Written by Jakob Andreasen
I made some serious judgements before really getting into this book. The first two chapters were questionable. I wasn’t connecting to the story or the characters. To be fair, two chapters is not a very accurate way to perceive a books worth, so naturally I pushed through those first two chapters.
Another aspect of The Girl Who Fell, which is something I don’t generally like is first person narrative. It’s ironic, because it’s what I’m using here, but it’s difficult to connect with characters with the constant use of ‘I’. Most, if not all, of my favourite books are written in the third-person, so that probably gives you an indication of where my thoughts lie. However, when it’s done well, first-person is enjoyable and here, it was enjoyable. And, that was the case with this book.
Our protagonist, Chess Raven, had the most intriguing personality. She didn’t fit the usual archetype of a heroine in a young-adult fantasy. I mean, she was that quirky girl who happened to be special, but I really enjoyed reading her narrative. Chess, coincidentally, managed to combine the brains of Nancy Drew, the wit of Percy Jackson, and the charm of Hermione Granger. She embodied many favourite characters, but Chess remained herself and she became something fresh and exciting.
Watching Chess grow throughout the novel was magical to read. The process felt natural and not convenient. Normally, in fantasy, a protagonist would miraculously achieve a great success without much effort, but here, the implications for Chess’s actions are realistic. It’s nice seeing a piece of fiction actually let their protagonists make mistakes and not have a miraculous rescue. It’s this realism that sucked me into this story.
Beyond Chess, some of the side characters were not my favourite aspect of the novel. I can appreciate their sentiments and enjoy their dialogue, but their personalities were not something I could resonate with.
For example, Tom, the love interest, was, for me, not the best he could’ve been. I felt that he fell into the brooding male archetype as the love interest who was bent on protecting the protagonist. His relationship with his sister Abby was an intriguing storyline that I wished was more of a focus, compared to his relationship with Chess.
But, the antagonist, Damius was definitely a highlight of the novel. More and more are we seeing antagonists with motives that are actually believable, hence antagonists and not villains. Sabaa Tahir and Tomi Adeyemi are great at doing this. Here in The Girl Who Fell, Damius has this demanding quality to him. Damius is fit to rule the Kingdom, but his ambition and unlikability stands in his way. I really admired his storyline and am excited to see how he develops.
On the note of The Kingdom, there is nothing I loved more than the world. I don’t read much urban fantasy, well there aren’t many out there to be honest; The Mortal Instruments may be the only one I’m aware of. Anyway, the world is separated into three ‘planes’; Volgaris, for mortals; Iridesca, for the Fae; and a third astral plane, where only consciousness exists. Let me tell you, I loved the atmosphere that was created. It was fascinating to read London as a lush, green, and filled with trees city; having the Fae world coincide with the human world gave The Girl Who Fell a fairy tale aura. Every description, every sentence, I could vividly picture in my mind and it allowed for an easier connection to the story.
In terms of plot, yes, this story does follow the typical ordinary into extraordinary, with the addition of the lost princess syndrome, but it was a fun, light-hearted read that I could not put down. The fast-paced nature of the story had me on the edge of my seat. And, without mentioning who, there is a scene towards the end of the book that shatters your heart. There is a slow build-up of anticipation and the finale delivers a high-level action in full force.
Another thing, Chess is meant to be a hacker, but there were only one or two instances that included this aspect of her character. It underwhelmed me that she wasn’t as forthcoming with her hacking skills. I felt as though we should’ve had more encounters with her hacking something, not only would that have delivered on the tagline, but it would’ve added a stronger point of difference to this already great story.
Overall, The Girl Who Fell was a surprisingly satisfying story. It had me in nail-biting, heart-wrenching, gasping for breath anticipation, and it still left me wanting the sequel as soon as possible. There were drawbacks, but the successes outweighed the failures. Chess Raven is a newly discovered heroine, who needs to see her character arc completed. From the development in this book alone, I’ll be excited to see where her character leads.
The Girl Who Fell is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Thank you to Nero Books, an imprint of Black Inc Books, for providing The Nerd Daily with a copy in exchange for an honest review. You can find Nero Books on Instagram and Chess Raven on both Instagram and on the Chess Raven website. If you would like to read a preview for The Girl Who Fell, click here!
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Synopsis | Goodreads
The first book in a thrilling fantasy series about a girl who learns to embrace her inner power.
Chess Raven is a hacker who has grown up with nothing and no one. Her parents died when she was three and her foster care situation turned out badly – very badly. But on her sixteenth birthday, her life is turned upside down.
Chess learns her mother was Queen of the Fae and her father was a brilliant physicist. The unique blend of her mother’s fairy blood and her father’s humanity gives Chess – and Chess alone – the ability to unlock a mysterious vessel that will unleash unimagined powers – with devastating consequences. Thrown into a new world where nothing is at it seems, Chess must work out who to trust as vying forces race to control her. Or kill her.
Reunited with her childhood friend Tom Williams, an enigmatic shape-shifting unicorn, Chess discovers love for the first time and is prepared to risk her life for it. But first she must learn to overcome a fear of her own power and stop waiting for other people to save her. She is the one she’s been waiting for.
