The Fallen Fruit

by Shawntelle Madison

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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel, Fiction, Historical, Science Fiction, Adult

437 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2024

About the author

Shawntelle Madison is a web developer who loves to weave words as well as code. She’d never admit it, but if asked she’d say she covets and collects source code. After losing her first summer job detassling corn, Shawntelle performed various jobs—from fast-food clerk to grunt programmer to university webmaster. Writing eccentric characters is her most favorite job of them all. On any particular day when she’s not surgically attached to her computer, she can be found watching cheesy horror movies or the latest action-packed anime. She lives in Missouri with her husband and children.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It's 1964, and Cecily Bridge-Davis is an African-American college teacher who lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband Winston and young boys Jason and Lloyd.



When Cecily learns she's inherited sixty acres of Bridge family land near Charlottesville, Virginia, Cecily takes a trip to Virginia, with plans to sell the property. Upon arrival at the Bridge land, Cecily finds a compound with a number of homes, an old apple orchard, various outbuildings, animal pastures, and so on.

The original Bridge family house is a dilapidated structure containing decrepit furniture, a few family possessions.....



.....and a carefully preserved Bible whose flyleaf contains a family history from the 1760s to the 1920s. The Bible also holds a map of the Bridge property, with X's marked here and there.



Inspired by the family Bible, Cecily decides to research her ancestry using the local library; newspaper archives; and family papers. Cecily also examines the closest spot marked by an X, and there - buried near the bottom of a tree - Cecily finds a tote with necessities for survival: a flint and steel firemaking kit; a compass; mittens; a folding knife; desiccated hardtack (survival food); and a piece of paper listing the Bridge family rules.



The Bridge Family Rules read as follows:

* Never interfere with past events.
* Always carry your freedom papers. (Freedom papers were proof a Black person was free, and not a runaway slave.)
* Search for the survival packs in the orchard.
* Do not speak to strangers unless absolutely necessary.

To cut to the chase, Cecily discovers that the Bridge family has a unique 'curse.' In every family fathered by a Bridge man, one offspring falls back in time at some point, always by the age of twenty-seven. Thus 'survival packs' like the one described above have been stowed around the Bridge property for many decades, to help a time traveler survive the initial 'fall' - which always happens suddenly.

Thus a Bridge person could be sleeping in bed and all at once find herself/himself thrust into the past, laying on a cabin floor. A fallen person remains in the same spot, but at a different time in history.

As Cecily uncovers her family secrets she realizes she'll fall back in time, and since she's twenty-six, it will happen very soon. This means Cecily's husband and children will be left behind, without her.



From here the book goes back and forth between the present and the past, where we meet many Bridge family members. From this point on the reader should pay VERY CAREFUL ATTENTION, because the story gets complicated, with people falling into each other's timelines. My brief summary will be chronological, though this isn't how events are presented in the book. I'm also going to be very circumspect, to avoid spoilers.

*****

⌛ 1758

In 1758, free Blacks live in Pocahontas Island, Virginia, the oldest free Black residential community in the United States.



A modern woman called Emily Bridge, who's studying to be a doctor, falls back to Pocahontas Island in 1758.



Emily has a rough go at first, but in time she's apprenticed to an elderly Black midwife, who functions as a 'doctor' in the Pocahontas Island community.



Emily's circumstances in 1758 are much different than her former life. "Six months ago, Emily had left Miner Hall [Dormitory] every morning to hurry across campus to her Embryology and Physiology lectures. Now she rose from a pallet on the dirt floor in front of a fireplace, her back stiff from sleeping on an unforgiving surface."

Emily eventually becomes a respected member of the Pocahontas Island community, and due to circumstances, she's a linchpin in the Bridge family saga.

*****

⌛ 1780

In 1780, a prospective bridegroom vanishes.

Sabrina Humbles (17) and her sister Addison (16) were 'adopted' into the Bridge family when they were little girls, and they became best friends with young Luke Bridge.





Now that the trio is approaching maturity, romance rears its head and a wedding is planned.



The bride's dress is being made, the wedding ceremony is being planned, and the nuptials are to take place in a few days. Then, as Sabrina and Addison are chatting with Luke, he suddenly vanishes.

Luke's family is distraught, and his fiancée is crushed. No one has any idea what happened to Luke, and everyone looks high and low for him. Meanwhile, we follow Luke into the past, where he becomes a slave; is freed; fights in the Revolutionary War; meets some of his uncles in the army (who don't recognize him); and has other odd time travel experiences.

After 22 years, Luke gets back to his family. The thing is, Luke is 22 years older, but for the family, it's been only a few days since Luke disappeared. (You can imagine the skeptical response of the family.)

*****

⌛ 1817

In 1817, several Bridges vanish in close succession.

Rebecca Raley-Bridge and Herbert Bridge have three children and are expecting a fourth. Rebecca is the teacher for children living on the Bridge compound, and her pupils include her son Jimmy, her daughter Annie, and various cousins, including two boys called Pete and Nelson.



Rebecca is giving a math lesson one day when Pete suddenly vanishes. Soon afterwards Nelson disappears, and then two more Bridges vanish. The extended Bridge family is aghast, grief-stricken, angry, suspicious, etc, and many family members blame Rebecca.....and even search her property.

One Bridge grandfather knows what's happening, but he keeps mum.



However, Rebecca senses Grandpa knows something and she confronts him. Grandpa admits he fell and so did his mother, and he recalls, "Mama told me we must never forget the stories. Folks won't believe us, but we must never forget those who fell from time and those left behind to remember. She also said the Bridges will come to learn one child in EACH FAMILY will be lost if they are born from a Bridge man. After the child falls, their brothers and sisters'll be safe."

*****

⌛ 1919

In 1919, two Bridge family members are prepared for the curse.

Amelia Bridge (16) and her brother Isaiah (23) know one of them will fall and they ALWAYS carry a pack with supplies and their freedom papers.





Each sibling knows they'll be safe if the other vanishes first, and they tussle over who should disappear.....though it's not in their control.

The siblings don't know it yet, but both of them will fall back in time, for reasons to be revealed.

*****

⌛ 1924

In 1924, Cecily Bridge-Davis (who lived in 1964 at the beginning of the book) has fallen back to this time period. In a roundabout way, Cecily may be able to tweak Bridge family history and prevent a massacre. The terrible incident occurs in 1938, when a time traveler called Owen Bridge kills twelve Bridge family members and kidnaps a child. A slight change in history (though HIGHLY frowned upon) might derail this tragedy.

****

As the main protagonists go through their lives, we learn something about the ambiance of different time periods. For instance in 1964, Cecily Bridge-Davis's pastor talks about the Supreme Court ruling that bans separate but equal public schools; the pastor also encourages his congregants to protest the Jim Crow laws. Later, Cecily celebrates the 1964 signing of the Civil Rights Act.



All this changes drastically when Cecily is thrust back to 1924, when Black rights weren't even on the radar.

In the century before, in the 1800s, prosperous Blacks looked down on Black slaves and on dark-skinned Blacks who worked in their homes. In fact, well-off Blacks would look the other way when passing slaves in the street, not even offering a nod - perhaps because it pained them to see people treated as chattel.



Like many families, the Bridge clan clashed at times, but helped each other when there was a need, bringing food, chopping wood, fetching water, watching each other's children, etc. And Bridge individuals 'in the know' were helpful when they encountered a bewildered time traveler who suddenly arrived in their midst.



I found the novel a little confusing because of the abundance of characters, and the jumping around in time. However, the protagonists are so well crafted and the story is so engaging, I enjoyed the book anyway and would recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley, Shawntelle Madison, and Amistad for a copy of the novel.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely excellent.
It carries shades of Kindred by Octavia Butler and slight resemblance to The Time Travelers Wife, yet the story is structured artfully, which kind of reminds me of Cloud Atlas.
I loved this. The story is incredibly engaging.
I'll definitely read this again.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A time twister is this book! The unearthly blessing(curse?) spread through the dna of one particular Bridges family is the subject of this writing, a roadtrip through history with the sci-fi overtones that ask ?how is it done?. Take notes, my friends. They'll help you stay grounded.

This read is for anyone who is ancestry-bound, history-intrigued and time-travel-fascinated. Such a reader will appreciate the work of wonder Shawntell Madison has placed on our bookshelves. The Fallen Fruit is a great read, and one that will bear re-reading as well.

*A sincere thank you to Shawntelle Madison, Amistad, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fallen Fruit is a really well executed historical fiction chronicling generations of members of an extended family anchored in a piece of land in Charlottesville purchased by one woman who earned her emancipation to establish a Free State family farm — true story. The story goes back and forth in time, as do the characters, through an unfortunate wrinkle in time of sorts causing one-way, involuntary time travel — not true! It’s a fascinating concept with believable, interesting, likable interwoven characters, and a plot line that kept me turning pages to find out what happens.

I keep thinking this is what I expected Sing Unburied, Sing to be like, except that that book had no likeable characters, was bleak to no end and the magical realism didn’t make any sense.

In The Fallen Fruit, on the other hand, the magical aspects are the canvas for the story upon which characters act believably as they move through time. In different sections of the book, stories unfold for different family members of different generations who are linked together by lineage. The way the scenery and changes in laws, culture, treatment of Black Americans, rights and access to voting/education/civil rights for women and people of color provided a fascinating, well researched backdrop reminded me some of Homegoing in how well done it was.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaily Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

The Fallen Fruit is broken up into 5 parts, each following a different Bridge relative (or in the case of Part 2, two Bridge Relatives. The story is mostly told in 3rd person POV.

The Bridge Family have a curse. The first Bridge ancestor fell 22 years in the past in 1780. Since then, one child born of a Bridge man from each generation is cursed to fall back through time. It isn’t known when they’ll fall and how far back they’ll fall. Cecily Bridge-Davis was raised by her aunt and was unaware of this curse, but when she goes back to settle the estate left to her as a Bridge, she slowly discovers the curse and her soon to be fate.

This story was so interesting and I loved meeting all the characters. Emily’s part was my favorite, but my heart absolutely broke for Luke as well as for Rebecca. It was hard for me to imagine what these characters went through, knowing that at any moment they could fall through time. The author did a beautiful time describing historical events, especially as it pertained to Black History, as the story unfolded, covering the late 1700s, early 1800s, 1910s-1920s and the 1960s. If you love history, you’ll enjoy this story.

It was challenging to read as a digital book and I’d much prefer this book in hard copy as there were times I wanted to flip back to the family tree or to some of the ancestors, which is somewhat more difficult on digital format. This was a slower read for me too, I believe due to trying to keep dates and numerous characters straight in my head as I read. However, it was still a wonderful read.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo! I thoroughly enjoyed The Fallen Fruit. It is a beautifully written, atmospheric, and richly allusive piece of historical fiction, and it involves time travel. But it’s more than all of that. It is the story of free people of color in Virginia in the 18th century, and this is part of the author’s ancestry as well as a part of history I was unfamiliar with until I read this novel. Of course, the reality of slavery, which is far from over during this time in American history, stalks and shadows the characters throughout the narrative. In fact, the first thought of family members when a loved one “falls through” time and disappears is that they might have been kidnapped by slavers.* And this is why they must always keep their freedom papers on them, just in case. As these characters move through history, issues of civil rights, freedom, and free will are revisited. In this wonderful novel, the characters are complex and ring true, and I was successfully transported by Madison’s lush descriptions of setting. I was fortunate enough to meet Shawntelle Madison at a public library breakfast for local authors in St. Louis, MO and acquire a signed copy of her book. I will always treasure it. I know I am in for a treat when I get a complex family tree at the beginning of a book. I enthusiastically recommend this one!

* This resonated with some Latin American works of magic realism that address the issue of those “disappeared” by dictators in their countries that no one elected.

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an imaginative debut tale inspired by the author’s family that blends time travel with historical fiction to offer a layered intergenerational saga steeped in “curses” and secrets. Set in 1964, a history professor, Cecily Bridge-Davis, inherits land and discovers within the family a pattern of strange disappearances that stretches back for generations. This branch of the family is estranged to her and shortly after arriving, she discovers a Bible, Family Rules, and a map. Her curiosity gets the best of her and leans into her academic training to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I found the premise of the novel promising - after all, Octavia Butler’s classic, Kindred, explores similar themes (time travel involving family members, the temptation to manipulate the past to change the future, etc). However, this novel has a few challenges: pacing is uneven, plot flaws (curse origin is not really clear – unless I missed it - which is possible), and a lot of characters to track (the family tree at the front of the novel helps tremendously). Those challenges may be bothersome to more critical readers or can be ignored by those who are just along for the adventure. I admired the experiences of those that traveled back in time – these were colorful characters with original backstories; they kept me engaged to learn their fate and the consequences to the family.

An ambitious debut that explores the black experience within differing American eras.

Thanks to the publisher, Amistad, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

[Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book description caught my attention as I'm a sucker for time travel themes. The idea of a family curse in which one child will at some point disappear into another time (past or future) made me giddy with anticipation. I was fully drawn into this story for the first third or so. However, the pacing stalled for me at that point. It became quite confusing as there were many characters and different timelines introduced mid-plot, and I wasn't clear on how they all related to each other. The time travel element seemed to get lost in the mundane living descriptions and pointless dialogue.

I kept pushing myself along, skimming through chunks of prose, hoping for the plot to kick back in, but in the end, I just couldn't finish the story. I lost my connection to the characters (confused as to who some of them even were) and felt disengaged from the plot (didn't really care what happened). Perhaps the ending picked up? But it just couldn't hold my attention to find out.
DNF at 65%

[NrsKelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept waking up to read just one more chapter.
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.

A wonderfully beautiful historical saga that shows how terrifying time travel could be for one African American family. So many questions I had never even pondered. How could you prove you were free if you were suddenly swept back to times where slavery was rampant? How would you handle having nothing and no way to provide for yourself? How would you deal with losing all the freedoms you had fought so hard for along with your whole family all at once?

This book opened my eyes in a good way to another side of time travel fiction and kept the twists coming. The characters drew me in and made me care about their fates. I am already contemplating reading this again just in case I missed another subtle detail. Just an amazing read.

Special thanks to net galley, Amistad publishing, and Shawntelle Madison for this digital ARC.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book was phenomenal.

This novel is a multigenerational tale about the Bridge family and the curse that sends many members of the family back in time.
The writing is top-tier, and I felt truly immersed in the different timelines. I loved these characters and felt connected to them while reading. I love the concept of time travel in novels and I felt this novel did a great job weaving all of those timelines together.
I will say, that I took a star off because it was hard to follow some dates/characters at some points. However, it's partially because I was reading on a Kindle. Reading on Kindle does make it harder to reference things. If you pick this up, maybe pick up a physical copy so it's easier! Overall I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Amistad, HarperCollins, and Shawntelle Madison for giving me an ARC of this wonderful novel!

[Ashley Elliott Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. When I read that this was touted to be similar to Kindred in the time travel aspect, I knew I had to read it. While the time travel and the connection between the Bridges was more complex than in Kindred, I really enjoyed how it all wove together. I cannot imagine disappearing and falling back in time, possibly into danger. As a child even! Thank goodness some of the characters had studied their family history and knew the land so well in their current time so they could figure things out once they fell.

What a beautifully written story. I highly recommend this!

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC! I'm a huuuuge sucker for time travel, which was what initially drew me to this book: Madison does a wonderful job drawing the reader into the various time periods her characters experience, as well as fleshing out the relationships those characters have in their home time periods as well as the relationships they forge in order to make their way into new lives in the past. The various POV characters each have their own voice that keep the narrative interesting, and their perspectives enable readers to see the way some other members of the Bridge family find their way into the past and onto the family land. Once the book really got going in Amelia's section it was hard to put down. Kudos to Shawntelle Madison!

[Shai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I'm a sucker for mysteries and suspense and Shawntelle Madison sets this up from the beginning. I read it online via a NetGalley ARC and could not be happier to have received this book. The book begins in 1964 with Cecily Bridge-Davis inheriting an unoccupied house. "My family has poisoned roots"...she begins. The fact that she has been warned to stay away but is driven to learn more about her family, makes us, the readers, want to know more about her family as well.

We later learn that there are people who disappear from the family and that the family is cursed. One member through the male line is doomed to travel back in time. Cecily is on the hunt to find out how to break the curse. I find that the plot moves at a good pace and that the time jumps in the book help keep things moving to the inevitable conclusion.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a ramble because I just finished, but-- I loved SO MUCH about this book, and it would have been a 5 star read for me if it weren't for all the loose ends and the ending itself. After such a long, beautifully drawn out story, the ending felt very rushed. As for the loose ends... I know that it's incredibly difficult for many Black Americans to trace their genealogy past a few generations, and I do wonder if that was the author's reasoning behind leaving so many stories unfinished? There were just so many characters we were introduced to who fell and that didn't get an end to their stories, and I suppose I just wish that they were able to get the endings that they deserved... fallen, but not lost. Still a very beautiful book and great time travel story nonetheless.

[Maryam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I am a huge fan of The Time Traveler's wife and the concept of time travel is my favorite so I was excited to start reading this; however, this story did not measure up to my expectations. The pacing was very slow and there was excessive exposition.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC.

[Shelby (catching up on 2025 reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

COMING SOON

Thank you #partners @amistadbooks & @kayepublicity for my #gifted copy.

The Fallen Fruit
Shawntelle Madison
Available Sept 3rd

Blending history and fantasy, The Fallen Fruit is a sweeping multigenerational epic about a woman, Cecily Bridge, who travels through time to end a family curse that has plagued her ancestors for generations. The story spans nearly 200 years, from the late 1700s through the mid 1900s, and includes multiple perspectives.

The premise is an interesting one: once per generation, a Bridge offspring will vanish, pulled back in time, before their twenty seventh birthday.

I enjoyed this one! I'm always a sucker for a time travel theme, and The Fallen Fruit certainly provides! 👏🏼 While reading, I found it especially compelling that as the characters are Black, their experiences vastly differed from one timeline to the next. The author clearly did her research, as each time period felt authentic, resulting in beautiful blend of historical details with magical realism.

While this is an adult novel, the writing is rather simplistic, so I think it would appeal to YA fantasy readers in addition to adult readers. The nonlinear timeline and the large cast of characters didn't always provide the easiest reading experience, but the way everything came together in the end more than made up for it. ☺️

Comps: Kindred meets The Time Traveler's Wife

📌 Available Tuesday 9/3

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I Did Like:
+The opening chapters set up a compelling premise that pulls you in easily. You want to understand the rules and try to find a way to beat them for these characters. You want to know everything about their world and their curse.
+The emphasis on writing an accurate historical fiction piece comes through, even with the fantasy elements. The characters and their struggles shine here, from the challenges of schooling kids on a farm to the challenges of war and race. It’s beautifully written and well researched.
+The initial moments for each of the characters you follow through the time travel are brilliant. Those first moments when they realize what has happened and have to cope are just well written and original, even for the genre.

Who Should Read This One:
-Readers of historical fiction who want to try something a little fantastical with the time travel element are really the audience for this one. The historical fiction really shines here.

My Rating: 4 Stars
Well written and well researched.

For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2024/08/...

[briar ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

it took a while for me to get into this, probably because it's heavier and more involved than 80% of my other reads this year, but i adored it by the end. an original, well-crafted story with fascinating characters. i loved how the povs were structured. instead of it switching between characters, like it typically happens in a multipov book, each character (mostly) finished their storyline in their own section and then the book moved on to the next character. the ending physically hurt me, with emily ending up in the same situation that started the whole saga, despite trying her best to change that one thing.

this was an engaging, well researched read, and i loved the history aspect of it. thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting "recollection" kind of story. It follows 5 different points of views, with Cecily being the driving factor as she discovers history and secrets about her family that has been "lost" to her. Each individual story is very well written some characters are more likeable than others but I've seen others mention this story is hard to follow in digital form. I had my Kindle out with the story and my phone with the story open to the family tree to keep dates in line and who the character was referencing. The history and background of each character is amazing, the magical realism is a little flat and kind of half explained. Overall it's a good story that plays out the Bridge's family history.

Thank you NetGalley and Amistad for the opportunity to read this E-ARC. This is my own opinion of the book.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I really enjoyed this - the way the author weaves back and forth between narratives of different members of the family is really pleasant and it leaves questions open until they are later addressed.

At first I was confused about the format, but once I figured that out, I was on the edge of my seat.

And the fact that all of the characters here are not only dealing with real historic events, but are also based on real people in the author's family tree (see Author's Note), makes it all even better.

Would definitely recommend if you like historical fiction (or historical fantasy).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for granting me a free and advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a secret mission from another side of life of a long history of time travelers in an immensely large family into the past with hope for miracles to happen in the future.

[Lydia Tinsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful historical fiction surrounding generations of one family as they deal with with life altering happenings. One large extended family lives on a giant plot of land once they have their freedom from slavery in Charlottesville, VA. Starting with Luke Bridge, family members start falling through time where there's no rhyme or reason to when it happens.
This beguiling story is made more mesmerizing when you learn it's loosely based around Shawntelle Madison's own family. I haven't read a book so riveting that I didn't want to read it to prevent it from ending in such a long time. I am DEVISTATED that it's over.
The only thing I didn't love about this book is that the ending felt like it was a tad abrupt compared to the flow of the rest of it. However, I would have been shattering no matter the ending simply because it ended. Those are my favorite books.
Madison has a mastery about her for braiding individual plots together to make one sensational story. The bouncing back and forth of the narratives seems like it should not have worked as well as it did, but jeez does it flourish.

[T.M. Edmonds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free advance review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. (Releases September 3, 2024)

The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison is a historical fiction fantasy novel that spans generations of Bridge family that is plagued with a curse through which one member of each family unit (through the male line) falls back in time. The story opens in 1964 with Cecily Bridge who inherits her father's family's farm and uncovers evidence of the curse and then is on a mission to figure things out before she too succumbs to the curse.

I originally wanted to read this book because I like history and I'm starting to enjoy historical fiction. This book having a fantasy spin also added to my interest levels because while I know the genre blend exists, I have not read many by black authors. Generally speaking, though the pacing is slow, the story is an enjoyable read because you get to learn about the various moments of Bridge history and real history, gaining small pieces of the puzzle that Cecily is trying to figure out. This book is better suited to a physical copy or in conjunction with a reading journal because there are a lot of dates (the story is not told linearly), and though the chapters are linked in the ebook, it is still a hassle to go back-and-forth when you want to get your bearings on the passage of time. Also, without the family tree available in the beginning, I was lost on how the characters were related because there were so many to remember and some who seemed to barely be mentioned, if at all. I personally would have liked an image of the record in the family bible that marked the Bridge family.

There were loose ends in this story that frustrated me to no end. I admit that they may have been explained or alluded to and I missed it. The ending itself left me a bit unsatisfied because I personally felt like the answers I was seeking weren't answered. However, I can also admit that this may also be done by design. Black people attempting to research their family history and piece together stories further back than 1 or 2 generations can be difficult and my frustration may mirror the frustration Cecily felt throughout her research (though she had some minor advantages of family members who kept their own records). Still, some things were never tied up and, as a reader, I wish they were. I did also find some areas where the logic of the curse did not make sense to me once some key findings were revealed.

The book's title and cover image also seem to allude to the bible story of Adam and Eve, which is supposed to be the story of mankind. The Bridges also kept pieces of their story (the records of family members) in a bible. The curse is also passed down through the male line just as sin was passed down through Adam. There were also some things that I think lend to this idea, but they'd be spoilers, so I won't put them here.

​Overall, it was a decent read that I should probably read again at some point because I'm sure there are things I've missed.

[Tonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one definitely gave Kindred vibes. The story and characters are engaging and instantly got my attention. I was afraid of the number of characters but it was easy to follow each story and timeline. I did love having the beautiful family tree in the front of the book. I have read very few time travel stories but can say this was so well written that I was totally “traveling” with the story.
I will be reading this author again.

[Carol Dasaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rating. I wanted to love this book and was drawn in plenty of times. And there is a lot to love here as a historical fiction and character development. At times though the storyline and character journey's were hard to follow. The ending was also underwhelming, and I was hoping for more of the story to be pulled together.

[Adrianna | cozycraftyreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like time travel books?

I love them. Especially when it’s well executed. And in this one it is!

A family where one member of each family unit travels back in time. Following through generations, you watch how this unfolds and impacts the family. And even how one member searches to find the cause of the ‘curse’. It’s a rich, multi-generational story with a hint of fantasy.

This book was just phenomenal. Each separate timeline was almost a story in and of itself. They each told bits and pieces, and flowed together nicely. It was a book that built upon itself, and really told a unique story.

I appreciated so much of it. The characters felt real and I enjoyed their timelines. The timeline switching was also easy to follow, and quick to grasp my attention. The story just swooped through the generations seamlessly. I enjoyed, well, pretty much all of it.

Now I’m interested in seeing what happened to the family members that traveled back in time. I’m invested and intrigued now!

This was such a great story. It’s going to carry with me for a while and one I’m excited to discuss! You can bet that I’m going to check out other novels by this author - no doubt about it!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from @shawntellemadison @amistadbooks and @kayepublicity . However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

[KCreadsthings · Rating 4 out of 5]

The good:
The premise and story was interesting and engaging. It was detailed and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing.

The less good:
First of all, I think this needs to be digested in a hard copy format. There are so many dates and names that you will want to go back and forth to reference and the was impossible on the kindle. I also would have loved to view the family tree, but couldn’t because you can’t zoom in on kindle. I thought it would be really cool to include a “copy” of the birth and death ledger from the family bible at the end as well, just a thought.

The bad:
I felt unsatisfied by the ending. I get it, but I was bummed.
I also am left with so many unanswered questions.

Overall I still liked it. Like a 3.5-3.75 stars.

[Eilis Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book courtesy of Net Galley. Time travel stories are pretty common, but Shawntelle Madison’s twist—an entire family line cursed with the ability to time travel—intrigued me. Cursed, because the ability is not one that can be controlled, whether who or when or even when in time the family member will “fall” in time. Because of that, the Bridge family has certain rules: “Never interfere with past events. Always carry your freedom papers.” How did this curse come about? How do the various branches of the family deal with it, knowing that someone they know will disappear one day? Through the viewpoints of family members, the reader learns the secrets of the family and eventually, by the efforts of Cecily Bridge-Davis, the way to break the curse. This is a terrific, absorbing read.
#TheFallenFruit #NetGalley #TimeTravel #FreedSlaves #FamilyCurse #Mystery

[Dede Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to fulfill the time travel category in the library’s 50 books in 50 weeks in 50 categories.

The book started off well. The characters and story were interesting but the further I read, the more convoluted the story became. An interesting character would be introduced only to then switch to another character.

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The entire time travel line and subsequent stoppage of the curse totally missed the mark. Cecily’s research was key but the solution was for Amelia to have no children. This would have freed the Bridge family. I was looking forward to everyone ending up back in their own time when the curse was broken.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a curse hanging over every Bridge baby boy who is born. Any of those Bridges might fall back. This is what has happened to Millie's brother Isaiah, we think. What an awful curse. It's like the killings of every two year old who was an Israelite. This is beyond sad. One can hope there is a way to compromise, or are my thoughts too pessimistic? Oh my, I can only cry wet tears if this could happen in my family. While reading this Historical Fiction book, your book enthusiasm will grow larger than it already is in and you might become more protective of the boys in your family.