
Member Reviews

I love Jandy Nelson and thought this book was really heartfelt. I had a bit of a hard time getting into it, although I thought the siblings were very interesting characters and I wanted to learn more. I felt the pacing was pretty slow at first, and struggled through the middle. Overall though I really enjoyed and would recommend!

Unfortunately, I did not finish this one. I could not get into this at all. I kept trying and couldn't get more than a page or two each time. There were so many characters to keep track of and I felt confused from page 1. There are a lot of great reviews on this so I'm definitely in the minority.

This is a book for those who enjoy generational tales and quirky lovable characters. I think it is a good book but wasn't for me right now, some books I have to be in the right mood to read and this was one of them.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my e-ARC of this book.

This poignant, and enchanting narrative weaves a tale of family love and heartbreak, reimagining the classic story of Cain and Abel. It explores the intricate dance of love and hate within families, siblings, and friends, highlighting the myriad forms of love—romantic, parental, platonic, familial, and self-love. The generations of the Fall family bear the weight of a haunting curse rooted in the relationship between brothers, a curse that brings forth bitterness, secrets, and death.
Told through multiple viewpoints and enriched by letters and stories, the saga of the Fall family unfolds with layers of depth and emotion, culminating in an extraordinary finale.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group and Dial Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jandy Nelson really does a perfect job of balancing coming of age and heavy narratives like exploring grief. This book does just that. I liked the characters and the bit of magical realism.

This book! All my expectations of how a book should ‘go’ have been turned inside out!! The various pov-current, historical, fairy tale-are interwoven in should a way to illuminate and obscure at the same time. The lineage of the characters and their relationships to each other are marvelous and a surprise til the very end. Read this book!
Thanks to Netgalley, Dial Books and Jandy Nelson for this ebook to read. All opinions are my own.

Too ambitious for the length of the story. It might have been my fault i went in with the expectations that this book was going to be told from a certain POV to make it more interesting but unfortunately it wasnt. The plotting felt a bit all over the place and nothing felt organized.

While Jandy Nelsons novel When the World Tips Over is not a typical genre choice for me I do enjoy a fun YA novel and this was no exception. I actually loved the magical realism parts of this book as well as the character development, which stayed fairly true to young adult development. The writing style was absolutely wonderful and the storyline was very fun.

This is why I love fiction. The most perfect blend of characters and the story of a lifetime. All brought together by Nelson’s writing. And what incredible writing it was!
If you like books with strong character development, family secrets and flawed dynamics. Adventures that lead you down roads you never expected. You’ll love this book.
The first half was pretty slow but I promise you the second half is worth it!

This is a YA novel that really touched me. The story follows a teenager named Max who is struggling to find his place in the world after a life-changing event. As he deals with family issues and his struggles, he learns more about love, loss, and identity. I really connected with Max’s journey, and I liked how the book explored tough topics like grief and growing up. It’s a heartfelt story that had me reflecting long after I finished it. I highly recommend it if you enjoy YA novels that dive deep into emotions and self-discovery.

We've been longing for Jandy Nelson's return, and she delivered. An excellent YA, magical realism, messed up family novel that I adored reading.

Okay, I'm finally writing my review for this book...
Yes, it's not a five-star book for me, BUT at the same time, anything Jandy writes is so special and different from everything else that it's already kind of better (for me personally) because I love her writing style. The way Jandy creates genuine MAGIC with her words and makes characters feel so real is something that's so hard to find, and that's why "I'll give you the sun" will forever be my favorite book.
But in this book, I found that sometimes we knew TOO much about the characters, like there was absolutely no filter, and we heard every single thought they had. Especially Miles— I get it, he was discovering his sexuality and all, but at some point, it became too much. The only thing he talked about was sex, even in very serious moments. He only thought about that.
Then Wynton... I don't really have much to say. Honestly, the best characters were Dizzy (my personal fave because she reminds me so much of me... not gonna lie) and Cassidy. I loved hearing Cassidy's story; maybe my favorite part of the book. I also really enjoyed the generational aspects of the story and the magical realism included, but at the same time, I would've loved if it were more developed (though I understand it was already quite a long book).
Now, the thing that really pissed me off was THE ENDING because it felt like we were cut short, and all the buildup we had over those 500 pages had zero payoff. Like, genuinely, WHAT EVEN HAPPENED?? I like open endings, but even for me, this was too much. We needed at least 50 more pages.
Still, I highlighted so many things because I just love how Jandy writes and how intense and real her characters feel. I genuinely miss them once I finish the book. This story is so full of magic, love, and hate (that’s also hidden love). Everyone seems in love with everybody, and I think that’s the magic in Jandy’s writing.
Anyways, I can't wait to reread this story and pay attention to all the details that I missed the first time. I truly think I would enjoy it much more. Still, obviously, I recommend this book SO MUCH. If you’re a reader, you NEED to read a Jandy Nelson because it’s such an experience. A story full of art, love, FAMILY, and magic, told in such an original way.
I will read EVERYTHING Jandy writes forever and ever.

I had a hard time getting into parts of the novel. I really liked the rainbow-haired girl, and the journey the middle son, Miles, makes. I couldn't really follow the oldest Fall son, Wynton, or youngest child, Dizzy. There were too many story-lines. The novel was well written, and the lives intertwined, but I wasn't invested in their stories.
I have recommended this story to a friend who loved everything about the book, and was giddy when she found I had this book by the author. I do plan to read other books by Jandy Nelson and reread this, to see if my views change when I have read another of her books.
I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the magical realism parts of this book and couldn't stop reading. Really really enjoyed this one!

Thanks NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC. Jandy Nelson’s writing is lyrical and beautiful. I especially loved Miles’ storyline — how he evolved to be more himself throughout the book. In fact, I got irritated when the narration would change to a different character when I just wanted to stay in Miles’ world. I’m not sure Cassidy’s backstory furthered the plot or character development besides her own, so I could’ve done without those cut-aways. I wish this book was told in chronological order rather than jumping between narrators and timelines. Just when I was getting into it, it would switch to someone else and temporarily take me out of the story. I still read it much faster than I anticipated though. Once I hit the halfway point (when Miles became the focus), I was all in. It’s too long for classroom use but would be a good addition to my classroom library.

There’s always at least a little bit of magic and otherworldliness to Jandy Nelson’s novels, and this new one is really rich and alive and textured. Its magical surrealism, however, was less impactful as I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Definitely not my favorite Jandy Nelson book, but still a worthwhile read.

This novel is astounding!
Jandy Nelson is a genius. She weaves together stories of captivating people through time and space. She captures the agony of not being able to express yourself and the exhilaration of human connection and love in all its forms. There's a thread of magic and a sense of such expansiveness —I recommend it to readers with no hesitation.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

"When the world tips over, joy spills out with all the sorrow."
Perhaps a bit too twee and whimsical at times but it mostly worked for me. Really dug Jandy Nelson's writing style here. I DNF'd I'll Give You the Sun years ago but this makes me want to give that book another go.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.