The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
8.4
Winner of the 2008 Barbara Kingsolver Bellwether Prize for Literature of Social Change, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is the debut novel from Heidi W. Durrow. The story focuses on a young girl of mixed race who tragically loses her entire family at a young age and must confront her grief while facing the complexities of her own identity.
Fiction / Algonquin Books / January 11, 2010
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Critic's Reviews
Reviewer: Amy Hanridge
"When one considers that Durrow has achieved with her first novel something reminiscent of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, or even her masterpiece Beloved, then The Girl Who Fell from the Sky soars to the height of a novel not to be missed."
Reviewer: Heller McAlpin
"Through it all, what makes Durrow’s novel soar is her masterful sense of voice, her assured, nuanced handling of complex racial issues – and her heart."
Reviewer: Lisa Page
"She has crafted a modern story about identity and survival, although some of the elements come together a little too neatly. Still, this is a fresh approach to an old idea. "The Girl Who Fell From the Sky" is not just a tale of racial ambiguity but a human tragedy."
Reviewer: Louisa Thomas
"...in the moments when Durrow’s novel seems to tackle its big themes most self-consciously — when it appears written for the Age of Obama — it can be predictable, even dull. It’s when it approaches the questions of identity and community more subtly and indirectly that “The Girl Who Fell From the Sky” can actually fly."
Reviewer: Charles McNair
"Durrow herself is biracial, and she writes capably on this subject. Still, she doesn’t always succeed in making you feel for her characters or believe her plot....Other readers may be more powerfully moved, feeling to the bone the slights, grievances and complications that escape me."