The Girl Who Fell from the Sky

Rachel, the daughter of a Danish woman and African American G.I., grew up in Germany. With her light brown skin and blue eyes, Rachel did not see herself as anything but her parents' child. When tragedy strikes her family after moving to America, Rachel moves in with her paternal grandmother. In Portland, Rachel feels alienated from her family and schoolmates, unable to fit into categories of white or black, and she struggles with memories of her mother. Although told mostly from Rachel's point of view, the novel also follows Rachel's father, her mother's boss, and a young boy who witnessed the family tragedy as Rachel attempts to discover who she is beyond others' labels.

Durrow has created a unique story that combines a young woman's search for identity with a family's history of shame and secrets. The novel begins with Rachel narrating her move to Portland and is told in stark, simple prose. In Portland, Rachel becomes acutely aware of her lack of belonging. She is "light-skinned-ed;" she "talk[s]" white" and can't help but judge her grandmother for her lack of formal English. She fails to fall into pre-established categories.

Meanwhile, pieces of Rachel's parents' history are filled in. Both parents are filled with shame for their inability to protect their children, although their shame comes from different sources. Rachel's mother exemplifies a woman unable to to accept or actively reject that many Americans do not see her children as her own and see them only as a skin color.

The detachment of the first part of the novel distanced me as a reader and felt slow, but as Rachel grew, I grew closer to her and her story. The tragedy piles on thick at times, but the second half of the novel touchingly covers the nuances of Rachel's development: her feelings for her aunt's fiance Drew, her conflicts with her judgmental but well-meaning grandmother, and her relationship with a liberal white college boy. The novel skillfully explores the complexities of racial identity and relationships today.

Rachel a bi-racial Danish and Black, light skinned with blue eyes black girl is delivered to her black grandmother after her mother, brother and baby sister fall off the roof of their apartment building. Her new neighborhood is surrounded with mostly black children and as far from home as she could end up. Rachel struggles to fit in with her new family and piece together her shattered life. Her coming of age story is contrasted with stories from some of those impacted by the tragedy. Through Rachel's memories and stories from her distant father, her mother, her mother's employer, and a young boy who witnessed the tragedy, we slowly piece together what happened on the roof as well as more family secrets that contributed to it. We also see how this event ultimately shapes Rachel's life.

The mystery at the center of the story is slowly unraveled as the book shifts amongst narrators, perspective and time. Instead of confusing or irritating its audience, the novel's structure only adds to its power. This sad and compelling plot is further credited by a strinkingly unique voice.

The Girl who Fell from the Sky is sure to be one of the best books of 2010.

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky is one of those rare books that speaks to what is deep within us all. Beautifully written, Durrow draws us into the world of four main characters, each distinct, vibrant and complex. The story revolves around the aftermath of a tragic event borne out of desperation, love and hopelessness that leaves a young girl to find herself in a world new, foreign and yet as accurately portrayed by Durrow as any in literature. I won't summarize the plot, because that is not what makes Durrow's debut novel so compelling. It is the characters, their voices, the issues and the deep emotion that is evoked by such a powerful writer.

While some may not identify with the book's main character or the issues she confronts we can all empathize with finding oneself in a world that attempts to categorize and define us only through what it sees. Trying to make sense out of all things new while trying to hold on to things old and ultimately searching for one's place, for a friend who understands and accepts us, for a world that allows us to be who we are and embraces all we want to be.

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky is timeless.

What a stunning debut. Ms. Durrow's prose and characters are effortlessly beautiful. She teases out such complicated social issues as poverty and race (and internationalism), but she does this so skillfully, we feel drawn into her world and into the story, empathizing with her characters and their predicaments--the novel never stoops to the level of preaching. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is also a love story and a mystery, so the reader never feels lost, or untethered. It's rare that a debut is able to fuse all these elements together. I look forward to the next book!

I picked this book up at a book store, totally unaware of what the book was about. I started reading it and, I could not put it down. Several times I was yelled at work for reading it. To summarize the book without giving up any plot, I would have to say that its a the type of book that you cry over. The style of writing is in a non-chronological order and slowly you find out all the suffering that has surrounded this family. Slowly you paint a picture of what this little biracial girl has to live with on her shoulders. Honestly, a book like this is one that I hope I will remember forever. I would definitively recommend it, especially if you want a powerful and moving novel. I wouldn't suggest it for anyone that wants a light read, this has very heavy motifs, topics, and themes. If your up for it, please do read it though.