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All Fall Down
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner
Allison Weiss got her happy ending—a handsome husband, 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?
The pills help her manage the realities of her good-looking life: that her husband is distant, that her daughter is acting out, that her father’s Alzheimer’s is worsening and her mother is barely managing to cope. She tells herself that they let 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?
With a sparkling comedic touch and a cast of unforgettable characters, this remarkable story of a woman’s slide into addiction and struggle to find her way back up again is Jennifer Weiner’s most masterful work yet.
Allison Weiss got her happy ending—a handsome husband, 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?
The pills help her manage the realities of her good-looking life: that her husband is distant, that her daughter is acting out, that her father’s Alzheimer’s is worsening and her mother is barely managing to cope. She tells herself that they let 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?
With a sparkling comedic touch and a cast of unforgettable characters, this remarkable story of a woman’s slide into addiction and struggle to find her way back up again is Jennifer Weiner’s most masterful work yet.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 2014
1877 people are currently reading
31112 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Weiner
73Ìýbooks24.3kÌýfollowersJennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eighteen books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, and, most recently, That Summer. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,126 reviews
July 8, 2014
I was really excited to read this book, I love Jennifer Weiner and I have struggled with painkiller addiction so I was all set to love it, I didn't at all.
Allison is a late 30 something mom, blogger, wife etc with the whole world on her shoulders ( in her opinion ) and to make it through each day she takes painkillers to get by. Going from 5 to 10 to 20 etc. I could relate to that, the warm fuzzy feelings, the panic when u reach the end of your supply, lying, etc on and on. She finds herself in rehab when her husband decides to confront her on her addiction.Also, her mom drops this bombshell and it just kind of goes away, what was the point of it ? To just show that addiction runs in her family? That was just a pointless move to me since that story line of her mother's confession went NOWHERE. Also, when she "escapes" rehab to go to her daughter's birthday I found that totally unrealistic. No one notices when she slips away? No one bothers to call? Maybe they don't in those situations, I don't know but I just found the whole scenario just ridiculous.
I didn't find the characters of her best friend and husband well developed at all, I just kind of feel they made appearances.I also don't know why they had her husband maybe having an affair since that storyline wasn't developed or delved into either. I know the book revolved around addiction but I didn't really find a story. Just taking pain pills and then rehab with quips here and there from her daughter ( who I hate to say but annoyed the shit out of me for the first half of the book) . I don't know. I just didn't feel it at all. I guess to make it short I was bored. Plus little things weren't really accurate, like I know you can't call in a script for Oxycontin, like her doctors were doing, it's something you have to pick up in person and take to the pharmacy, stupid little things like that. I feel like I was just reading someone's story from the NA book. Like Aubrey in her rehab after Allison shared her story her reply was "that's it"? I didn't feel any emotions or character depth at all. I was really disappointed.
Allison is a late 30 something mom, blogger, wife etc with the whole world on her shoulders ( in her opinion ) and to make it through each day she takes painkillers to get by. Going from 5 to 10 to 20 etc. I could relate to that, the warm fuzzy feelings, the panic when u reach the end of your supply, lying, etc on and on. She finds herself in rehab when her husband decides to confront her on her addiction.Also, her mom drops this bombshell and it just kind of goes away, what was the point of it ? To just show that addiction runs in her family? That was just a pointless move to me since that story line of her mother's confession went NOWHERE. Also, when she "escapes" rehab to go to her daughter's birthday I found that totally unrealistic. No one notices when she slips away? No one bothers to call? Maybe they don't in those situations, I don't know but I just found the whole scenario just ridiculous.
I didn't find the characters of her best friend and husband well developed at all, I just kind of feel they made appearances.I also don't know why they had her husband maybe having an affair since that storyline wasn't developed or delved into either. I know the book revolved around addiction but I didn't really find a story. Just taking pain pills and then rehab with quips here and there from her daughter ( who I hate to say but annoyed the shit out of me for the first half of the book) . I don't know. I just didn't feel it at all. I guess to make it short I was bored. Plus little things weren't really accurate, like I know you can't call in a script for Oxycontin, like her doctors were doing, it's something you have to pick up in person and take to the pharmacy, stupid little things like that. I feel like I was just reading someone's story from the NA book. Like Aubrey in her rehab after Allison shared her story her reply was "that's it"? I didn't feel any emotions or character depth at all. I was really disappointed.
June 6, 2022
I used to love reading Jennifer Weiner books. They were clever, smart, with well developed characters in a well paced story. I keep waiting for THAT author to return. Still a terrific writer, the main character is the same person we've seen before: smug, white, jewish (ish - all the culture with none of the religion) upper class, condescending, spoiled, whiney, smart, snobby and self-absorbed. She doesn't really have a good relationship with her family, her friends or her husband - though it is easy to understand because they are poorly developed. There is little to like about the main character Allison, so that when she becomes addicted to pills, it's hard to care though you may find yourself eager for her to be caught and get a come-uppance. The middle part of the book is more interesting and although again, the other characters are simplistically developed and there is too much drawn from the Sandra Bullock movie 28 Days, the emotional pull is clearly due to the excellent writing. The last part of the book feels 'stuck on' and there is less to be curious about because you've probably read things like this before. It reads more like an addendum. There were glimmers of what I liked about how the author writes. That said, I don't know if she can write a main character who isn't snarky about others, unhappy that she is/was overweight, has a free floating anger about not being recognized as someone who is as talented as she is. It's just gotten old. and uninteresting.
April 3, 2016
This book didn't live up to other books of Weiner's that I've read. I was so irritated with the main character and wanted to jump in the book and slap her. This book wasn't horrible but not my favorite from Jennifer.
July 2, 2014
It's been quite a while since I read and enjoyed my first Jennifer Weiner book Good in Bed. Weiner has definitely carved out her own space in the "chick-lit" genre that she is probably for many readers, a go-to when they're in need of a book focused primarily on women's issues laced with a little bit of humor. All Fall Down Weiner's latest follows that same formula that has made her so popular and loved by many.
Allison Weiss seemingly lives the life anyone would want. A lovely home, a handsome husband, and a beautiful daughter. The only problem with this life is that said lovely home is way out of her price range, that handsome husband is very distant, and her beautiful daughter is very "sensitive". As if these problems weren't enough, she's trying to balance home-life, work, an ailing parent, and her addiction to prescription meds without falling off the rails. All her efforts to contain her addiction result in failure.
Allison is so sure that she doesn't have a problem. She's not an Addict. Not the woman who is an author of a very successful blog. Not the woman who doesn't "look" like an addict. Certainly she couldn't be an addict because she lives in a "Mcmansion" in Haverford. How could she possibly be an addict when she hadn't hit rock bottom yet?
Through much of All Fall Down, I could not let go of how much tension, and worry I had for Allison. Allison is a woman that many mother's can relate to. She's trying to make sure her family stays afloat. She begins only using to make it through the difficult times, to escape her daughter's tantrums, or to forget her husband hasn't touched her in months. But her spiral downhill kept me on edge as one pill turns into ten per day.
I don't think there's one negative thing I could say about All Fall Down. I simply could not put it down. If I had to choose one thing to dislike, it would have to be how snarky, or above it all, Allison could be at times. But then again, denial is a beautiful thing, not just the river.
Overall, Weiner does what she does best in All Fall Down. She writes about a very real subject, addiction, but doesn't make it completely heartbreaking. All Fall Down proves that addiction can happen to anyone but with the help and support of family, falling off the rails completely will not be an option.
Copy provided by Simon & Schuster via Netgalley
Allison Weiss seemingly lives the life anyone would want. A lovely home, a handsome husband, and a beautiful daughter. The only problem with this life is that said lovely home is way out of her price range, that handsome husband is very distant, and her beautiful daughter is very "sensitive". As if these problems weren't enough, she's trying to balance home-life, work, an ailing parent, and her addiction to prescription meds without falling off the rails. All her efforts to contain her addiction result in failure.
Allison is so sure that she doesn't have a problem. She's not an Addict. Not the woman who is an author of a very successful blog. Not the woman who doesn't "look" like an addict. Certainly she couldn't be an addict because she lives in a "Mcmansion" in Haverford. How could she possibly be an addict when she hadn't hit rock bottom yet?
Through much of All Fall Down, I could not let go of how much tension, and worry I had for Allison. Allison is a woman that many mother's can relate to. She's trying to make sure her family stays afloat. She begins only using to make it through the difficult times, to escape her daughter's tantrums, or to forget her husband hasn't touched her in months. But her spiral downhill kept me on edge as one pill turns into ten per day.
I don't think there's one negative thing I could say about All Fall Down. I simply could not put it down. If I had to choose one thing to dislike, it would have to be how snarky, or above it all, Allison could be at times. But then again, denial is a beautiful thing, not just the river.
Overall, Weiner does what she does best in All Fall Down. She writes about a very real subject, addiction, but doesn't make it completely heartbreaking. All Fall Down proves that addiction can happen to anyone but with the help and support of family, falling off the rails completely will not be an option.
Copy provided by Simon & Schuster via Netgalley
March 13, 2017
The cover photo makes no sense. I had no sympathy for the main character. The daughter was a brat. Too many unresolved mini storylines. And unless you are a music/Broadway aficionado, the whole chapter about preparing for the talent show was annoying. There will never be another Good in Bed and I just have to stop believing she has it in her to write one.
June 9, 2014
If you've read Jennifer Weiner's books before, expecting hilarious, witty, easy-breezy reading, then this book will be a surprise. Although still trademarked with her sly wit, reading a novel about an upper class woman spiraling into drug addiction is not for the faint of heart. And in many other authors hands, this kind of subject matter easily could become preachy or heavy handed, and it truly is neither. Allison Weiss has a pretty darn good life--a beautiful (but high maintenance) 5 year old daughter, a husband who adores her (but works pretty long hours), and loving parents, even if one of them just got diagnosed with Alzheimer's. When Allison throws her back out at the gym, her doctor prescribes Percocet, and the blissful feeling of relief from life's pressures causes Allison to seek out those same feelings, again and again.
I'm recommending this novel because addiction can happen to anyone, but it's rarely told so succinctly and in a relate-able way.
I'm recommending this novel because addiction can happen to anyone, but it's rarely told so succinctly and in a relate-able way.
June 29, 2014
I've read just about every Jennifer Weiner book, and while I have great fondness for Good in Bed and Certain Girls and I do think Jennifer Weiner is probably a really fabulous person, I just can't say I'm an actual fan of her books. They're a little like grocery store birthday cake to me: sounds like a good idea and I have positive memories and associations, but when it gets down to it I just feel barfy after I partake. Maybe I'll skip the next go round and hold off for a higher quality piece of dark chocolate literature instead?
January 1, 2017
ALL FALL DOWN is engrossing, eloquent & witty, packing a particularly powerful punch for anyone who is, or has ever been, a Stay At Home Parent.
July 7, 2023
I really enjoyed this fictional addiction story, Allison has high expectations of herself and finds herself in the rabbit hole of using a substance to fill the void. From the outside looking in, she has it relatively easy, a nice house, a nice enough husband and a job she likes.
There are cracks, of course, and she can no longer fill them up with what healthy mum's would do, perhaps ask for help, cut down on work hours..
A tight mortgage, the husband is working harder and earning less and seems to be remote, he also isn't the model husband one would want if they had an addiction to prescription pills.
Allison is also quite beholden to a mother who can't do anything for herself, and a father she loves in the early stages of alzheimers. These factors add to the already over boiling pot.
The twelve step programs one would need to help with addiction are covered with surprising accuracy, and the mind of an addict as well; the rationisation, the desperation, the lying and the self doubt. I'm not sure if the author has experience in this field but to me it is authentic.
I was sad her husband wasn't supportive and I was drawn to her vulnerability which showed my investment in the story. I enjoyed this audiobook and will now find more of this authors work. Recommended.
Listened to on the Libby platform via my public library.
There are cracks, of course, and she can no longer fill them up with what healthy mum's would do, perhaps ask for help, cut down on work hours..
A tight mortgage, the husband is working harder and earning less and seems to be remote, he also isn't the model husband one would want if they had an addiction to prescription pills.
Allison is also quite beholden to a mother who can't do anything for herself, and a father she loves in the early stages of alzheimers. These factors add to the already over boiling pot.
The twelve step programs one would need to help with addiction are covered with surprising accuracy, and the mind of an addict as well; the rationisation, the desperation, the lying and the self doubt. I'm not sure if the author has experience in this field but to me it is authentic.
I was sad her husband wasn't supportive and I was drawn to her vulnerability which showed my investment in the story. I enjoyed this audiobook and will now find more of this authors work. Recommended.
Listened to on the Libby platform via my public library.
July 7, 2015
“When you can stop you don't want to, and when you want to stop, you can't...�
Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, pens her new novel, called All Fall Down which is about a woman's fight over addiction.
Synopsis:
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?
Allison Weiss, a regular sub-urban woman, who happens to be the sole breadwinner of her household with her high-pressure-dream-job-as-a-writer, has a distant husband who is who on the brink of losing his job, a super-sensitive daughter and an Alzheimer-stricken father who is losing tiny bit of himself everyday. Now did I make it sound all too sad and pathetic? Maybe, a bit! Okay, so you can vouch for Allison and say that it's okay to end a stressfully-pathetic day with a dose of prescription pills just to take the edge off it. Yeah, of course!
Allison didn't see that coming when one visit to her daughter's doctor changes her perspective on her lifestyle and her steady dose of prescription pills. Pills started coming in when Allison tried to be a perfect mother. Sometimes her day began by popping one or two Vicodin sometimes even four, to get through the morning. She falls deeper when she started borrowing cash from work to order pills from the world wide web. She has several doctors to write her off a teeny-tiny dosage of prescribed pills. She lies, she falls, she is high all the freaking-time, she crushes yet she believes everything is very sober, normal and mild, and doesn't seem too loud or wild, until the pills become her necessity.
This is the author who wrote Good in Bed and In Her Shoes which became a major Holly flick, starring Cameron Diaz. Eleven novels later, Weiner is still the best with her brilliant writing style and by portraying a chick-lit novel into something thoroughly enlightening. And like always, this time too I was struck be her writing style which lets me escape to her imperfect worlds. The narrative is not that catchy, but the one thing that keeps us stick to the book like a drug is Allison and her addiction and how she convinces herself that she is not one among them since whatever she buys or takes are legal.
Yes, Allison is like the apple in the pie in this story. From the very first page itself, we get addicted to the book just like Allison gets addicted to her pills. Her evolution from a super-perfect-mom to a pills addict is fantastically featured by the author. With her every fall, we fell with her too.
Did you know that in USA over 6 million children live with at least one drug/substance addict parent/guardian? Moreover, ratings show that prescription painkillers fall right behind the highest takers of alcohol-addiction and drugs like heroin/marijuana and other illegal substance addiction. What we didn't know and that Weiner tried to convey us through her novel, is that too much of anything is actually a kind of addiction that we choose not to believe, in fact water/hamburger/cookies/exercise etc, everything counts. And if you believe those prescribed pills kept behind your bathroom closet are okay and legal, then you're wrong and you really need to check your dose per day/hour. It can be a serious addiction that needs to be controlled.
Through Allison's story we see her rise and fall yet with no luck and how an addict first goes through the first stage of denial, and coming out of that denial phase is not an easy journey. This story is not going to make you smile instead it will provoke your every brain cells to think about it. Other than Allison, every other character from her daughter to her mother to her husband to her friends, every one is given room to grow and evolve, since when an addict falls deep into the illusive worlds of addiction and perfection, they take down everyone around them into their own hellhole.
Along with the developing characters, the emotions are poured at the right moments which are deep and compassionate enough to make us feel the sharp sting of it. Not only it's all blue and sad, the author have layered her plot with humor and funny moments that are surely going to crack you up a few times. Well, the ending was not too perfect like the story, since it kind of was predictable with less intensity.
Verdict: A must-read book for every parent in this universe which is heart-breaking yet entertaining.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Jennifer Weiner's publicist, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this novel.
Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, pens her new novel, called All Fall Down which is about a woman's fight over addiction.
Synopsis:
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?
Allison Weiss, a regular sub-urban woman, who happens to be the sole breadwinner of her household with her high-pressure-dream-job-as-a-writer, has a distant husband who is who on the brink of losing his job, a super-sensitive daughter and an Alzheimer-stricken father who is losing tiny bit of himself everyday. Now did I make it sound all too sad and pathetic? Maybe, a bit! Okay, so you can vouch for Allison and say that it's okay to end a stressfully-pathetic day with a dose of prescription pills just to take the edge off it. Yeah, of course!
Allison didn't see that coming when one visit to her daughter's doctor changes her perspective on her lifestyle and her steady dose of prescription pills. Pills started coming in when Allison tried to be a perfect mother. Sometimes her day began by popping one or two Vicodin sometimes even four, to get through the morning. She falls deeper when she started borrowing cash from work to order pills from the world wide web. She has several doctors to write her off a teeny-tiny dosage of prescribed pills. She lies, she falls, she is high all the freaking-time, she crushes yet she believes everything is very sober, normal and mild, and doesn't seem too loud or wild, until the pills become her necessity.
This is the author who wrote Good in Bed and In Her Shoes which became a major Holly flick, starring Cameron Diaz. Eleven novels later, Weiner is still the best with her brilliant writing style and by portraying a chick-lit novel into something thoroughly enlightening. And like always, this time too I was struck be her writing style which lets me escape to her imperfect worlds. The narrative is not that catchy, but the one thing that keeps us stick to the book like a drug is Allison and her addiction and how she convinces herself that she is not one among them since whatever she buys or takes are legal.
Yes, Allison is like the apple in the pie in this story. From the very first page itself, we get addicted to the book just like Allison gets addicted to her pills. Her evolution from a super-perfect-mom to a pills addict is fantastically featured by the author. With her every fall, we fell with her too.
Did you know that in USA over 6 million children live with at least one drug/substance addict parent/guardian? Moreover, ratings show that prescription painkillers fall right behind the highest takers of alcohol-addiction and drugs like heroin/marijuana and other illegal substance addiction. What we didn't know and that Weiner tried to convey us through her novel, is that too much of anything is actually a kind of addiction that we choose not to believe, in fact water/hamburger/cookies/exercise etc, everything counts. And if you believe those prescribed pills kept behind your bathroom closet are okay and legal, then you're wrong and you really need to check your dose per day/hour. It can be a serious addiction that needs to be controlled.
Through Allison's story we see her rise and fall yet with no luck and how an addict first goes through the first stage of denial, and coming out of that denial phase is not an easy journey. This story is not going to make you smile instead it will provoke your every brain cells to think about it. Other than Allison, every other character from her daughter to her mother to her husband to her friends, every one is given room to grow and evolve, since when an addict falls deep into the illusive worlds of addiction and perfection, they take down everyone around them into their own hellhole.
Along with the developing characters, the emotions are poured at the right moments which are deep and compassionate enough to make us feel the sharp sting of it. Not only it's all blue and sad, the author have layered her plot with humor and funny moments that are surely going to crack you up a few times. Well, the ending was not too perfect like the story, since it kind of was predictable with less intensity.
Verdict: A must-read book for every parent in this universe which is heart-breaking yet entertaining.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Jennifer Weiner's publicist, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this novel.
July 3, 2015
One of Jennifer Weiner's best books to date. It is a departure from the Rom-Com books she is known for and writes so well. This book deals with the serious and very prevalent problem of pill popping among the middle class women in today's society. I devoured every word. I looked for any embellishments or untruths. I consider myself a sort of expert in the subject because I went down this road. It all starts with an extra boost of energy and euphoria, allowing you to be super Mom. But it is a very slippery slope and quickly you lose ALL control. I loved this book and love how well Jennifer depicted this often taboo topic. Don't worry, you will still get the humor and well drawn characters that Weiner is so well known for.
I personally found this novel refreshing and it shows that Jennifer Weiner has solidified her place among the giants in women's fiction.
I personally found this novel refreshing and it shows that Jennifer Weiner has solidified her place among the giants in women's fiction.
January 30, 2016
Not Jennifer Weiner's worst novel but certainly not her best either. I had mixed feelings about Allison's addiction to prescription pills. She's a difficult protagonist to root for. She's extremely unlikable, resentful, self-centered, and a huge complainer. But then again, Allison's husband is no bed of roses either (very condescending and dismissive). The writing is solid, but the ending was kind of abrupt. Instead of feeling hopeful of Allison's sobriety, I just felt empty and depressed. *sighs* If you're looking for a great Jennifer Weiner novel, I would try either "Good in Bed" or "The Next Best Thing".
February 21, 2016
Hmmmm....this one just did not resonate with me at all. Whilst the synopsis of this book drew me to it, it seems the execution of it is lacking somewhat.
Allison Weiss is struggling in her busy life, she has a young precocious daughter classified as "highly sensitive", a marriage that is showing more cracks than it should, aging parents battling illness and a busy website and blog that puts pressure on her.
The solution for Allison? Pills, lots of them. Prescription pills. Vicodin, Oxycontin etc. At first it's all because of a back injury and genuine pain but when Allison keeps going back for more pills and the opiate ladder is being climbed not for physical pain relief but to feel calmer, chilled, relaxed, in control. She is a middle class woman battling prescription painkiller addiction.
Things escalate to the point where Allison is put in rehab, a place she feels she does not belong in, alongside the "real" drug addicts. Note, denial is a hard thing to shift.
This book screamed to be brilliant but it fell flat for me. I found Allison's character a bit boring to be honest, her husband I could not connect to at all, and frankly her daughter just plain got on my nerves. In short I felt the characters did not click in this book. Not for me anyway.
Look, it's not a terrible read, I was really hoping it was going to get better and ramp up to brilliance at some point but by the time she was in rehab and we had chapters and chapters of rehab life dialogue, both her internal ramblings as well as the external chatter I was just kind of bored really, it was a bit empty of substance. I thought the first part of the book prior to the rehab centre was a better.
It's like a chick-lit book that's tackling a serious subject but the two are not mixing like they should, the chemistry is not quite right. It's one of those books I will forget in a flash and sadly it just was not a great or memorable read for me. I am disappointed too as I did feel the plot had potential to really shine.
This one just did not resonate with me, didn't float my boat, ring my bell or anything. Die hard Jennifer Weiner fans may indeed love it but I am not inspired by this to even try another of her novels.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Allison Weiss is struggling in her busy life, she has a young precocious daughter classified as "highly sensitive", a marriage that is showing more cracks than it should, aging parents battling illness and a busy website and blog that puts pressure on her.
The solution for Allison? Pills, lots of them. Prescription pills. Vicodin, Oxycontin etc. At first it's all because of a back injury and genuine pain but when Allison keeps going back for more pills and the opiate ladder is being climbed not for physical pain relief but to feel calmer, chilled, relaxed, in control. She is a middle class woman battling prescription painkiller addiction.
Things escalate to the point where Allison is put in rehab, a place she feels she does not belong in, alongside the "real" drug addicts. Note, denial is a hard thing to shift.
This book screamed to be brilliant but it fell flat for me. I found Allison's character a bit boring to be honest, her husband I could not connect to at all, and frankly her daughter just plain got on my nerves. In short I felt the characters did not click in this book. Not for me anyway.
Look, it's not a terrible read, I was really hoping it was going to get better and ramp up to brilliance at some point but by the time she was in rehab and we had chapters and chapters of rehab life dialogue, both her internal ramblings as well as the external chatter I was just kind of bored really, it was a bit empty of substance. I thought the first part of the book prior to the rehab centre was a better.
It's like a chick-lit book that's tackling a serious subject but the two are not mixing like they should, the chemistry is not quite right. It's one of those books I will forget in a flash and sadly it just was not a great or memorable read for me. I am disappointed too as I did feel the plot had potential to really shine.
This one just did not resonate with me, didn't float my boat, ring my bell or anything. Die hard Jennifer Weiner fans may indeed love it but I am not inspired by this to even try another of her novels.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2014
I've been reading Jennifer Weiner novels since 2006. That's when I first discovered "chick lit". My father had just died, and I was trying to read The Brothers Karamazov, and my brain just couldn't concentrate on Dostoyevsky, but I needed to somehow tune out and find protection from my thoughts during the night (which was the worst). So I went to Barnes and Noble, and picked up Good In Bed.
Once I got over my grief, I stopped reading chick lit, and went back to other books. But then when I moved to California and picked up my first public library card in years, I rediscovered it--especially Weiner. I've since read all of her novels. I can always count on her for a good story that's easy to get caught up in.
All Fall Down was no different. I finished the book in a day, and I genuinely interested in Allison's story of addiction. I did find it hard to be empathetic for her. I do empathize with people who have addictions; it is a disease. But the decisions that led Allison to a place of addiction seemed unbelievably naive for a smart, savvy woman. And, at times, the story didn't ring true for me. A doctor, these days, would prescribe oxycontin over the phone? What? I was barely prescribed Vicodin after a week-long bout of debilitating pelvic pain.
And I would have been more interested to spend time on Allison's life in recovery. Many chapters were dedicated to her downward spiral (and after a while, I was cringing), some to rehab, and only a couple out of rehab. What made her daughter be less of a handful? How did she and her husband recuperate? How can she afford to be in full-time recovery and not work at all?
Anyhow. Two stars. That's all I have to give.
Once I got over my grief, I stopped reading chick lit, and went back to other books. But then when I moved to California and picked up my first public library card in years, I rediscovered it--especially Weiner. I've since read all of her novels. I can always count on her for a good story that's easy to get caught up in.
All Fall Down was no different. I finished the book in a day, and I genuinely interested in Allison's story of addiction. I did find it hard to be empathetic for her. I do empathize with people who have addictions; it is a disease. But the decisions that led Allison to a place of addiction seemed unbelievably naive for a smart, savvy woman. And, at times, the story didn't ring true for me. A doctor, these days, would prescribe oxycontin over the phone? What? I was barely prescribed Vicodin after a week-long bout of debilitating pelvic pain.
And I would have been more interested to spend time on Allison's life in recovery. Many chapters were dedicated to her downward spiral (and after a while, I was cringing), some to rehab, and only a couple out of rehab. What made her daughter be less of a handful? How did she and her husband recuperate? How can she afford to be in full-time recovery and not work at all?
Anyhow. Two stars. That's all I have to give.
June 21, 2014
Addiction and recovery stories are well covered in novels, memoirs, and movies. Jennifer Weiner has nothing to add here except a clichéd and shallow version of addiction among the middle classes. The characters, including the narrator, are all superficial. I think Jennifer is trying to show that addiction can destroy middle class people as well as crack whores, but she does it in a boring, women's fiction way, never resonating beyond the immediate needs and emotions of the heroine and her circle. Two stars because it's Jenn Weiner and thus readable.
June 25, 2014
The reason I gave this novel only two stars was not because of the heavier story line or the way Jennifer Weiner touched on some grittier topics, such as addiction, marriage conflict and aging parents. No one would argue this book delves a bit deeper that the usual summer easy read concept that she has tried to toy with and fight against equally in the past. However I found this particular book very hard to keep my interest.
The writing style is more long winded paragraphs of inner dialogue and memories versus actual dialogue between two people. I found this to be very tedious and unnecessary in many places. I found myself skipping pages at a time and still keeping up with the plot points.
On the plus side, as someone who lives a hop, skip and a jump away from Haverford, PA and the Main Line/Philly suburb area, it was fun to read and easily recognize many of the locations mentioned in the novel.
All in all this was a miss for me, but I will happily continue to read future books by Jennifer Weiner.
The writing style is more long winded paragraphs of inner dialogue and memories versus actual dialogue between two people. I found this to be very tedious and unnecessary in many places. I found myself skipping pages at a time and still keeping up with the plot points.
On the plus side, as someone who lives a hop, skip and a jump away from Haverford, PA and the Main Line/Philly suburb area, it was fun to read and easily recognize many of the locations mentioned in the novel.
All in all this was a miss for me, but I will happily continue to read future books by Jennifer Weiner.
January 31, 2015
review also found at
4.5 stars
I won an advanced copy of this book via Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ first reads in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is June 17 2014.
I have not read any of Jennifer Weiner's other books however I had certainly heard of her and I have been curious for some time. I was overjoyed when the opportunity arose to read her latest work. I have to say it was truly worth the wait.
While an easy read in style it is not an easy read in content. Dealing with the subject of addiction this story weaves a scary tail of drug abuse and the nose dive your life can take when your addiction takes over. I loved that this look in to addiction was told through an everyday ordinary person. Great family, great job, "mcmansion" in the suburbs. I found it realistic in the fact that addiction does not discriminate and stereotype and it can happen to anyone.
I have to admit that there were many times that I wanted to slap Allison and tell her to wake up! I couldn't believe what she was doing to herself. I guess that is the whole point. Friends and family who are powerless to help and angry because they can't get through. In this sense I found the story realistic, If I was angry I can only imagine what it is like for people who have to live with it.
I am not going to detail too much about the story since it has not yet been released and I don't like to include spoilers in my review. I will say that this story really made me think. It is incomprehensible to me what thousands of "Allisons" go through on any given day as they battle with addiction be it alcohol or narcotics. The lives it touches and the damage it does. When I was younger I thought that everyone had a choice and that this can only happen if you let it. I am older and wiser now and this story dispels that notion and tells it like it is. There is not necessarily always a rock bottom sob story tail behind an addict however regardless of the story there is no less damage.
I feel lucky to be introduced to Weiner's work through this story. Without a doubt I will be checking out her other works. I highly recommend.
4.5 stars
I won an advanced copy of this book via Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ first reads in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is June 17 2014.
I have not read any of Jennifer Weiner's other books however I had certainly heard of her and I have been curious for some time. I was overjoyed when the opportunity arose to read her latest work. I have to say it was truly worth the wait.
While an easy read in style it is not an easy read in content. Dealing with the subject of addiction this story weaves a scary tail of drug abuse and the nose dive your life can take when your addiction takes over. I loved that this look in to addiction was told through an everyday ordinary person. Great family, great job, "mcmansion" in the suburbs. I found it realistic in the fact that addiction does not discriminate and stereotype and it can happen to anyone.
I have to admit that there were many times that I wanted to slap Allison and tell her to wake up! I couldn't believe what she was doing to herself. I guess that is the whole point. Friends and family who are powerless to help and angry because they can't get through. In this sense I found the story realistic, If I was angry I can only imagine what it is like for people who have to live with it.
I am not going to detail too much about the story since it has not yet been released and I don't like to include spoilers in my review. I will say that this story really made me think. It is incomprehensible to me what thousands of "Allisons" go through on any given day as they battle with addiction be it alcohol or narcotics. The lives it touches and the damage it does. When I was younger I thought that everyone had a choice and that this can only happen if you let it. I am older and wiser now and this story dispels that notion and tells it like it is. There is not necessarily always a rock bottom sob story tail behind an addict however regardless of the story there is no less damage.
I feel lucky to be introduced to Weiner's work through this story. Without a doubt I will be checking out her other works. I highly recommend.
June 24, 2014
A fairly unflinching look at one women's descent into pill addiction. A more serious turn for Weiner this time, but the subject matter demanded it.
April 12, 2019
Pela capa, este livro seria mais um daqueles que eu ia deixar passar-me ao lado. Mas o tÃtulo chamou-me a atenção e fui ler a sinopse e ainda bem que o fiz.
Este livro conta a história de Allison, uma mãe e blogger que é viciada em comprimidos. Tudo começa aos poucos, um Vicodin para relaxar, um Percicot para desanuviar. Estes medicamentos são todos sujeitos a receita médica e são opiáceos, como tal quando consumidos sem prescrição ou supervisão médica podem causar dependência. Lembram-se da série Dr. House? Ele era viciado em Vicodin. A Allison começa por tomar painkillers quando se lesiona nas costas. Os opiáceos aliviam as dores e dão uma sensação de relaxamento (vulgo “mocaâ€�). A nossa personagem principal tem uma vida agitada. Tem uma menina de 5 anos, um marido que não colabora, o pai recentemente diagnosticado com Alzaheimer e um trabalho exigente. A forma que arranja de fugir ao stress é através dos comprimidos. Consegue, a princÃpio, as receitas porque vai contactando os seus médicos e vai alternando para que nenhum lhe negue a medicação. Mas as doses de que precisa vão aumentando e torna-se inviável a prescrição de que precisa.
Claro está que sai tudo fora do seu controlo. É um vÃcio e gasta milhares de dólares para o manter.
Um dia algo grave acontece. Allison, como viciada que já é, mente e diz estar tudo bem. E uma nova situação grave acontece e é aà que o marido da Allison, Dave, vai intervir.
A narradora é a nossa protagonista e é através da vivência dela que conhecemos toda a história. É impressionante como certos acontecimentos nos podem guiar a levar determinados comportamentos que se tornam em doença. A autora não deixou de recorrer a alguns clichês sobre este tipo de assunto mas resultaram. Liguei-me à personagem muito facilmente. A escrita da autora ajudou nisso.
Além disso quis saber mais e fui pesquisar. Nos EUA são um problema cada vez maior. Sabiam que 80% das mortes por overdose de opiáceos é por causa destes medicamentos? Vicodin e oxicodona são os mais conhecidos. Em Portugal sei que há (por experiência própria) o cloridrato de tramadol que também é um opiáceos. Até ver, não têm representado um grande problema.
Por isso também considero este livro um alerta para uma nova realidade tão fácil de aceder e tão difÃcil de largar.
Só posso aconselhar esta leitura!
Este livro conta a história de Allison, uma mãe e blogger que é viciada em comprimidos. Tudo começa aos poucos, um Vicodin para relaxar, um Percicot para desanuviar. Estes medicamentos são todos sujeitos a receita médica e são opiáceos, como tal quando consumidos sem prescrição ou supervisão médica podem causar dependência. Lembram-se da série Dr. House? Ele era viciado em Vicodin. A Allison começa por tomar painkillers quando se lesiona nas costas. Os opiáceos aliviam as dores e dão uma sensação de relaxamento (vulgo “mocaâ€�). A nossa personagem principal tem uma vida agitada. Tem uma menina de 5 anos, um marido que não colabora, o pai recentemente diagnosticado com Alzaheimer e um trabalho exigente. A forma que arranja de fugir ao stress é através dos comprimidos. Consegue, a princÃpio, as receitas porque vai contactando os seus médicos e vai alternando para que nenhum lhe negue a medicação. Mas as doses de que precisa vão aumentando e torna-se inviável a prescrição de que precisa.
Claro está que sai tudo fora do seu controlo. É um vÃcio e gasta milhares de dólares para o manter.
Um dia algo grave acontece. Allison, como viciada que já é, mente e diz estar tudo bem. E uma nova situação grave acontece e é aà que o marido da Allison, Dave, vai intervir.
A narradora é a nossa protagonista e é através da vivência dela que conhecemos toda a história. É impressionante como certos acontecimentos nos podem guiar a levar determinados comportamentos que se tornam em doença. A autora não deixou de recorrer a alguns clichês sobre este tipo de assunto mas resultaram. Liguei-me à personagem muito facilmente. A escrita da autora ajudou nisso.
Além disso quis saber mais e fui pesquisar. Nos EUA são um problema cada vez maior. Sabiam que 80% das mortes por overdose de opiáceos é por causa destes medicamentos? Vicodin e oxicodona são os mais conhecidos. Em Portugal sei que há (por experiência própria) o cloridrato de tramadol que também é um opiáceos. Até ver, não têm representado um grande problema.
Por isso também considero este livro um alerta para uma nova realidade tão fácil de aceder e tão difÃcil de largar.
Só posso aconselhar esta leitura!
July 6, 2014
Allison Weiss felt under increasing pressure � as well as trying to run a blogging business from home, she had the worry of her father who had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and her mother wasn’t coping at all; her beautiful six year old daughter Ellie was high maintenance plus she couldn’t help but feel everything wasn’t quite right between her husband, Dave and herself. When she was prescribed a pain killing drug to counteract the gym injury to her back, the relief she felt was enormous�
And so it began � as Allison found relief by popping a pill, she also found that increasingly she needed more � and more. As the tempo of her life picked up, so did her use of the pills to help her through the days. She began to find different ways to get more pills, and then more � the sole focus of her life seemed to revolve on her need for pills to get her through the next hour�
But she was sure she didn’t have a problem � she could stop whenever she wanted to � right? She wasn’t addicted to pills…that wasn’t for her. But what happened to Allison that suddenly brought everything to a head? Suddenly she felt like she had lost control of her life; of the lives around her � what was in her future? Did she even have a future?
This was an incredible book about addiction, especially prescription medication and how easy it is to lose control � when you think it’s alright to take the medication because the doctor prescribed it. Allison was a hard character to like; she had an attitude problem and I felt that she wanted everything to be there for her, that she was a martyr with all that she did for everyone. I totally loved six year old Ellie; the amount of laugh out loud moments I had at her comments! Classic!
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for my copy to read and review.
And so it began � as Allison found relief by popping a pill, she also found that increasingly she needed more � and more. As the tempo of her life picked up, so did her use of the pills to help her through the days. She began to find different ways to get more pills, and then more � the sole focus of her life seemed to revolve on her need for pills to get her through the next hour�
But she was sure she didn’t have a problem � she could stop whenever she wanted to � right? She wasn’t addicted to pills…that wasn’t for her. But what happened to Allison that suddenly brought everything to a head? Suddenly she felt like she had lost control of her life; of the lives around her � what was in her future? Did she even have a future?
This was an incredible book about addiction, especially prescription medication and how easy it is to lose control � when you think it’s alright to take the medication because the doctor prescribed it. Allison was a hard character to like; she had an attitude problem and I felt that she wanted everything to be there for her, that she was a martyr with all that she did for everyone. I totally loved six year old Ellie; the amount of laugh out loud moments I had at her comments! Classic!
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for my copy to read and review.
July 18, 2016
I enjoyed the book, although I found there was a little too much moralising. I listened to the audio version of this book and the reader was so outstanding that I rated it 4 stars because of the reader's performance. I think if I had read the book, i would have rated it 3 stars.
August 17, 2014
This book is about addiction, pills, and the suburban mom. I didn’t realize what this book was about before I started reading it, I just saw the authors name and went bananas because I have read all of her books and have liked mostly all of them. However, this book, was a HUGE letdown for me. I do have a lot to say about it, it really hit home for me.
Brief background of me: 3 years ago I was married for a year, almost 2 years to a guy who was what we call a “pillhead� he kept it secret pretty much until shortly after we married. After that follows the worst two years of my life and my sons life. I can’t even begin to express the things I had to deal with, the pain I had to constantly feel, the late nights, the constant cops, drug dealers at my house, overdoses, things disappearing and being pawned, and finally DCF. And because we were married, in the state that I lived in, every thing that got stolen, or the fact that he even lived with me and my son I couldn’t press charges, kick him out, report things stolen. It took almost 2 years to get out of that situation, so when I read a book about addiction, it hurts. Mostly because the books don’t come close to the real picture of addiction. It doesn’t talk about the families, the children, the pain, the overdoses. Most books talk about rosey outlooks, being able to afford a decent rehab, and families coming back together in love and happiness at the end. This book, the entire book was just flat to me, the things I went through with my ex, all of it, I realize that everyone has a different story, not all addictions are the same, but pretty much every addict has hurt someone, pawned something, some drama, but there wasn’t much of anything.
Back to the book, this was basically just a timeline of a addicted housewife “I took this and that and this, and went to rehab and did this and that and this, and now im doing this and that� and during all of this, I felt nothing, I didn’t feel any emotions or even her desire to have another pill didn’t come through, it was just like.. “two hours ago I popped a Percocet, now I feel anxiety coming back and decided to take another one� and it was just like reading an outline of a story, the outline is there but the in between the lines wasn’t.
I felt like the addiction itself was boring, it doesn’t make the reader realize how serious it has the potential of being. It touched briefly on the fact that it could lead to death, in the way of “it was told to me if I took this amount of pills I might die� but there wasn’t any near deaths, or overdoses, hospital visits. She even gets busted by her childrens school and the school didn’t report it. Totally unrealistic. And I think that’s a pet peeve of mine. If you are going to write about something THAT serious, and it really IS serious, do it in a way that will shock people into thinking, not romanticizing it, and making it seem like pills help with every day emotions, if you happen to get caught taking them and sent to rehab by your family, it’s all roses after that and easy to kick the addiction. It’s not, its overdosing, hospitals, cops, jobs being lost, car accidents, jails, DCF, the inability to find a cheap rehab, or a bed in a state funded facility, it’s relapses, and dark nights where sponsers of NA come to talk you down. It’s broken homes, and divorces, and children who SEE all of this. And I feel deeply about this.
So this book, was to me, just absolutely awful. I rated it 2/5 stars, 2 stars because I’m too close to the subject matter, maybe if I was a suburban mom that had no experience at all with what addiction can do to a person and family, I would have loved this book even more. It was probably a good book, well written, I don’t know, but in my personal opinion, it wasn’t. It’s hard to tell if I would recommend this book, I just think about how addiction was romanticized a bit and fear that someone heading down the road of addiction would read it, and it wouldn’t do anything but help them along further in their journey.
I was bored during this book. I know I shouldn't feel this way about addiction, and that everyone has their own story and pain, and being aggravated that the depth of emotions that occur in the life of an addict and their family, and the characters didn't match up to my own experiences.
Drugs and addiction, abuse and awful things like that, that happen to people in the world, shouldn’t have rosey outlooks, they should have the impact needed to take the reader to the next level of thought about the dangers and happenings around them and to them. I was bored during this book. I know I shouldn't feel this way about addiction, and that everyone has their own story and pain, and being aggravated that the depth of emotions that occur in the life of an addict and their family, and the characfers didn't match up to my own experiences.
Brief background of me: 3 years ago I was married for a year, almost 2 years to a guy who was what we call a “pillhead� he kept it secret pretty much until shortly after we married. After that follows the worst two years of my life and my sons life. I can’t even begin to express the things I had to deal with, the pain I had to constantly feel, the late nights, the constant cops, drug dealers at my house, overdoses, things disappearing and being pawned, and finally DCF. And because we were married, in the state that I lived in, every thing that got stolen, or the fact that he even lived with me and my son I couldn’t press charges, kick him out, report things stolen. It took almost 2 years to get out of that situation, so when I read a book about addiction, it hurts. Mostly because the books don’t come close to the real picture of addiction. It doesn’t talk about the families, the children, the pain, the overdoses. Most books talk about rosey outlooks, being able to afford a decent rehab, and families coming back together in love and happiness at the end. This book, the entire book was just flat to me, the things I went through with my ex, all of it, I realize that everyone has a different story, not all addictions are the same, but pretty much every addict has hurt someone, pawned something, some drama, but there wasn’t much of anything.
Back to the book, this was basically just a timeline of a addicted housewife “I took this and that and this, and went to rehab and did this and that and this, and now im doing this and that� and during all of this, I felt nothing, I didn’t feel any emotions or even her desire to have another pill didn’t come through, it was just like.. “two hours ago I popped a Percocet, now I feel anxiety coming back and decided to take another one� and it was just like reading an outline of a story, the outline is there but the in between the lines wasn’t.
I felt like the addiction itself was boring, it doesn’t make the reader realize how serious it has the potential of being. It touched briefly on the fact that it could lead to death, in the way of “it was told to me if I took this amount of pills I might die� but there wasn’t any near deaths, or overdoses, hospital visits. She even gets busted by her childrens school and the school didn’t report it. Totally unrealistic. And I think that’s a pet peeve of mine. If you are going to write about something THAT serious, and it really IS serious, do it in a way that will shock people into thinking, not romanticizing it, and making it seem like pills help with every day emotions, if you happen to get caught taking them and sent to rehab by your family, it’s all roses after that and easy to kick the addiction. It’s not, its overdosing, hospitals, cops, jobs being lost, car accidents, jails, DCF, the inability to find a cheap rehab, or a bed in a state funded facility, it’s relapses, and dark nights where sponsers of NA come to talk you down. It’s broken homes, and divorces, and children who SEE all of this. And I feel deeply about this.
So this book, was to me, just absolutely awful. I rated it 2/5 stars, 2 stars because I’m too close to the subject matter, maybe if I was a suburban mom that had no experience at all with what addiction can do to a person and family, I would have loved this book even more. It was probably a good book, well written, I don’t know, but in my personal opinion, it wasn’t. It’s hard to tell if I would recommend this book, I just think about how addiction was romanticized a bit and fear that someone heading down the road of addiction would read it, and it wouldn’t do anything but help them along further in their journey.
I was bored during this book. I know I shouldn't feel this way about addiction, and that everyone has their own story and pain, and being aggravated that the depth of emotions that occur in the life of an addict and their family, and the characters didn't match up to my own experiences.
Drugs and addiction, abuse and awful things like that, that happen to people in the world, shouldn’t have rosey outlooks, they should have the impact needed to take the reader to the next level of thought about the dangers and happenings around them and to them. I was bored during this book. I know I shouldn't feel this way about addiction, and that everyone has their own story and pain, and being aggravated that the depth of emotions that occur in the life of an addict and their family, and the characfers didn't match up to my own experiences.
July 4, 2014
Meh. The first third of this book was good. Great, scathing commentary on the middle class, do it all, American delusion. This part of the book explored how hard it is to be a working mother. I immediately hated the husband character, and kept wondering why the protagonist, Allison, did not do more to encourage his participation in their lives. Allison then descends into addiction, as a way to fill that gaping hole, and to avoid her own feelings.
My problem is with the last two thirds of the book. Especially the ending. I wanted Allison to emerge from rehab as a stronger, more secure human being. Instead, she lives down the street from her husband, and he comes over regularly for booty calls. Really? What a complete waste of my time. What could have been a model for a strong female character ended up with the message that a woman is defined by her relationship to a distant man who clearly didn't truly give a shit about her, or her daughter. What a horrible model to put out into the world. I will never read another book by Jennifer Weiner.
My problem is with the last two thirds of the book. Especially the ending. I wanted Allison to emerge from rehab as a stronger, more secure human being. Instead, she lives down the street from her husband, and he comes over regularly for booty calls. Really? What a complete waste of my time. What could have been a model for a strong female character ended up with the message that a woman is defined by her relationship to a distant man who clearly didn't truly give a shit about her, or her daughter. What a horrible model to put out into the world. I will never read another book by Jennifer Weiner.
April 17, 2015
is a standalone novel from author . This is the first novel I have read by and I loved it! This is such an important story. It is a story about the process of addiction. shows how addiction can affect anyone; it is not limited to the media-portrayed stereotypes. The main character, Allison is a woman who can do it all! She can juggle marriage, motherhood, aging parents, a rapidly successful career, and high-class suburban social expectations- and she does it all flawlessly. But stress is doing a serious number on her and she finds that her legally prescribed painkillers give her that something extra to help her through the more stressful days. But she quickly loses control and the reader sees how the process of dependency occurs. Initially I thought, "Oh, is going to write about the pretty side of addiction." ...but her message to the reader is that addiction is never pretty, no matter who it takes hold of. shows the thought processes of someone facing addiction: the denial, the justifications, the compulsion, the hiding, the shame, and ultimately the self-destruction that prompts one to seek help. Allison's story presented some obvious repetition but that is what addiction is. It's also a destroyer of one's quality of life and relationships and Allison's story portrays this well. But something else it portrays well is hope. Addiction may be a life-long battle but it's not hopeless and I loved that most of all about this book. is a must read for women of any age who have ever assumed addiction looks a certain way. Read it!!
My favorite quote:
“I had started on the marriage and motherhood beat by accident with a post on my personal, read only by friends, blog called ‘Fifty Shades of Men�. I had written it after buying Fifty Shades of Grey to spice up what Dave and I half-jokingly called our grown up time, and had written a meditation on how the sex wasn’t the sexiest part of the book. “Dear publishers, I will tell you why every woman with a ring on her finger and a car seat in her SUV is devouring this book like the candy she won’t let herself eat.� I had written. “It’s not the fantasy of an impossibly handsome guy who can give you an orgasm just by stroking your nipples. It is instead the fantasy of a guy who can give you everything. Hapless, clueless, barely able to remain upright without assistance, Ana Steele is that unlikeliest of creatures, a college student who doesn’t have an email address, a computer, or a clue. Turns out she doesn’t need any of those things. Here is the dominant Christian Grey and he’ll give her that computer plus an iPad, a beamer, a job, and an identity, sexual and otherwise. No more worrying about what to wear. Christian buys her clothes. No more stress about how to be in the bedroom. Christian makes those decisions. For women who do too much—which includes, dear publishers, pretty much all the women who have enough disposable income to buy your books—this is the ultimate fantasy: not a man who will make you come, but a man who will make agency unnecessary, a man who will choose your adventure for you.�
My favorite quote:
“I had started on the marriage and motherhood beat by accident with a post on my personal, read only by friends, blog called ‘Fifty Shades of Men�. I had written it after buying Fifty Shades of Grey to spice up what Dave and I half-jokingly called our grown up time, and had written a meditation on how the sex wasn’t the sexiest part of the book. “Dear publishers, I will tell you why every woman with a ring on her finger and a car seat in her SUV is devouring this book like the candy she won’t let herself eat.� I had written. “It’s not the fantasy of an impossibly handsome guy who can give you an orgasm just by stroking your nipples. It is instead the fantasy of a guy who can give you everything. Hapless, clueless, barely able to remain upright without assistance, Ana Steele is that unlikeliest of creatures, a college student who doesn’t have an email address, a computer, or a clue. Turns out she doesn’t need any of those things. Here is the dominant Christian Grey and he’ll give her that computer plus an iPad, a beamer, a job, and an identity, sexual and otherwise. No more worrying about what to wear. Christian buys her clothes. No more stress about how to be in the bedroom. Christian makes those decisions. For women who do too much—which includes, dear publishers, pretty much all the women who have enough disposable income to buy your books—this is the ultimate fantasy: not a man who will make you come, but a man who will make agency unnecessary, a man who will choose your adventure for you.�
March 19, 2020
I came across this book in a second hand shop. It’s not my usual type of read but I enjoyed it. It reminded me of the tv series Nurse Jackie.
Allison, poster girl for people in glasshouses should not throw stones, could sometimes be a bit superior. She is an addict but doesn’t realise it. She’s doing her best to keep her family afloat whilst popping pills to keep her sanity together. Her dad has Alzheimer’s, her hunk of a husband is emotionally distant, and her daughter is an insufferable brat.
She pretends to the outside world that all is well with her world though. She lives in a mansion and to all intents and purposes she is living the dream. She can’t realy afford this house but she blocks that nasty reality out by pill popping. She’s the author of a successful blog. She looks great. That’s not an addict’s life, she thinks. The pill popping becomes more plentiful though and things start to unravel for her.
An interesting story dealing with a very real subject, albeit being lighthearted at times, which shows that anyone can become an addict.
Allison, poster girl for people in glasshouses should not throw stones, could sometimes be a bit superior. She is an addict but doesn’t realise it. She’s doing her best to keep her family afloat whilst popping pills to keep her sanity together. Her dad has Alzheimer’s, her hunk of a husband is emotionally distant, and her daughter is an insufferable brat.
She pretends to the outside world that all is well with her world though. She lives in a mansion and to all intents and purposes she is living the dream. She can’t realy afford this house but she blocks that nasty reality out by pill popping. She’s the author of a successful blog. She looks great. That’s not an addict’s life, she thinks. The pill popping becomes more plentiful though and things start to unravel for her.
An interesting story dealing with a very real subject, albeit being lighthearted at times, which shows that anyone can become an addict.
May 3, 2019
Opinião completa:
August 25, 2014
Having read ALL of Jennifer Weiner’s books, (she never ceases to amaze me). The Queen of chick-lit, drama, relationships, sex, dating, trends, and marriage—any issue involving a woman—pulling out "all the stops" with her humor, wit, even cynical at times—for "in your face" truths. When she speaks, women listen.
ALL FALL DOWN, is a grown up novel, advancing past the days of dating and guys—now her character, Allison is facing the real truths of life—marriage, motherhood, career and addiction.
How could a woman with it all, need drugs in order to exist, survive, and cope? How does the character, Allison get to this place where she is online ordering illegal drugs, and furthermore can she stop? More importantly, how will she maintain her life without the comfort of her pills?
In a world where so many women feel the need to be perfect; finding it difficult to balance it all, personal and business—there comes stress of maintaining. This book will hit home to women readers� ALL FALL DOWN reminds me of several of my favorite quotes and a book I read recently "Better than Perfect" by Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo.
Allison has a stressful job as blogger for a women’s website, a demanding daughter, and a loving husband, who enjoys having lunch with another woman, pretentious friends, a weak mother with whom she cannot connect with, and a father with Alzheimer’s. Not quite so perfect!
Jennifer takes readers on a journey through one woman’s struggle with addiction, and during this time she connects with other women who find themselves in the same situation, with different circumstances. They may be different; however, they all arrive at this point out of a desperate need.
As she goes through rehabilitation, she realizes her mom is not the person she thought she was—a parallel as the two have more in common than they may know. Both are hiding behind their fears to be perfect, walls which surround them, a pretense, as this is what they know—never show your weaknesses or let anyone know the real you. However while maintaining their secrets, false pretenses, what crutches do they use to hold them up? Something or someone has to fall.
Loved this book, and my only negative was the audiobook, as the narrator had a very annoying voice and when you pre-order a book, you do not get to sample the audio or performer. I was tempted to give a lesser rating due to this; however, the story was so powerful, I had to judge the book without the influence of the narrator. I would recommend reading the book in other formats. Definitely movie worthy!
A must read for all women of any age�buckle up for the ride of your life. On this ride, you may learn something about yourself. One of Weiner's deepest and hard hitting books to date, of empowerment, self-discovery and redemption.
Cannot wait for her next book, The F Word: My Life in Stories, coming April 14, 2015! Weiner definitely knows how to entertain and one of the funniest writers out there today! Fans of Jodi Picoult, Amy Hatvany, Sarah Pekkanen, and Emily Giffin are assured to love ALL FALL DOWN!
ALL FALL DOWN, is a grown up novel, advancing past the days of dating and guys—now her character, Allison is facing the real truths of life—marriage, motherhood, career and addiction.
How could a woman with it all, need drugs in order to exist, survive, and cope? How does the character, Allison get to this place where she is online ordering illegal drugs, and furthermore can she stop? More importantly, how will she maintain her life without the comfort of her pills?
In a world where so many women feel the need to be perfect; finding it difficult to balance it all, personal and business—there comes stress of maintaining. This book will hit home to women readers� ALL FALL DOWN reminds me of several of my favorite quotes and a book I read recently "Better than Perfect" by Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo.
“Perfectionism becomes a badge of honor with you playing the part of the suffering hero� �David D. Burns
The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake. You can’t learn anything from being perfect.� �Adam Osborne
Allison has a stressful job as blogger for a women’s website, a demanding daughter, and a loving husband, who enjoys having lunch with another woman, pretentious friends, a weak mother with whom she cannot connect with, and a father with Alzheimer’s. Not quite so perfect!
Jennifer takes readers on a journey through one woman’s struggle with addiction, and during this time she connects with other women who find themselves in the same situation, with different circumstances. They may be different; however, they all arrive at this point out of a desperate need.
As she goes through rehabilitation, she realizes her mom is not the person she thought she was—a parallel as the two have more in common than they may know. Both are hiding behind their fears to be perfect, walls which surround them, a pretense, as this is what they know—never show your weaknesses or let anyone know the real you. However while maintaining their secrets, false pretenses, what crutches do they use to hold them up? Something or someone has to fall.
Loved this book, and my only negative was the audiobook, as the narrator had a very annoying voice and when you pre-order a book, you do not get to sample the audio or performer. I was tempted to give a lesser rating due to this; however, the story was so powerful, I had to judge the book without the influence of the narrator. I would recommend reading the book in other formats. Definitely movie worthy!
A must read for all women of any age�buckle up for the ride of your life. On this ride, you may learn something about yourself. One of Weiner's deepest and hard hitting books to date, of empowerment, self-discovery and redemption.
Cannot wait for her next book, The F Word: My Life in Stories, coming April 14, 2015! Weiner definitely knows how to entertain and one of the funniest writers out there today! Fans of Jodi Picoult, Amy Hatvany, Sarah Pekkanen, and Emily Giffin are assured to love ALL FALL DOWN!
July 2, 2014
"The day had stretched endlessly before me - weepy daughter, angry husband, piles of laundry, messy bedroom, a blog post to write, and probably dozens of angry commenters lined up to tell me I was a no-talent hack and a fat, stupid whore. I need this, I thought, letting the bitterness dissolve on my tongue."
Allison Weiss is a busy working wife and mother who finds that the painkillers she was prescribed for an injury helps relieve some of the stress that threatens to overwhelm her daily. With a pill, she worries less about the financial burden of the mortgage, has more patience with her beautiful but sensitive daughter's tantrums, is less distressed by her father's cognitive decline, and has the energy she needs to meet her work deadlines. But soon one pill a day isn't enough to take the edge off, nor is three, nor five, nor ten or even twenty...
In All Fall Down, Jennifer Weiner confronts the stereotype of an addict. Allison is reasonably representative of the modern, suburban, middle class woman juggling not only marriage, motherhood and career but also a myriad of other demands, such as the care of aging parents and financial concerns. Despite her increasing reliance on pills (Vicodin, Percocet, Oxycontin) sourced both from legitimate prescriptions, and later supplemented by purchases from clandestine internet based businesses, Allison dismisses the notion of herself as an addict, even as her life begins to fall down around her.
With realism, compassion and a touch of humour, Weiner charts how easily Allison slides into addiction - her retreat into denial, her growing desperation for her next pill and the damage her it begins to inflict on her family and her career. It all seems frighteningly possible, though opiates have never done much for me (I was once prescribed Oxycontin for an injury and they made me so violently ill I strained my vocal cords and damaged my inner ear, leaving me with laryngitis and vertigo for a week), I found I could relate to her desire to soothe the pressure, and the relief the pills must have offered.
While the first half of the book focuses on Allison's downward spiral the second focuses on her struggle to recovery. Eventually forced into rehab, Allison still refuses to accept her status as an addict, she doesn't relate to the women with whom she shares a room or group therapy and so continues to take refuge in denial, until she is finally confronted with the truth and begins to rebuild her life, day by day.
All Fall Down is a well written and thought provoking novel, gently confronting the issue of prescription addiction in an accessible manner sure to resonate with her audience.
August 4, 2014
I'm actually pretty disappointed with Jennifer Weiner's latest offerings. I absolutely adored Good in Bed and immediately read everything else by her I could get my hands on. However, The Next Best Thing left me cold...and then there was All Fall Down.
I'll probably get pretty spoiler-y here, so read at your own risk.
The topic area of AFD is really interesting, and really important, I think. The fact that prescription drug abuse is skyrocketing is no secret, and there should be more awareness that drug abusers often do not fit our stereotype of what these people should look like. I appreciated that Weiner's character was a suburban mother who looked like any one of a million other people.
However, that's one of the few things I appreciated in this book. Starting with some absolutely inconsequential but highly irritating issues--you married a journalist. Great! Good for you! But WHAT the HECK are you thinking, believing that a journalist's salary could support you being a stay-at-home mom, even with a supposedly huge book advance? Really, Weiner, you have your main character's issues all stem from this problem??? So basically the main character is an idiot from the start who has no idea of economic realities. AND THEN her adorable husband decides to buy a FIVE BEDROOM FIVE BATHROOM HOUSE without his wife even KNOWING? In my book, that would be enough in itself for serious therapy, if not being served with divorce papers. You're a dunce if you think that a writing career will fully support you, much less a family, without some kind of safety net.
But wait! I totally forgot that the main character is now supporting her family with her blogging career. Right. And life is now SO HORRIBLE because she has to write blog posts every day. The agony. OH! And she can't work at home because her monster of a daughter (don't even get me started) keeps coming in her room because her babysitter is setting up crafts for them to do. WTF. This woman's problems could be solved by: 1) Not having moved into this house in the first place; 2) Not being a complete idiot and talking to her husband; 3) Firing her babysitter and getting a better one; or 4) GOING TO A CAFE and doing her work when the babysitter is there. But instead, she starts abusing prescription drugs.
Like I said earlier, I appreciate what Weiner is trying to do with the story. The fact is, though, I was so incredibly annoyed with this woman that in the end I really didn't care about her. I was ready to jump in the story, call DFS, and have her husband divorce her.
Furthermore, I know that a drug addict's denial can be massive and bewildering to an outside observer, but this character was so addicted that when she went into withdrawl, she became massively physically ill. I didn't get enough character development to understand how she ignored her daughter finding her covered in vomit and raving, still believing that she didn't have a problem. While the character said, "Oh, I'm so sad that happened, boo hoo I'm a bad mother," she never seemed, to me, to be complex enough to engage in that sort of separated thinking. I don't really think that contradiction was explored enough in the text to make it at all believable. The smallest bit of self-awareness at the end of the story didn't, for me, make up for the complete and disgusting lack of self-awareness that dominated the rest of the story.
In short, I think that this topic has been explored much more successfully in other texts. This one just left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Hopefully Weiner's characters can recapture the charm of her original books instead of being the self-indulgent whiners of these latest ones.
I'll probably get pretty spoiler-y here, so read at your own risk.
The topic area of AFD is really interesting, and really important, I think. The fact that prescription drug abuse is skyrocketing is no secret, and there should be more awareness that drug abusers often do not fit our stereotype of what these people should look like. I appreciated that Weiner's character was a suburban mother who looked like any one of a million other people.
However, that's one of the few things I appreciated in this book. Starting with some absolutely inconsequential but highly irritating issues--you married a journalist. Great! Good for you! But WHAT the HECK are you thinking, believing that a journalist's salary could support you being a stay-at-home mom, even with a supposedly huge book advance? Really, Weiner, you have your main character's issues all stem from this problem??? So basically the main character is an idiot from the start who has no idea of economic realities. AND THEN her adorable husband decides to buy a FIVE BEDROOM FIVE BATHROOM HOUSE without his wife even KNOWING? In my book, that would be enough in itself for serious therapy, if not being served with divorce papers. You're a dunce if you think that a writing career will fully support you, much less a family, without some kind of safety net.
But wait! I totally forgot that the main character is now supporting her family with her blogging career. Right. And life is now SO HORRIBLE because she has to write blog posts every day. The agony. OH! And she can't work at home because her monster of a daughter (don't even get me started) keeps coming in her room because her babysitter is setting up crafts for them to do. WTF. This woman's problems could be solved by: 1) Not having moved into this house in the first place; 2) Not being a complete idiot and talking to her husband; 3) Firing her babysitter and getting a better one; or 4) GOING TO A CAFE and doing her work when the babysitter is there. But instead, she starts abusing prescription drugs.
Like I said earlier, I appreciate what Weiner is trying to do with the story. The fact is, though, I was so incredibly annoyed with this woman that in the end I really didn't care about her. I was ready to jump in the story, call DFS, and have her husband divorce her.
Furthermore, I know that a drug addict's denial can be massive and bewildering to an outside observer, but this character was so addicted that when she went into withdrawl, she became massively physically ill. I didn't get enough character development to understand how she ignored her daughter finding her covered in vomit and raving, still believing that she didn't have a problem. While the character said, "Oh, I'm so sad that happened, boo hoo I'm a bad mother," she never seemed, to me, to be complex enough to engage in that sort of separated thinking. I don't really think that contradiction was explored enough in the text to make it at all believable. The smallest bit of self-awareness at the end of the story didn't, for me, make up for the complete and disgusting lack of self-awareness that dominated the rest of the story.
In short, I think that this topic has been explored much more successfully in other texts. This one just left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Hopefully Weiner's characters can recapture the charm of her original books instead of being the self-indulgent whiners of these latest ones.
July 27, 2016
Chapter 8; Ok, I'm done.
I wanted to love reading my first Jennifer Weiner book. I've heard that they were "clever", "smart", with "well developed characters in a well paced story". I keep waiting for THAT author, and I feel to no avail, now. The main character is the same person we've seen before in other novels: smug, white, jewish (ish - all the culture with none of the religion) upper class, condescending, smart, snobby and self-absorbed. She doesn't really have a good relationship with her family, or her husband - though it is easy to understand because they are poorly developed. There doesn't seem to be friends for the main character.
There is little to like about the main character Allison, so that when she becomes addicted to pills, it's hard to care though you may find yourself eager for her to be caught and get a come-uppance. The other characters are simplistically developed and there is too much drawn from the Sandra Bullock movie 28 Days, the emotional pull is clearly due to the boring writing. The daughter's constant, whiny, spoiled yelling was incredibly grating to my ears. This could be the fault of the narrator's voice, but the writing for the child stunk. I wanted to smack her, seriously.
The alzheimer's father part of the book feels 'stuck on' and there is less to be curious about because you've probably read things like this before. It's barely visited, occasionally, here and there.
That said, I don't know if Weiner can write a main character who isn't snarky about others, unhappy that she is/was overweight, and/or has a free floating anger about not being recognized as someone who is as talented as she is. It's just gotten old. and uninteresting.
The drug addiction was never addressed by the chapter I had bailed in, and no one seemed to notice, much less care. The husband lived in the guest room of the couple's house, and nothing was done about this, or his constant usage of a co-worker as a "work wife", with constant emails and phone calls is just wrong, and the wife didn't do ANYthing about this....which is weird. And the author's rendition of how "lovely", "dreamy", and "numbing" seemed more like an advertisement for joining this pill-popping addiction, instead of showing how it ruins someone's life.
I wanted to love reading my first Jennifer Weiner book. I've heard that they were "clever", "smart", with "well developed characters in a well paced story". I keep waiting for THAT author, and I feel to no avail, now. The main character is the same person we've seen before in other novels: smug, white, jewish (ish - all the culture with none of the religion) upper class, condescending, smart, snobby and self-absorbed. She doesn't really have a good relationship with her family, or her husband - though it is easy to understand because they are poorly developed. There doesn't seem to be friends for the main character.
There is little to like about the main character Allison, so that when she becomes addicted to pills, it's hard to care though you may find yourself eager for her to be caught and get a come-uppance. The other characters are simplistically developed and there is too much drawn from the Sandra Bullock movie 28 Days, the emotional pull is clearly due to the boring writing. The daughter's constant, whiny, spoiled yelling was incredibly grating to my ears. This could be the fault of the narrator's voice, but the writing for the child stunk. I wanted to smack her, seriously.
The alzheimer's father part of the book feels 'stuck on' and there is less to be curious about because you've probably read things like this before. It's barely visited, occasionally, here and there.
That said, I don't know if Weiner can write a main character who isn't snarky about others, unhappy that she is/was overweight, and/or has a free floating anger about not being recognized as someone who is as talented as she is. It's just gotten old. and uninteresting.
The drug addiction was never addressed by the chapter I had bailed in, and no one seemed to notice, much less care. The husband lived in the guest room of the couple's house, and nothing was done about this, or his constant usage of a co-worker as a "work wife", with constant emails and phone calls is just wrong, and the wife didn't do ANYthing about this....which is weird. And the author's rendition of how "lovely", "dreamy", and "numbing" seemed more like an advertisement for joining this pill-popping addiction, instead of showing how it ruins someone's life.
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