Brian Bromberg

Note: I was given this work in exchange for an honest review.

In my reading list lately, there has been an array of intense reading. Falling Up was a welcomed break from the hodgepodge of seriousness into situations that are a mashup between pursuing one’s dream, the shambles of interpersonal relationships, sarcasm, and comedic drama.

I am going to start with the cons since there are so few of them:

Cons

Money or no money: There were a few times in the narrative where the main character Gregg would speak of emptying his bank account. Was he destitute constantly during those early segments of the book or was it mainly all part of the shenanigans? Occasionally, it was difficult to discern.

Get Out of My Place: Gregg’s actions tended to get him kicked out…a lot. Yes, my funny bone was rather tickled but went to the well with this scenario almost too many times.

“Strange Tea” Plot: Just curious. There is one scene where an rejected author puts some extra seasoning in the tea meant for the edition who jilted him but someone else received the poison instead. How did said person know which cup to put this strange mixture in? The thought process wasn’t really revealed but it was one of those moments in the work that made me scratch my head.

Observation that may be seen as a con to others

Not a Win for the “Tidy Resolutionists”: For readers who love a “happily ever after” or a “tidy resolution”, Falling Up may fail to deliver. Yet this is more than an observation than an actual con because the ending to this work added even more realism to the story for me.

Now it’s time for the Pros.

Pros:

Title: I’m a stickler for cool titles. For me it makes the work a bit more memorable.

Cover: The cover does well in giving a hint of what’s to come for the main character. Each object represents a small part of the story. It can be a juggling act between providing a nice cover that relates to the story and not giving too much away visually. In this case, the performance was a successful one.

Giggles in every chapter: There was never a dull moment in Falling Up. Whether it was through dialogue, Gregg’s own actions or the narrative itself, there was not a single chapter where I didn’t have a LOL (laugh out loud) or WTHWHT (what the hell was he thinking) moment! That was one of the main things which kept me turning the pages. It reminds me of a comedy show where a comedian’s punch line delivery and crowd reaction are spot on.

Pristine Presentation: Flaws in spelling, grammar and punctuation were practically zero. Sentence structure extremely smooth.

Succinctness and Romancing the Words: What a fantastic melody when both are incorporated and make sense! Falling Up was a great soundtrack in my admiration for both styles of writing.

Interesting Characters: Quite a few of them got my attention (the main character, obviously, but we will get to Gregg in a bit)~

Alvaro: He was my favorite character. There was something loveable about him. Perhaps his outspoken nature or the way he added extra letters to Gregg’s name. Whatever the case, he made me smile.

Cindy: I’m not an advocate of some of her mannerisms but I had a soft spot for her. I could tell she was really trying to be a better person for herself and for Gregg. Plus, she kept believing in Gregg even when other people did not.

Dad: A great cheerleader for Gregg whenever he was down and out. He reminds me of a coach who is trying to keep the players inspired when it seems all is lost.

Gregg: I had a love/hate relationship with the main character but he’s the stuff which made for splendid reading. I hated how he treated Cindy, the moment he betrayed Alvaro and the debauchery with Kip. Yet, I loved his tenacity to chase after the life he thought he wanted, the banter between the secretary at VidKidz (Gladless) and himself, along with the conversations he would have with the “imaginary” Annette. Overall, I cheered that the destination was worth all the carnage, since as a person who writes as well, I could relate to all of his internal debates as it pertains to who he wants to be and his existence.

Side Stories Did Not Steal the Show: The side stories that were a part of falling up did not steal the purpose of the main character’s plight but added layers to his story.

Realistic Dialogue: The dialogue was in alignment with the time frame and primary location of the story.

Verdict: 4.5 Stars, rounded up to a 5.

I definitely recommend Falling Up for readers who love a bit of comedic drama and for anyone who has chased a dream while incorporating extreme measures.… (mehr)