Catch a Falling Star

by Eileen Merriman

A fifteen-year-old reaches for stardom as he slides into psychosis.


Francesca – known to everyone as Frankie – has scored the part of Princess Fiona in the forthcoming musical production. Even though Jamie Orange has missed out on the part of Shrek, he’s

The day I found out I was a donkey was one of the best days of my life.

He may not be Frankie’s leading man on stage, but he can still try to win her heart. However, all is not well with Jamie. He can’t sleep, he can’t stop his

My brain was still wired, racing around in circles or spirals or – gah, it was driving me crazy. If only there was a magic switch so I could turn it off.

Bouncing between exultant highs and terrible lows, what will happen when this rising star starts to fall?


The compelling prequel to the bestselling Catch Me When You Fall :
‘My best pick for 2018 for young adults, the standout for me was Catch Me When You Fall . . . it's kind of heart-wrenching and really real and quirky and a great teen read.’ – James Russell, Radio NZ

Genres: Mental Illness, Friendship

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2023

About the author

Eileen Merriman works full-time as a consultant haematologist at North Shore Hospital. Her writing has appeared in a number of national and international journals and anthologies, including Smokelong Quarterly, The Island Review, Literary Orphans, the Bath Short Story Award Anthology 2015, the Sunday Star-Times, F(r)iction, takahe, Headland and Flash Frontier. Her first novel was Pieces of You, with reviewers calling it 'compulsively readable' and 'compelling, challenging, and heartbreaking'. It was a 2018 Storylines Notable Book and, along with her second novel, it was shortlisted for the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Her other awards include runner-up in the 2018 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Award, third for three consecutive years in the 2014-2016 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Awards, second in the 2015 Bath Flash Fiction Award, commended in the 2015 Bath Short Story Competition, and first place in the 2015 Graeme Lay Short Story Competition.

Reviews

[whatbooknext · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie is busy!

He is stoked that he has got the part as Donkey in the Shrek Musical at School, but deep down he would have preferred to be playing Shrek. That would mean he would be closer to Frankie (Francesca) who he has had a crush on for a while now.

At home, Jamie is working on a musical about a time vampire called Billy Raven. His mind is always spinning with ideas and he finds it hard to wind down to sleep. He often gets up again and then wakes his mum when he bursts into song on the piano in the early hours of the morning.

His outbursts in class get him in trouble there too, and having detention at lunchtime mucks up his schedule and singing lessons. On top of this he's accepted a challenge by his English teacher to write a story of Orwell's 1984 meshed with a zombie apocalypse, and he's enjoying it so far.

He gets to spend more time with Frankie at the Shrek rehearsals and they begin to hit it off. The only problem being that Frankie's boyfriend is a lot bigger than Jamie and also a friend. Things are not only going to get busier for Jamie but a whole lot messier too.

But he takes it all in his stride - at least that's what he thinks he's doing. But he's sleeping less, doing more, drinking more coffee and Coke, making crazy decisions, and wondering if his Uncle Anders really did visit him when he and his friends conducted a Séance for fun.

Jamie's mind is going faster, and he's loving the creativity and spin from everything, until it becomes... just... too... much...


From the very first pages, I was caught up in the manic pace of Jamie's life and mind as he tells his story in first person. He's very likeable, funny, clever, sweet, and chaotic. He's incredibly creative, but also his own worst enemy and I could almost feel his racing heart with all the Coke and coffee he consumes. 

Revelation of mental health problems in his family concern Jamie, but he doesn't ask his mum about it, who is already at her wits end with his erratic behaviour. But his spiral downwards is so gradual, his friends and family almost don't catch him in time. He is the most surprised by his fall out of anyone, after denying there was anything wrong over the past few months. This is almost painful to read as I watched his self destruction.

Exams, the musical, his new relationship with Frankie. It was all supposed to be a bit crazy, wasn't it? His denial made everything even more real on the page.

Catch a Falling Star is the Prequel to Catch me When You Fall, which I will be seeking out soon. It is the only Eileen Merriman YA novel I haven't read and I'm really looking forward to following Jamie's story.

Merriman's skill in drawing me in never wanes. Her writing is so skillful, precise, and authentic, with engaging characters and narratives - every novel is a pure treat.

(This novel has been approved by two specialists of mental health in young people)

Age - 15+

[Jordan Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catch a Falling Star is a good book. The character development is solid, and Eileen Merriman does a lot in 230 pages.

Jamie Orange is a fun, unique character. His high energy and constant thinking is highly believable. As usual, Merriman employs her medical knowledge and uses it to create an interesting and accurate character.

I felt Merriman left Frankie's development a little late. By the end of the book, it is clear that Frankie can be self-absorbed and unkind at times. This, however, was not prevalent in the first 85% of the narrative. It would have been interesting to see how Jamie would have reconciled his feelings for Frankie, and her questionable decision making.

While not Merriman's best work, Catch a Falling Star is a good prequel to a very good book. As it has been over six years since I read Catch Me When You Fall, this reintroduction to the likable character of Jamie was welcomed.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I like how it touched on mental health but also bipolar disorder and how it doesn’t show a stereotypical way of how “all” bipolar people act and that it is easy to recognise in yourself and other people. I did wish the author had added a bit more at the end with Jamie interacting with Frankie just to signify the indefinite end of their relationship and most likely friendship. I would also liked to have had a bit more of the affects of what Sean did to Jamie instead of him just blocking it out. It had quite a few jokes and loved how they were doing Shrek the musical even if Jamie didn’t get to be in it. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Catch Me When You Fall, so I was keen to read this prequel which focuses on Jaime before he meets Alex (however this novel stands alone too, so it's not necessary to have read the earlier book). Jaime is busy - he plays piano, loves Phantom of the Opera, has been cast as Donkey in the school's production of Shrek, and has school work and friends to hang out with. But as he spirals into psychosis, he stops sleeping and manic behaviour takes over. As a reader, you just know things are going to reach crisis point before long, as Jaime's decisions become poorer and his behaviour more frantic and erratic. He's a great character and easy to empathise with. I probably didn't love this novel as much as Catch Me When You Fall, but would still highly recommend it.

[Tracey Greenwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to ‘Catch me when you fall’ but could be read as a stand alone. 15-yr old Jamie is loving life. Cast as Donkey in the Shrek Musical, writing his own musical, trying to keep up with his school workload, a possible girlfriend (if he plays his cards right), good friends and accepting his English teacher’s challenge to write a story, he is busy. Jamie is a funny, clever, likeable but chaotic character. Merriman draws you in with fast paced, sometimes manic writing to align with Jamie’s emotions and behaviour.

[Josie Laird · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a few years since I read Catch Me When You Fall, but I remember enjoying it. This is the prequel. It can certainly work as a stand-alone story, but sometimes I thought things happened because of the other book, rather than adding to this one.
The author sure knows how to capture the emotions and behaviors of teens. Lying, withholding information, the parent at wit's end but no empathy from their teen.

[Amanda Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA. Not suitable to teach at y9 which is why I read it (teacher hat on, in perpetual hope of something that is engaging yet trigger free) but it was a gripping story that sucked you in to Jamie’s increasingly frenetic headspace. Devoured in 2 sessions. Great also to read an NZ novel where the Kiwi setting is just there, not cringe.

[BookyGuy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is STELLAR and very beautiful, the voice just flows and carries you through the narrative. Very accurate mental health rep and that makes this an important book. I felt some trouble connecting with Jamie though and felt the plot could be stronger and more engaging.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this author. She writes in an authentic voice that our teens can relate to. Great read for our school library

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and fascinating insight into teen mental health.

[Discoverylover · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style at the beginning made me a bit anxious because it was so fast paced, but I thought it mirrored Jamie's state of mind so well that once I got used it it worked really well!