It's hard to feel much sympathy for a character who only cares about what things look like from the outside. Nessa has many problems, but it's hard to determine if she wants them actually fixed, or she just wants them to look fixed. This is a well-written book, but its heart feels empty.

Someone else's review on Goodreads said that this novel would have made a better short story and I agree with that statement. I struggled at times to finish this and it's probably a bit of my lack of focus as well as the need for the story to have been tightened up a bit.
The main character Nessa is struggling at home and at work. Her husband's affair has caused a rift in their marriage and difficulties with her teenage daughter. On top of that the exhibit she is heading up at her art gallery job has suddenly become problematic when a mysterious woman shows up claiming ownership of the center piece of the exhibition.
I found the two stories fighting against each other for the dominant focus of the novel and never really merging together to make the whole thing fit together.

Book TW: discussions of past suicide, infidelity
The Art of Falling is a beautiful story that follows an art historian, Nessa, and intertwines her search for the truth about a sculpture presumedly by the artist she’s dedicated her career to and a variety of lies and family dramas that slowly begin to unravel her over the course of the story.
First, the author did a lovely job creating a beautiful, but tense atmosphere. Even though there was rarely any actual physical danger to the characters, the tension I felt, particularly towards the climax of the story was equal to what I’ve felt reading many thrillers.
All of the characters and their many (many) lies and mistakes felt extremely realistic, even when their choices frustrated me. Although I thought many of the characters problems could have been solved by just... listening to each other, the reasons why they couldn’t open their minds or hearts to listen to the others around them also felt irritatingly real. The few moments where breakthroughs happen come when characters finally let down their guards, are open, and listen to what the others have to say (yay!).
Due to the limited 3rd person POV, it was impossible to understand the motivations or reasonings of some characters (i.e. Loretta, Aunt Greta, even sometimes Luke, etc.) but I would’ve been more frustrated if the author had fallen into the trap of having the other characters monologue their motives and would’ve cheapened the story. So I’m okay with leaving some things a bit mysterious and open to interpretation (again, realistic, we can’t always know others motives, we can only see their actions).
Now, I will say I was largely satisfied with the ending and the choices the characters made, however I wish there had been more of a resolution for Luke’s character as his struggles throughout the book were so intense and his resolution just felt like it was hanging a bit and he still had so much to learn and process.
The pacing was on the slower side, but not in a dragging way. As mentioned before? The writing was beautiful and almost lyrical. The characters were achingly real and everyone behaved in ways that seemed to fit with their characters. Essentially, if you’re in the mood for a character driven discussion on how lies and secrets within relationships can shape and ripple through our lives, this is absolutely a good book.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Art of Falling is a well written, promising story about a woman dealing with a work crisis, family issues, and a secret from her past. Although this book was well written, I would be lying if I didn't say The Art of Falling didn't fall flat for me (see what I did there?)

My biggest issue had to do with the fact that this book unfolded slowly. Very slowly. Very very slowly. I don't know if it's because it was too long? Or maybe it's meant for a certain type of reader and that reader isn't me?

Nessa’s life has become quite complicated. She is curating a much anticipated retrospective exhibition by a late sculptor when a woman supposedly from his past makes an appearance and
claims his most famous piece is actually hers. Nessa has already been walking a tightrope between his elderly wife and not quite as elderly daughter, both somewhat difficult people with whom to work. Her husband has had an affair with the wife of one of their daughter’s friends which has destroyed that friendship. Marriage counseling seems to be going a bit bumpy and old friends with old secrets show up.

The book started well, but soon it seemed to take a long time to tell not that interesting of a story. There were many side dramas and characters, and I didn’t find any of them really very likable.

THE ART OF FALLING was great. It is certainly a slow burn of a novel, but focuses on the inner life of an art historian who is going through a tough time at home, and also in her professional life. The book takes place in Ireland, where Neesa is overseeing the retrospective of a fictional artist named Robert Locke who she has been studying closely since college. She becomes close to his wife and daughter, an eccentric duo who gives her a run for her money (literally and figuratively). When two outsiders appear in her life, one to rock her marriage and one to cause complications with the retrospective, we watch Neesa struggle with betrayal, secrets, and memory.

The book reminded me a bit of a short story -- lots happen in a short amount of time and there is a small cast of important characters that weaves in and out of the plot. The writing by McLaughlin is really lovely and captivating, and I liked that I had no idea where the turns of the story were headed. It is classic literary fiction, and I really enjoyed the deconstruction of the art world through-line. It's a slow build but one that is worthy if you have the time.

There is going to be a lot of love here friends. This was one of my favorite experiences reading in quite some time. I didn’t want to stop reading it yet at the same time I wanted to pace myself and continue my relishing for as long as possible. I loved loved loved it. From beginning to end I loved it. I loved it because of the characters. Write amazing characters and I’m yours. The individuals in this book are extremely flawed, but despite this I found myself falling in love with our protagonist, Nessa. Not real love but you know what I mean if you’ve ever read anything like this. I loved it because it is a story about art. Reading about art or when people talk about art just makes me smile. But really I loved it because this is a book about life and every twist and turn it may throw your way, and it is all done with such care and, yes, with a bit of love. There are betrayals and scandals and obsessions that all lead to satisfying confrontations, and I loved how the author allows it all to play with the proper amount of suspense. I think it’s obvious but let me lay it out for you... Read. This. Book.

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Nessa is coping as best she can with the troubles in her marriage to Phillip (he cheated) and her daughter Jennifer (she's 16). She's also fully engaged in mounting an exhibition of the work of Robert Locke, an artist who she's admired and studied for years, having persuaded his wife and daughter to give her access to his works and writings. Imagine her surprise when, after one of her lectures, Melanie turns up and claims to be not only the inspiration for the famous Chalk Sculpture but also its creator. Of course no one believes Melanie but she persists and things slowly become clear. At the same time, Luke, the son of Nessa's deceased BFF, turns up, along with his father Stuart, to throw another wrench into Nessa's life. These are terrific characters- I loved the small details of things like Loretta's clothes and the "cabin" owned by Nessa's friend Katherine let alone Melanie's bag. This is fine domestic fiction, with good tension around its many secrets. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I enjoyed this very much and highly recommend.

This book is definitely has a lot to unpack and I pretty sure I will be thinking of this one for quite a bit. Nessa works in an Art Gallery where she is charge of a new exhibit for the late Robert Locke, when a mysterious woman shows up and says she was involved in the creation of one his masterpieces. At home, she is still coming to terms that her husband who had an affair with one of her closest friends and they are trying to save their marriage. Lastly, the son of her best friend who committed suicide years ago shows up in their lives. Like I said a lot to unpack here.

This was an engaging story from start to finish. The author provides multiple themes throughout, but somehow made this work. The writing is terrific for the entire length of the book. In my opinion this would make a great a book if you are in a book club. Again, with all the different themes this will make for a great discussion.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Slow-moving exploration of family dysfunction amidst the hustle and bustle of every day life prior to the Corona virus, THE ART OF FALLING, feels longer than it actually is. Author Danielle McLaughlin has written a quiet exploration of one woman’s struggle to keep her life on track while her family and professional contacts all seem to pull her in different directions. The opening scene is strong but the rest of the book doesn’t have the same impact. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Will Nessa McCormack ever feel like her life is back on track after her husband's affair? She is trying to rebuild their relationship, worrying about how it has affected their teenage daughter, and now dealing with a crazy lady laying claim to the art sculpture which is the main attraction of the art exhibition she is preparing. In the meantime, the husband and son of her best friend Amy appear on the scene. Their presence brings back all her guilt concerning Amy's suicide year ago. How much can she handle before her whole world falls apart? Though a bit slow moving, it was an enjoyable story about family dynamics and the past coming back to haunt us. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review this debut novel.

Great book! Engaging from the beginning to the end. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommended!

THE ART OF FALLING
BY DANIELLE MCLAUGHLIN

I was super surprised that this novel was disappointing to me as I usually love books based on art and realistic contemporary fiction. I am not sure if I am requesting novels as carefully as I should be but this one felt rather flat and the character's just weren't all that interesting to me. This centers around an 84 year old widow named Eleanor and her daughter Loretta grasping tightly that the dead sculptor named Robert Locke's masterpiece of a chalk-like figure was designed after a photograph of a younger pregnant Eleanor. There is also an interlocking story of Nessa who as an art historian that has done extensive research into Robert Locke's life and papers is trying to validate Eleanor's theory by working with his wife and daughter's at their home while her marriage is in serious trouble.

The very beginning of this novel seemed to be compelling starting out with a meeting between Nessa and the head of her daughter's school in a meeting where the administrator is asking Nessa if there are any problems at home. There are! Nessa's husband who is an architect has been caught in an adulterous affair with their teen aged daughter's best friend's mother. They are in marriage counselling and don't seem to be making much progress. Nessa also has been unfaithful with her best friend's partner which she is hiding and if exposed will cause hurt to her daughter and further cause harm to her marriage.

I think that this novel tries unsuccessfully to explore too many threads at the same time. There is a lot going on and nothing is examined deeply enough to be realistic to me. We have Nessa's best friend who committed suicide named Amy who Nessa was carrying on an affair for month's with Amy's boyfriend in college surfacing year's later when Amy's adult son reads about them in Amy's diary. He was given his dead mother's diary by his Aunt Greta which Nessa knows that it is just a matter of time before he tells her daughter and husband.

There is Melanie who claims that Robert Locke's sculpture that Nessa is tirelessly trying to disprove Melanie's claims that the sculpture was developed in her image not Eleanor's. There is Eleanor whose health seems to be at stake and Loretta her daughter who fiercely protects and tries to shield her mother from Melanie's claims. I found that I just couldn't get drawn into the many directions that this narrative was going enough to care about any of the character's. I really in good conscience say that with everything going on that I just felt that I didn't care or like any of these character's and didn't feel that they were well developed. I don't need to like the character's to be captivated and in summary I have to admit that this novel wasn't for me.

Publication Date: January 5, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, Danielle McLaughlin and Random House Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheArtofFalling #Danielle McLaughlin #RandomHousePublishing #NetGalley

Compelling story of a woman whose marriage is crumbling. This debut novel is beautifully written and has complex layers of depth and character development. Intertwined characters and subplots keep the pacing well timed. A great read that will appeal to a broad range of audiences. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review

The main character is an art curator attempting to acquire a piece from a famous deceased artist’s widow & daughter. A mysterious woman shows up to claim ownership of the work. That twist, alone, would have been enough to carry the book. Add in a few more twists and you find it’s quite a good book!

This main character was a bitter pill to swallow. She had trouble at her job, trouble with her marriage, trouble with her daughter & trouble with her friends and neighbors. Considering all that trouble, it’s understandable why I didn’t think very highly of her. She’s very self-serving and not very forthcoming.

Thank you @netgalley for the kindle ARC of this book.

This is a novel about Nessa McCormack, husband Philip and her daughter Jennifer. The Art of Falling takes place in Cork City, Ireland where Nessa is the project manager of an art gallery. The gallery is acquiring the famous Chalk Sculpture designed by the famous artist, Robert Locke. The piece is rumored to be a good luck fertility statue. A seemingly simple storyline but surprise! For a debut, this book is a major undertaking. About average length, the book peels back layers and layers of complexity among a married couple (infidelity, cheating, trust) and the challenges of a teenage daughter, plus suicide, grief and sadness. Overall an exquisite read and looking forward to more to come from author Danielle McLaughlin!

The Art of Falling kept my interest from the beginning, as multiple storylines unfolded and each provided a window into how the main character, Nessa, was dealing with her complicated reality. A troubled marriage, a deceased sculptor, a mysterious woman and Nessa’s own past all converge to create a compelling story about life and love and loyalty. The story was beautifully written and moved at a quick pace. There were many characters, and they were richly layered and filled with flaws, just the type that I can relate to. I enjoyed reading about Robert Locke, the artist, and I pictured the sculpture, The Chalk Sculpture, vividly in my mind. I will look forward to reading more of McLaughlin’s books.

My thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.

4 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 22 December 2020.


Nessa works in a gallery where she is procuring both the studio and it’s resident, The Chalk Sculpture. Of course that’s not its real title, but it’s the one most commonly known. Nessa has been taken by Robert Locke’s work for many years. This is the pinnacle of her career studying Locke, by being responsible for the display and curation of his work.

But away from the gallery, there is much turmoil in her life. Her daughter, Jennifer, is a teenager with an attitude. Her husband, Phillip has consented to marriage counseling. And now, suddenly, her former best friend’s son is coming back into her life, along with his father. Life is turned upside down enough without any other surprises.

Melanie Doerr is the next surprise. She is going to lay claim to The Chalk Sculpture. Easily taken for a crazy woman, her story grabs the attention of the public and demands to be heard. Melanie will turn Nessa’s work life, the only thing she is keeping together, into chaos. Secrets will be revealed, and lives will be torn by the events that follow. Hold on, Nessa, there’s turbulence ahead.

Very slow to build, The Art of Falling was written as though you’re riding up the giant hill of a rollercoaster, just waiting for the inevitable fall on the other side. Hence the title. I did struggle initially to get wound into these people’s lives, but as time went on and the hill kept climbing, I grabbed on and couldn’t let go. Secrets always get us in trouble, and this book is full of them. In the end it’s a bit of a tale not uncommon for artists, but I love the way that McLaughlin gave us a new twist on it. Definitely worth the read.

Nessa is preparing the studio of a famous local artist and its artworks to be moved to an art museum, with the help and opposition of the artist's widow and mother. She’s also dealing with the aftermath of her husband’s infidelity with the mother of one of her teenage daughter’s friends, as well as the visit of the son of her best friend, who committed suicide years earlier. It’s a lot.

Nessa scrambles to keep all the complicated parts of her life functioning, and managing to do none of it well. She’s exhausted, confused, angry and unable to think on her feet. Worse, she can’t really see how any of this is going to become less stressful in the future.

McLaughlin writes well, beautifully at times, and the circumstances of this novel are interesting, especially the story of the dead artist and the women who survive him. But Nessa never comes fully into focus. She is always left reacting to things, never acting decisively. I did love how easy it was for others to distract or derail her in conversation, which is a very human trait, but she was never quite convincing as being someone in a position of authority, whether that was as the person in charge of an important work project or as a mother. While I have a few quibbles with how tidily everything was resolved, the writing in this novel was just lovely and I’ll happily read more by her.

This debut provides a propelling plot. But, the characters were universally unlikeable and I found myself untethered, not really rooting for any of them.