All Fall Down
A Novel
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3.8 • 711 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
From a #1 New York Times bestselling author comes her “best book yet” (Philadelphia Inquirer), a “compulsively readable” novel that shows “there’s no doubt Weiner knows how to deliver a certain kind of story, and well” (The New York Times Book Review).
Allison Weiss got her happy ending—a handsome husband, an adorable daughter, a job she loves, and the big house in the suburbs. But while waiting in the pediatrician’s office, she opens a magazine to a quiz about addiction and starts to wonder…Is a Percocet at the end of the day really different from a glass of wine? Is it such a bad thing to pop a Vicodin after a brutal Jump & Pump class…or if your husband ignores you? She tells herself that the pills help her make it through her days…but what if her increasing drug use, a habit that’s becoming expensive and hard to hide, is turning into her biggest problem of all?
Hailed as “a witty, realistic criticism on the modern age” (Boston Herald), this remarkable story of a woman’s fall into addiction and struggle to find her way back up again is Jennifer Weiner’s most masterful, moving, and celebrated work yet.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The bestselling author of The Next Best Thing and Then Came You crafts a powerful story that illustrates the pernicious nature of addiction—and how it can wreak havoc in the unlikeliest places. Allison Weiss is your average suburban mother, struggling to juggle the multiple demands of work, home, and family. With her lively, engaging prose, Jennifer Weiner draws you into her protagonist’s prescription pill–fueled downward spiral and gives you a visceral sense of Allison’s hidden heartaches and denial. All Fall Down is a gripping drama that keeps you breathlessly guessing what will happen next—and rooting for Weiner’s relatable characters to come through the other side.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestselling author Weiner (The Next Best Thing) takes us down the slippery slope of prescription drug addiction in this page-turning saga about a working mom, Allison Weiss, who uses pills to deal with recurrent pain, not to mention life's increasing challenges. These include being the family's major breadwinner; raising a difficult five-year-old daughter, Ellie; helping her mother deal with her father's worsening Alzheimer's; and maintaining a relationship with her ever-distant husband, Dave. While Weiner covers no new territory, she makes a good case for how a well-educated, self-aware woman can become dependent on drugs through legal prescriptions. Even her closest friend, Janet, turns to something in her case, alcohol to take the edge off the burden of being the perfect wife and mom. Allison's experience of rehab is what we might expect: a drab place where she "doesn't belong," feels superior to the staff and fellow addicts, and finds the AA philosophy off-putting and outmoded. Although the ultimate explanation for Allison's problems is clich d, Weiner doesn't take Allison's path to redemption lightly, and convincingly shows that addiction can, indeed, be overcome, but only with genuine commitment and hard, hard work.
Customer Reviews
All Fall Down
Good read. Definitely not one of my favorite Jennifer Weiners books. It seemed a little disjointed and didn't flow well. Overall easy read.
Literary Melatonin
I love all of her books, but this was literally torture for me to finish. I skipped most of the redundant portions for my sanity. The ending went no where and was completely anticlimactic.
So disappointed want refund
Jennnifer Weiner must have been contractually obligated to churn out a book FAST in order for her to write such a sub par novel for her beloved readers. I am actually insulted by this book. There is zero character and plot depth. We get it main character is in a rut, has an unhappy marriage, a really bratty kid and a very unfortunate pull popping habit. As a recovering alcoholic, I’m insulted. Sadly I find myself hesitant to purchase The Summer Place.