadows for a long time, and that she figured out how to pretend everything is normal so that her parents stop sending her to shrinks. I think we have all done things like that in out lives, (I know I have anyway!) and it makes Luce much more accessible to be understood. Another thing I really enjoyed, is how we don't find out all the information all at once in one big sitting. It leaks out from the start; the thing that happened in the summer; the way she recognizes Daniel; it really captures your attention and keeps you hooked until the very end!

For the start of the book, we only really see Daniel from the distance (but not so in the distance it's in any way boring at all!) , so I'm actually going to start with Cam. In some respects, it's hard to make Cam out. He's the dark haired, green eyed boy with smooth words and shameless flirting. You start to think maybe he's not so bad actually maybe he's okay after all ... well I let you read the book to learn whether he is or not!

While Daniel is mentioned lots in the first half of the book, him and Luce don't really start talking properly until the story has progressed a little but more. This actually works well, as it gives Cam's character a chance to develop further. As Luce and Daniel start to grow, we learn more about him and why there's a connection between him and Luce. (Sorry, this is all quite vague, but I don't want to ruin the plot in any way, and so if I don't do that, there's lots of things I can't say!) It's nice to have a change, and have the lead male as someone with blond hair instead of the usual dark and mysterious type that likes to haunt this genera, especially surrounding things such as fallen angels.


Final verdict
Intriguing, darkly romantic, with a forbidden love that's stronger than time, FALLEN is an incredible start to a thrilling series.

About the author
THE BETRAYAL OF NATALIE HARGROVE was the first novel by Lauren Kate.   FALLEN is her second book and the first in the Fallen series. Next is, TORMENT, then PASSION and the final book is RAPTURE. A book named FALLEN IN LOVE is labeled book 3.5, and is a collection of love stories set in the world and people surrounding Luce and Daniel.

A FALLEN movie is in pre-production, and the screen play is currently being written, with author Lauren Kate involved in a consulting capacity. Disney optioned the rights to the series in 2010.

Learn more about Lauren Kate at her website: http://laurenkatebooks.net/
Check out the FALLEN website: http://www.fallenbooks.com.au/ /  http://www.fallenbooks.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter: @laurenkatebooks
Or, like the series on FaceBook:  http://www.facebook.com/fallenbooks

Other books like this?
DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth
KISSED BY AN ANGEL by Elizabeth Chandler
HUSH-HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick

*This quote is taken from the blurb of FALLEN.