BookBrowse Reviews Amy Falls Down by Jincy Willett

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For lovers of reading and writing, social satire and wicked wordplay.

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Readers were laughing out loud as they read Jincy Willett's Amy Falls Down! A full 20 readers out of 20 gave it a 4 or 5! See what else they have to say about this quirky, funny, heartful story:

The novel begins with author Amy Gallup tripping over her raised garden in the back yard which causes her to fall and knock herself out on a birdbath. After an interview that she doesn't remember, her bizarre behavior sets off a series of events that put her on the verge of being rediscovered…I really enjoyed this quirky book. Highly recommended! (Sue J) From the first page I was fully engaged with Amy Gallup, her basset hound, Alphonse, and the literary and media crowd. Scenes and character descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I was right there with them (Grace W). Trust me, if you love books, and love to read, this is for you. Like the characters in the book that discover (or re-discover) Amy Gallup I want to read everything that Jincy Willett has written. Keep a dictionary handy because her vocabulary is amazing (Joan V). There is a bit of Amy in all of us, which is exactly what makes this book so hard to put down. We see ourselves mirrored back – all of our insecurities, fears, tragedies, and obsessions. But they become morphed into something less sinister, something that can be examined, embraced and finally released. This book is a reminder that we are all amazing, in spite of ourselves (Mary R).

Readers clearly found Amy Falls Down funny, but they also found it extremely poignant:

I loved this book. Amy Gallup is an unforgettable character, so sympathetic and full of life despite her anti-social tendencies. Her dry wit had me laughing out loud, yet this novel also had moments of truly poignant grief and love and loss. Dare I use the word compelling? Amy would not approve (Erin G). The writing is crisp, brisk, and unfailingly funny. Amy's adventures are told with sardonic humor and a wonderful understanding of human nature (Priscilla M). While Willett nicely skewers the publishing world with a cast of characters and adventures certain to make you laugh out loud, she also adds very poignant moments from Amy's life, both past and present. Willett's description of Alphonse the bassett hound barking at ants in the moonlight brought me to tears. I have discovered an amazing author and look forward to reading more from her (Joan R). Thank goodness Jincy Willett created a wonderful, insightful, humorous, and straightforward description of some of the joys of adding years to our lives and learning that others' opinions are not as important as we once thought. Yes, we do not want to be rude; however, we don't need people steering us in directions we may not want to go. I thoroughly enjoyed the style of the writing and the rhythm of the story...if not for having a job, I would have read this in one sitting (Brenda S).

Amy Gallup, despite her anti-social ways, is a completely endearing character. In fact, many readers wanted to meet her in real life!:

I wish Amy lived nearby! We could have great times. I had to keep turning pages as quickly as I could. A reader would do well to have a real space of time to read before even meeting Amy! (Shirley D) This book is smart and fun and a great read. I wanted it to go on forever. I hope Ms. Willett writes more about Amy. I want to know what happens to her next (Lauren T). I was challenged by Amy's complex, paradoxical nature: she's cloistered, yet gregarious; fearless in her writing, but fearful of life's obstacles; principled and opinionated, although, at times, halfhearted or apathetic. Having said this, I must admit that I liked her very much, incongruities, eccentricities, and all - and I would love to have her for a friend (Catherine M).

Who should read this?

For lovers of reading and writing, social satire and wicked wordplay (Lori L). A light-hearted read for those who enjoy these kinds of books. (Christie K). Book groups will have a field day with a variety of topics – truth vs fiction, honest criticism, how you see yourself as opposed to how others see you, marriage of convenience, dealing with rude/stupid/ignorant people (and being rude/stupid/ignorant yourself), personal growth and change, phobias and others (Becky H). I would recommend this book to people who enjoy and have a fairly odd sense of humor (Jeff S). I don't think this book would appeal to younger readers because you need to have some life experience to appreciate it. It would be a great book for discussion as so many comparisons can be made between the character and the reader's own lives. The ending leaves you considering the story long after you've finished the book (Darlene C).

This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in July 2013, and has been updated for the July 2014 edition. Click here to go to this issue.