Plummet

by Sherwin Tjia

When Amelia “Mel” Eichenwald wakes up one morning, she finds herself in endless free-fall towards an Earth that is no longer there, surrounded by the junk of human existence. From high heels to houses, billions of random items drop alongside her like fallout from an exploded mall. Plummet follows Mel as she attempts to survive, find allies, and negotiating the balance between becoming prey or predator. What makes us human―and what keeps us human―when gravity is all there is? How do you take a stand when there is literally no place to sit?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2019

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author acknowledges in their, well- acknowledgements, that it's hard to have your protagonist continually falling and still tell a story. Which is also what makes the book's premise so interesting, of course. It works on many metaphorical levels, and then it's also really happening. Two distinct ways to experience the same situation. Great.

And the book works mostly, but then the story turns violent and as Annie Lennox sings in the Eurythmics song Savage - "all violence is cheap". It's the most obvious storybeat to turn to, and it works against the dreaminess of all that has come before. It just has no connection to what was interesting about the situation to begin with.

There also isn't really much of an ending, beyond the pages running out. Which is fine, but then the book feels like it's more about the journey and not the (non-existing) destination. I'm not sure the journey is interesting enough.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a simple premise, but such a rich story. Mel wakes from a dream of falling to find herself falling. And falling. And falling. Like that sequence in Wonderland, but if it were the whole book. And with post-apocalyptic survival sequences.

Quite ingenious.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was interested in the premise of a girl waking up in a perpetual free fall but that’s about all that happens. She has an existential crisis and meets a few people but ends up alone for no reason other than she fell asleep and woke alone... over and over. It could be all metaphorical but there’s no end either...

[J MaK · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.3) The story of a woman in free fall who encounters different forms of human interaction is definitely intriguing, but it starts to lose momentum as Mel repeatedly wakes in new realities and must constantly adjust. Still, there’s a clear symbolic thread woven throughout—reflecting how we, too, must adapt, survive, and seek connection in an ever-changing world. It’s a reminder that what makes life worthwhile isn’t stability, but the bonds we form, whether awkward, intimate, or even unsettling. The artwork, meanwhile, brings a surprising “Archie-style” comic strip vibe that contrasts with the existential tone of the narrative.

[Jifu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely has to be one of the most creative settings I have encountered - a freefall world that not only is mysterious (where is it? how do people and objects end up there? is there any way to return to the regular world?), but also frightening in a way that I didn't expect (could I ever end up in such a place?)

The ending makes me hope that there is more to this strange place coming to us from Sherwin Tjia in the future.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird free fall- it’s a very creative premise but the biggest feeling I got from reading this was motion sickness. 2.5/5 stars

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this pretty gripping at first but then it ends out of nowhere and kind of ruins the whole thing

[Jeffrey Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn’t really have much of an ending, but given the central premise, I guess that’s the point?

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel wakes up from a dream where she is falling and finds herself perpetually falling. There seems to be no end, no final drop, nothing to drop to. But she's not alone. There are other people floating/falling like her. And humanity's debris, anything from trash bags to books to whole buildings. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the story is that the falling is not explained. Instead, there are some questions and the falling is just is. Whatever the reason, and whatever it is (whether it's "real" or Mel's still dreaming or Mel's dead or whatever), Mel keeps falling. The ending was satisfactory, in the sense that Mel had to make a decision and she did. Strange and beautiful at times, the story takes some predictable turns, especially when it comes to the "new world order" stuff, but has a lot of fresh and interesting stuff to make it enjoyable. Recommended for those who like snowmen, paperbacks, tree houses, skateboarding and gum.

[Matt-hue Loose · Rating 4 out of 5]

An earnest free-fall with light surreality and a good exploration of its own concept.

Simple, and so, sweet. A nice variety of possibilities, explanations, situations and pages. The concept extending out into EVERY page is great commitment, the publishers page, acknowledgments, other books by me, from front to back! I really liked that!

For me, this story is about deciding how, when, or if to let go in life. Structure, freeform chance, chaos, planning, building a place for privacy or living “publicly.” How will you live? In this situation, what would you do? The pros and cons of stability and holding on to nothing are weighed through this unique reality, and I appreciated the straight-ahead message in it.

I really want to see this concept done again in someone’s else voice because I like it so much, a different story and exploring of the space…! This is definitely a complete work, but I want a bit more in this cool atmosphere of ever-falling floating chaos…!

7.9

[Child960801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an apocalypse story about a young woman who wakes up from a dream about falling and is actually falling. And she doesn't ever stop. It has all the things an apocalypse story needs: trying to scavenge food; finding dead bodies; run-ins with other who are trying to make a (creepy) new civilization; finding someone else to be with/trust; uncertainty about what is happening and why; violence. A strange and dreamlike journey.

Does contain some adult content.

[Tina Olah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review coming soon!

[Brittney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure what I was expecting, when I picked this up, based on the cover read the first sentence on the back and flipped through. This was an odd graphic novel

[Kit Feral · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't enough for me but what was there was cool! 3.5

[zander · Rating 4 out of 5]

weirdly wonderful and eccentric, 4.5/5

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be the most interesting book I've experienced all year. I still don't know whether what transpires in the book is real or not. It's a quick read, jump in and enjoy the ride.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall just a very weird dream with no rhyme or reason to it. Wish there was more of a plot.

[Sarah Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Examining nothingness through perpetual falling is either exceedingly boring or deeply fascinating. I just finished the book & I still can’t decide.

[sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m confused… the story felt kinda incomplete to me in a way but i think that’s just how it’s supposed to be

[alli · Rating 3 out of 5]

really odd

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seemed almost like a comic strip, didn't really amount to anything, captured the feeling of limbo and the anxiety it can bring pretty well

[Sarah S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't entirely follow the plot on this one, but I think that's more or less the point. It left me with plenty to think about and was interesting for the entire read.