Hawley, Noah. (2016). Before the Fall. New York: Grand Central.
Synopsis
A plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean acts as a fulcrum with the narrative pivoting between the lead up to the disastrous day and then the aftermath. The flight’s passengers were famous (one was a powerful conservative television network boss) and suspicion arises that the accident was not an accident at all. The reader learns the backstory of the flight’s passengers and crew and what put them on the plane that day. The story also focuses on the two survivors, a young boy and a struggling painter, who are now bombarded by media attention and, in the case of the painter, suspicion. While an investigator combs through the clues, the survivors must adjust to their new normal.
Thriller Characteristics
* Before the Fall combines elements
of other genres (suspense, adventure, mystery) but the focus is on the story
and how the hero/heroes uses his or her abilities to make it through.
* There are events that occur in the book that have massive national consequences. In other
words, there’s a lot riding on finding out what happened (and a lot of pressure
on the people who have to figure out what happened).
* When the investigative team is involved there is highly
specific jargon used. That is a common element of thriller books - language and details specific to a certain occupation like the law or medicine or, in this case, police procedure.
* Before the Fall is incredibly fast-paced. It grabs your attention immediately with the plane crash and survival. (I had to remind myself to breathe during the latter.) By alternating between the lead-up and the aftermath, the reader is constantly yearning to find out what comes next.
* The book is very compelling. You won't want to put it down.
* The main characters - Scott (the struggling painter), JJ (the boy), Gus (the inspector), and Eleanor (the boy's aunt) - are strong and sympathetic protagonists. You find yourself rooting for them. However, the secondary characters - the other passengers, investigators - are all very one dimensional and the antagonists are a bit too evil to be believable.
* After the initial plane crash and survival, the book's action is more cerebral than physical
* The book reads like a movie and it would be easy to see it adapted.
Appeal Terms
Character: Well-developed
Storyline: Intricately plotted
Pace: Intensifying
Tone: Suspenseful
Writing Style: Compelling
Readalikes
And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
North of Boston – Elizabeth Elo
The Professor of Truth – James Robertson
The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware
Fun Facts
The book’s author, Noah Hawley, is the creator and
showrunner of the Emmy Award winning TV show Fargo, which is based on characters from the 1996 movie of the same
name.
Named one of the best thrillers of 2016 by The Washington Post.
I really appreciated reading your commentary on what characteristics of the thriller genre were exemplified by Before the Fall. The second, fourth, and final bullet-points felt like they could be put directly onto a Thrillers reading guide pamphlet to hand out to patrons at the library; it felt useful to see an annotation styled this way. I also like your inclusion of Fun Facts, and think you did an incredible job creating such a concise yet informative synopsis.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Avery! I debated how to include the fact that Hawley did Fargo because that's what drew me to the book in the first place.
DeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your thriller annotation! It is detailed, yet concise. I have never read a thriller before, but maybe I should give one a try. This book sounds interesting. What would you rate it out of 5 stars? Would you highly recommend this book, or is there another you would suggest instead?
Hi Kate.
DeleteThanks! I really enjoyed Before the Fall and would recommend it. I'm a sucker for timey-wimey narratives. The more I think about it, though, the more I feel like it's lacking on character development outside of the main character.
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ReplyDeleteI have to agree with everyone, Rob, your synopsis sucked me in. This just might be heading to my (rapidly growing) to-read list. Thrillers aren't typically my genre preference, however, this one sounds like it would be right up my alley. The compelling nature, intricate plot, combined with the backstory of the passengers' (remind me of my favorite TV Show LOST) especially make it sound quite exhilarating!
ReplyDeleteYour summary of the book has compelled me to add it to my reading list. You touched on the main element in thrillers that make it one of my favorite genres, the details and multiplots that are entwined in the story. I like to submerse myself in the story and the details provide the sensory stimulus to forget about time and space.
ReplyDeleteHello Rob! It's kind of funny, I just heard about this book the other day when a patron at my library recommended it to me. She really enjoyed it and it sounds like you found it interesting as well. I liked your fun facts at the end of your annotation-- one of the best thrillers of 2016 is quite high praise. I also liked how you broke down the thriller characteristics of the book and the appeal terms that apply to "Before the Fall." I may just have to do this in my own annotations.
ReplyDeleteFantastic annotation! 5 out of 5 points. Your appeals are richly detailed and you did a great job summarizing the book. I need to check this one out!
ReplyDelete