The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison
A Review By: SY
Combining history and fantasy, a sweeping multi-generational epic in the vein of Kindred and The Time Traveler's Wife about a woman who travels through time to end a family curse that has plagued her ancestors for generations.
On a rainy day in May 1964, history professor Cecily Bridge-Davis begins to search for the sixty-five acres of land she inherited from her father’s family. The quest leads her to uncover a dark secret: In every generation, one offspring from each Bridge family unit vanishes—and is mysteriously whisked back in time. Rules have been established that must be followed to prevent dire consequences:
Never interfere with past events.
Always carry your free Negro papers.
Search for the survival family packs in the orchard and surrounding forest. The ribbon on the pack designates the decade the pack was made to orient you in time.
Do not speak to strangers unless absolutely necessary.
With only a family Bible and a map marked with the locations of mysterious containers to aid her, Cecily heads to the library, hoping to discover the truth of how this curse began, and how it might be ended. As she moves through time, she encounters a circle of ancestors, including Sabrina Humbles, a free Black woman who must find the courage to seize an opportunity—or lose her heart; Luke Bridge, who traverses battlefields, slavery, and time itself to reunite with his family; Rebecca Bridge, a mother tested by an ominous threat; and Amelia Bridge, a young woman burdened with survivor's guilt who will face the challenge of a lifetime—and change Cecily's life forever. It is a race through time and against the clock to find the answers that will free her family forever.
Shawntelle Madison’s historical fiction debut is an enthralling, page-turning family saga about the inevitability of fate, the invincibility of love, and the indelible bonds of family.
Review Notes:
Audio Book Publication Year: 2024
An installment in a Series? No
Narrator (s): Robin Miles, Adenrele Ojo
This was a first read from this author and it was an intriguing premise - family members falling through time between the American mid-18th century and 1960s and following "rules" for preserving history's events. Madison's writing in "Fallen" is strong; it felt as though adequate time was given to build each of the main characters, and the pacing of the story was appropriate. Historical markers remind listeners of the fascinating differences that occur in food, clothing, transportation, housing, and speech over the course of 2 centuries. The plot is intricate, so it is not a casual listen - all the details matter and have to be committed to memory to make sense of the storyline. There seemed to be a few loose threads that didn't receive resolution in the story, but it is possible that the author has intention to continue the story in some way.
Although there were times when the characters' prominent southern accents didn't come through as consistently as expected, Miles and Ojo deliver great performances. Each easily covered the multitude of characters included in their portions of the manuscript. The audio is immensely enjoyable, but the multi-layered and complicated plot easily call for a physical copy so that the reader can annotate and review alongside the accompanying family tree.
Reading Recommendation? Yes!
Rating: 4 (It’s lit!)
Content Warnings? None
