Ready to Fall

When Max Friedman's mother dies of cancer, instead of facing his loss, he imagines that her tumour has taken up residence in his brain. It's a terrible tenant - isolating him from family, distracting him in school, and taunting him mercilessly about his manhood. With the tumour in charge, Max implodes, slipping farther and farther away from reality.

Finally, Max is sent to the artsy, off-beat Baldwin School to regain his footing. He joins a group of theatre misfits in a steam-punk production of Hamlet where he becomes friends with Fish, a girl with pink hair and a troubled past, and The Monk, an edgy upperclassman who refuses to let go of the things he loves. For a while, Max almost feels happy. But his tumour is always lurking in the wings - until one night it knocks him down and Max is forced to face the truth, not just about the tumour, but about how hard it is to let go of the past. At turns lyrical, haunting, and triumphant, Ready to Fall is a story of grief, love, rebellion and starting fresh from acclaimed author Marcella Pixley.

About the Author :
Marcella Pixley is a teacher and the author of two previous books for teens, Freak, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and Without Tess. She lives in Westford, Massachusetts with her husband and two sons.

Review :
Funny [and] heart-breaking, Ready to Fall is a sensitive exploration of teenage grief, coming to terms with life-shattering changes and letting go of the past A novel which rewards the reader... Grief, loss, and pain are difficult emotions to read about. However, Pixley is wise enough to also show us humour, tolerance, love and friendship. She leaves us at the end of the novel with healing, hurt confronted and hope for the future Grief becomes something oddly beautiful - and beautifully odd Max's interactions with the tumor are an odd but appropriate metaphor for the sorrow, fear, guilt, and lousy coping strategies of grieving. When Max finds community with others - who are just as damaged but striving to be happy - it's rewarding and touching A quirky take on a classic YA narrative on coping with loss, this book delights by showcasing a cast of colourful characters that help Max deal with grief, often via art. While Max's relationship with his peers is fun to read about, Pixley's writing truly shines in Max's relationships with adults - his father and maternal grandmother, Mr. Cage and the play director, Ms. Pruitt. Through them, Pixley shows how dealing with loss is a communal act I really liked how Pixley worked the story of Hamlet (and his grief) into Max's. It helps Max deal with and understand his grief and it does so in a heartbreakingly beautiful way... Ready to Fall has moments of absolute beauty when considering grief and what it does to a person... [I'd] definitely recommend this if you like contemporary YA Moving, sweet... beautifully written A beautifully written, emotional read Sparks of greatness