I started reading Free to Fall all the way back in January, but I put it down because I just couldn't do it. I finally picked it back up sometime in the Spring and managed to read the rest of it. I honestly don't remember most of the plot by now, but it wasn't very memorable for me in the first place.

The Plot: The book starts out with the main character Rory, who lives in a world where all your decisions are made for you by an new app called Lux. The app basically rules your life and everyone in the society believes that without it, life can't exist. After getting accepted to this prestigious school, Rory suddenly finds herself questioning the world around her, more importantly the use of Lux and the voice inside of her head (aka her conscience). Rory is forced to discover the truth behind their technology after finding herself tangled in a secret society on campus that might prove to be deadly and save her best friend who went from being anti-Lux to obsessed like the rest of the people. The idea behind Free to Fall was really good and it had a strong premise, but it just didn't hook me. The beginning was really slow and it finally picked up about 60% of the way. The last part was actually really fast paced because obviously everything happened in that part.

The Characters: I honestly did not connect to any of the characters. I certainly didn't hate them or anything, I just didn't feel for them. Rory also had some really weird revelations at random times, which confused me but I just went with it. The relationship between North and Rory was also kind of rushed. They had a few conversations and all then all of a sudden they were together, and I was just like "Wait, what? When did this happen?" O.o

I was going through a slight reading slump at this time though, so I may reread it sometime and see if my opinions change. But overall, Free to Fall definitely had the potential to be a really good book, but it just wasn't for me. ( )

Pretty. But no substance.
The main issue? IT'S ALL TOO DARN EASY.
I will read it to the end, but it not worth more than 2 stars.

You know, one of the biggest indicators is the number of my status updates while reading. Way too many for a supposed "dystopian thriller".
AND it's taking me too long to finish.

I think the romance element is either obsolete or badly executed.
Not to mention the love interest is much too convenient.

Overall, I can't honestly recommend this book. ( )

"Engaging and thought-provoking, Free to Fall should appeal to a variety of readers with its blend of action, secrecy, and romance, and it provides excellent discussion opportunities."
- School arper Collins Publishers. Retrieved from: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062199805/free-to-fall/Library Journal
H

Six-word review: Moral choice in wired futuristic society.

Comments:

Having only recently sworn off YA novels (after gagging over A Monster Calls), I wouldn't have picked up Free to Fall on anything less than the recommendation of my 30-year-old son. Since he's never been much of a reader, I got onto it right away.

It turned out that there was much more to it than I ever would have looked for in fiction aimed at the high school set, who seem to me, by and large, to be too illiterate for anything with this much substance. Indeed, it might even be considered ambitious by adult standards.

Here are some of its features. To elaborate on all of them would bog me down right now, so I'm settling for giving them a nod, mostly approving:

• conjunction of themes of free will, Fibonacci numbers, the Greek alphabet, electronic social media, secret society, corporate greed, and world domination
• and mind control
• Paradise Lost meets Facebook culture
• education & privilege
• myth & lore & religion
• the nature of friendship & family bonds

This complex, multilevel story is unafraid of abstraction and symbolism. The author doesn't always keep her balance; at times she overreaches. But I feel like forgiving her a lot because of what she dared to try and how well, in general, she succeeded.

I did note many lapses, some very minor but one I consider unjustifiable: she messes with the Greek alphabet by calling zeta the seventh letter. It's not. It's the sixth. She did that to force the unfolding of the story to fit a preconceived scheme. There's no doubt that zeta (Ζ, ζ) has more style and color than eta (Η, η), but Miller crossed a line with this contrivance to force adherence to a pattern or motif.

This was a good enough novel to deserve being spared this criticism. Someone involved in the editorial process ought to have been conscientious enough to call it out. ( )

This book ticked so many boxes for me on what I look for in a reading experience that it deserves five stars regardless of the clunky middle section. I love boarding school stories (check), logic puzzles (check), spiritual themes without overt Bible-thumping (check) and descriptions of how reliant we have become on technology (check). I've been impressed with Lauren Miller's first two young adult books and can't wait to see what else she writes. ( )