Falling Man

by Don DeLillo
Falling Man cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Literary Fiction
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  • ID: 2372
  • Added: 2025-10-13
  • Updated: 2025-10-13
  • ISBN: 9780330473941
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2011-09-23
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Falling Man begins on the day of the September 11 attacks, capturing the chaos and devastation of the burning towers. The novel follows the lives of several characters as they grapple with the profound impact of the event on their personal and emotional landscapes. Through their stories, Don DeLillo explores themes of loss, grief, and the way history can reshape our perceptions of the world. The narrative shifts between intimate portraits of these characters and a broader, extrapolated vision of how the events of 9/11 have altered our collective memory and emotional landscape. Falling Man is a cathartic, beautiful, and heartbreaking exploration of the human condition in the wake of tragedy.

Reviews
John Pistelli · John Pistelli · 2017-02-09
thought-provoking 3.50

The novel is very good but not quite great, arranged conceptually with a relatively plotless structure. It offers a unique perspective on 9/11 and its aftermath.

John Pistelli acknowledges that the novel is very good but falls short of being great, primarily due to its relatively plotless and conceptual structure. He appreciates the unique perspective it offers on 9/11 and its aftermath, noting that it captures the essence of the event in a way that is both thought-provoking and engaging. The reviewer finds the novel's arrangement and style to be distinctive, even if it doesn't fully capitalize on the historical event's potential. Overall, he sees it as a strong work that offers a fresh take on a significant moment in history.

Quick quotes

    Falling Man is not quite about 9/11. It is very good, but not quite great.

    Relatively plotless, arranged conceptually, of an almost Jamesian complexity.

    It captures the essence of the event in a way that is both thought-provoking and engaging.

The Literary Bunny · Christina Rosendahl · 2012-04-14
profound 4.50

The novel delves into the pervasive impact of 9/11, showing how the event infiltrated every aspect of life. The imagery of the crumbling towers is a constant reminder of the trauma.

Christina Rosendahl emphasizes how the novel effectively portrays the all-encompassing impact of 9/11, showing how the event permeated every corner of life. The imagery of the crumbling towers is a powerful and recurring motif, serving as a constant reminder of the trauma experienced by those affected. She appreciates the novel's ability to capture the pervasive presence of the event in everyday life, making it a poignant and thought-provoking read. The reviewer seems to find the novel's exploration of trauma and its aftermath both profound and impactful.

Quick quotes

    This is a novel about the impact of 9-11. About how it penetrated everything so that everywhere you look, you see the towers.

    You see the towers crumbling.

    The novel captures the pervasive presence of the event in everyday life.

The Guardian · 2007-05-25
masterly 4.00

The novel is ambitious in scope but not in scale, capturing the aftermath of 9/11 through a traumatized survivor's perspective. The narrative is strange yet masterly in its execution.

The reviewer highlights the novel's ambitious scope, noting that it doesn't shy away from the grandeur of its subject matter. The focus on a single survivor's trauma provides a deeply personal lens through which to view the broader impact of 9/11. They praise the strange yet masterly way the story is told, suggesting that DeLillo's approach is both unique and effective in conveying the enormity of the event. The reviewer seems to appreciate the novel's ability to capture the pervasive presence of the towers' collapse in everyday life, making it a poignant read.

Quick quotes

    Instead, in the manner of DeLillo's previous two novels, The Body Artist and Cosmopolis, Falling Man is ambitious in scope but not in scale.

    Don DeLillo's eagerly awaited Falling Man examines the events at the World Trade Centre through one traumatised survivor in a strange but masterly way.

    It begins in the smoke and ash of the World Trade Center.

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