What do you think?
Rate this book
House of Rougeaux #2
Boy, Falling
Seeking to pursue his dream in music, and harboring a grave secret, young Gerard Rougeaux leaves his native Montreal for New York City in 1909, embarking on a journey that then takes him to Paris at the height of the Jazz Age. There, years later, Gerard becomes haunted by strange dreams of a boy falling through space, as his story entwines with the family he has left behind-his half-sister Jeannette and her two children, struggling to make their way in New York after the economic crash of 1929.
Continuing the family epic begun in House of Rougeaux, Boy, Falling weaves together human yearning and mystery, and what it means to be part of the fabric of life.
Continuing the family epic begun in House of Rougeaux, Boy, Falling weaves together human yearning and mystery, and what it means to be part of the fabric of life.
- GenresHistorical FictionLGBT
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2021
4 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Jaeckel
11 books150 followersJenny Jaeckel is the author of House of Rougeaux, which is her debut novel. Her previous titles include For the Love of Meat: Nine Illustrated Stories and Siberiak: My Cold War Adventure on the River Ob. In 2016, Jaeckel published the graphic memoir Spot 12: Five Months in the Neonatal ICU which was the winner of the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Spot 12 was also a 2016 finalist in the Foreword Indies Book Awards. She has also appeared as a guest on the popular podcast ONE BAD MOTHER.
Jenny Jaeckel was born in California, but lives in Victoria, British Columbia, where she and her husband became health refugees when their child needed a decade of specialized medical care. Jaeckel is currently working on her second novel, a continuation of the family epic House of Rougeaux, yet to be named.
Jenny Jaeckel was born in California, but lives in Victoria, British Columbia, where she and her husband became health refugees when their child needed a decade of specialized medical care. Jaeckel is currently working on her second novel, a continuation of the family epic House of Rougeaux, yet to be named.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 26, 2021
"Boy, Falling" is a delightful sequel to the book/family saga "House of Rougeaux" by award-winning author and illustrator Jenny Jaeckel. Unlikely the first book of this saga, this novel focuses on the children of Eleonora called Nora and their children.
This charming written historical novel begins in 1895 in Montreal, Canada. In the first part of the novel, you will pick up with young Gerard Rougeaux, who struggles with his self-identity and his place in the world. His family tree is quite complex as he learns about the mystery of his birth at the age of 18. You can see Gerard blossoming into a charming young adult as he moved to New York to continue his authentic passion for music. However, he is conflicted because of his attraction to the same gender and who he loves. The novel highlights how society deals with homosexuality in the early 20th century. He is forced to hide his true self until he fully excepts himself and moves to Paris.
In the second part of the book, we follow the story of Gerard's half-sister Jeanette who lives in New York. She is teaching children music and takes a lot of joy in her work. However, after the market crashes, she is let go and has to make difficult decisions. Should she marry a man she perhaps not loves to secure her life or not?
"Boy, Falling" is a beautiful continuation of the family saga of the Rougeaux with discussing various topics like love, suffering, grief and homosexuality, as well as racism. However, the true magic of this book has to be character and world-building. Jaeckel has a beautiful way to describe the scenery without making it dull. I fell in love with the various characters and felt deeply connected to them.
This book is a massive improvement to the first one, although it did enjoy "House of Rougeaux". I highly recommend This book to anyone who wants to read a family saga with challenging themes.
Thank you to Jenny Jaeckel for a review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
TW: Racism, Sex, (Internalised) Homophobia, Cheating, Heartbreak (Break-up), Nazis, Hospitalisation, Death, WWII, Grief, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Childbirth, Divorce
This charming written historical novel begins in 1895 in Montreal, Canada. In the first part of the novel, you will pick up with young Gerard Rougeaux, who struggles with his self-identity and his place in the world. His family tree is quite complex as he learns about the mystery of his birth at the age of 18. You can see Gerard blossoming into a charming young adult as he moved to New York to continue his authentic passion for music. However, he is conflicted because of his attraction to the same gender and who he loves. The novel highlights how society deals with homosexuality in the early 20th century. He is forced to hide his true self until he fully excepts himself and moves to Paris.
In the second part of the book, we follow the story of Gerard's half-sister Jeanette who lives in New York. She is teaching children music and takes a lot of joy in her work. However, after the market crashes, she is let go and has to make difficult decisions. Should she marry a man she perhaps not loves to secure her life or not?
"Boy, Falling" is a beautiful continuation of the family saga of the Rougeaux with discussing various topics like love, suffering, grief and homosexuality, as well as racism. However, the true magic of this book has to be character and world-building. Jaeckel has a beautiful way to describe the scenery without making it dull. I fell in love with the various characters and felt deeply connected to them.
This book is a massive improvement to the first one, although it did enjoy "House of Rougeaux". I highly recommend This book to anyone who wants to read a family saga with challenging themes.
Thank you to Jenny Jaeckel for a review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
TW: Racism, Sex, (Internalised) Homophobia, Cheating, Heartbreak (Break-up), Nazis, Hospitalisation, Death, WWII, Grief, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Childbirth, Divorce
July 10, 2021
3.5/5 Stars
This is a really difficult book for me to review because it's such a difficult book to categorise in the first place. This is an absolutely beautifully written (no, seriously, one Jenny Jaeckel's writing is some of the most gorgeous I've ever had the chance to read) historical fiction novel that travels from Montreal to New York to Paris to Berlin and back all at the start of the 20th century, following a young, gay Black boy who grows into a well-established man by the end of the book, alongside one of his sisters.
Like I said, this book is hard to categorise, as it doesn't have a real plot supporting it, and it's definitely not a character driven book, either. It's more a collection of vignettes surrounding our main characters life and how they all weave together to create his story, and so I really do recommend it for fans of adult literary fiction and historical fiction alike.
I mentioned the gorgeous writing, but I think that the author's worldbuilding and character building was also so wonderful. I wish we'd gotten to spend just a bit more time in Montreal and New York at the start of the book before we flew off half way round the world. I did have a couple of wee issues with the book, mainly the lack of real plot which left me skim reading about the last quarter or so of the book. And also, I just don't know if some of the occurrences in this book were the author's story to tell. I am making an assumption here, and do welcome being corrected, but a story about a queer Black man is definitely not what the author is, and this thought lingered at the back of my mind throughout my entire read.
Overall, though, I did have a wonderful time reading this book, and I look forward to see what the author publishes in the future because I just could not get enough of her lyrical prose!
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book in return for an honest review!
This is a really difficult book for me to review because it's such a difficult book to categorise in the first place. This is an absolutely beautifully written (no, seriously, one Jenny Jaeckel's writing is some of the most gorgeous I've ever had the chance to read) historical fiction novel that travels from Montreal to New York to Paris to Berlin and back all at the start of the 20th century, following a young, gay Black boy who grows into a well-established man by the end of the book, alongside one of his sisters.
Like I said, this book is hard to categorise, as it doesn't have a real plot supporting it, and it's definitely not a character driven book, either. It's more a collection of vignettes surrounding our main characters life and how they all weave together to create his story, and so I really do recommend it for fans of adult literary fiction and historical fiction alike.
I mentioned the gorgeous writing, but I think that the author's worldbuilding and character building was also so wonderful. I wish we'd gotten to spend just a bit more time in Montreal and New York at the start of the book before we flew off half way round the world. I did have a couple of wee issues with the book, mainly the lack of real plot which left me skim reading about the last quarter or so of the book. And also, I just don't know if some of the occurrences in this book were the author's story to tell. I am making an assumption here, and do welcome being corrected, but a story about a queer Black man is definitely not what the author is, and this thought lingered at the back of my mind throughout my entire read.
Overall, though, I did have a wonderful time reading this book, and I look forward to see what the author publishes in the future because I just could not get enough of her lyrical prose!
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book in return for an honest review!
July 22, 2021
Boy, Falling is an amazing follow up book to the House of Rougeaux. Jenny Jaeckel is amazing at developing her characters, layer by layer. You can feel their pain, struggle along with their demons, cheer on their success, and feel the deep love that they give. The weaving together of the family's individual stories is an amazing feat. If you listen closely, you hear the musical strands of each individuals life, weaving amongst the buildings, in the air, traveling through time. Making this one of the most beautifully written books I have read this year.
You pick up with young Gerard Rougeaux in Montreal. He is struggling with self-identity and where he truly fits in with the world. His family life is complex, and a mystery until he is 18. When he moves to NYC to continue his true passion in life, music. You begin to see Gerard blossom into an amazing young man, full of talent, and full of love that he wants to give to someone. He is conflicted by who he loves and who he is attracted to. Dealing with how society in the early 1900s, feels about homosexuality. He is forced to hide his feelings, until finally he climbs out of his shell and fully accepts who he is and who he loves. Gerard follows his dream of music to Paris, where his life takes off for the good.
The second half of the book you are whisked back to New York City, and you are reintroduced to Gerard's half-sister Jeannette. She loves teaching music to small eager children. When the market crashes and she is let go from her teaching job. She is left with an incredibly difficult decision. Should she marry a man she may not love, to be secure in these unsecure times?
Boy, Falling is a wonderous read that brings to light family dynamics, struggles, hardships, true love, homosexuality, race issues, all twined together by music. I devoured this book. Gerard really drew me in, and I feel hard for this character. I was a disappointed when the second half of the book did not share as much of his story. In the end Jeannette and her own family had me hanging on every word. Thank you to Jenny Jaeckel for sharing your wonderful book with me. House of Rougeaux and Boy, Falling are both phenomenal reads!
You pick up with young Gerard Rougeaux in Montreal. He is struggling with self-identity and where he truly fits in with the world. His family life is complex, and a mystery until he is 18. When he moves to NYC to continue his true passion in life, music. You begin to see Gerard blossom into an amazing young man, full of talent, and full of love that he wants to give to someone. He is conflicted by who he loves and who he is attracted to. Dealing with how society in the early 1900s, feels about homosexuality. He is forced to hide his feelings, until finally he climbs out of his shell and fully accepts who he is and who he loves. Gerard follows his dream of music to Paris, where his life takes off for the good.
The second half of the book you are whisked back to New York City, and you are reintroduced to Gerard's half-sister Jeannette. She loves teaching music to small eager children. When the market crashes and she is let go from her teaching job. She is left with an incredibly difficult decision. Should she marry a man she may not love, to be secure in these unsecure times?
Boy, Falling is a wonderous read that brings to light family dynamics, struggles, hardships, true love, homosexuality, race issues, all twined together by music. I devoured this book. Gerard really drew me in, and I feel hard for this character. I was a disappointed when the second half of the book did not share as much of his story. In the end Jeannette and her own family had me hanging on every word. Thank you to Jenny Jaeckel for sharing your wonderful book with me. House of Rougeaux and Boy, Falling are both phenomenal reads!
July 18, 2021
I thank the author Jenny Jaeckel for providing me with the free ARC of her new companion book Boy, Falling. This book releases July 22, 2021.
Below is the link for both House of Rougeaux and Boy, Falling and is available for purchase:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=house+of+r...
Jenny Jaeckel is continuing the saga of House of Rougeaux with it's companion book, Boy, Falling that follows the story of Gerard and also his half sister Jeanette.
The novel begins in 1895 in Montreal. Gerard comes to know that he is adopted. He is a gifted pianist and few years later, in 1905, he sets on his way to New York
to make a career out of his passion. During this journey, he learns about his lineage. There are also strange recurring dreams that he gets wherein a boy is falling in an empty
space, which get entangled with his family and life. Sweeping across the two wars, recession and travelling Paris and Berlin, this story touches upon the consequences of the Recession, World War II
on the lives of the family members and also touches upon LGBTQ and Black history topics.
Below is the link for both House of Rougeaux and Boy, Falling and is available for purchase:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=house+of+r...
Jenny Jaeckel is continuing the saga of House of Rougeaux with it's companion book, Boy, Falling that follows the story of Gerard and also his half sister Jeanette.
The novel begins in 1895 in Montreal. Gerard comes to know that he is adopted. He is a gifted pianist and few years later, in 1905, he sets on his way to New York
to make a career out of his passion. During this journey, he learns about his lineage. There are also strange recurring dreams that he gets wherein a boy is falling in an empty
space, which get entangled with his family and life. Sweeping across the two wars, recession and travelling Paris and Berlin, this story touches upon the consequences of the Recession, World War II
on the lives of the family members and also touches upon LGBTQ and Black history topics.
June 29, 2021
Jenny Jaeckel is a beautiful writer. I have enjoyed both of her books now. I love how Boy, Falling continues with characters from her first book, House of Rougeaux. You really connect to the characters and can feel their feelings. My only critique is that it doesn't have a strong story line, it is more of a book that describes the lives of these characters. But if you love beautiful, descriptive writing, I highly recommend!
October 29, 2021
I liked the first book of the series but this one have me everything I felt i was missing in that book. You follow three characters across multiple chapters in a more in-depth way. This book has you cheering for their triumphs and crying for their heartbreaks. It is beautifully written, with characters you never want to let go.
June 26, 2021
A young black composer coming of age story. Takes you form Montreal to NYC to Paris in the early 1900s. Really great read could not put it down.
June 18, 2021
I received this book from Jenny Jaeckel and I appreciate it so much. It was such a treat to read. I really loved the parallel of the beginning, where a boy is lost in life and ends with a girl in a similar position. It has all of the beautiful themes as the first book; family, friends, and lovers and the importance of relationships. It was super refreshing to read and fall in love with their stories.
I really like it when we see a character struggle through life, it makes them seem more human and relatable. My favorite thing about this book is how well the character grew. I really loved Gerad and I feel like I did not get to see much of him in the latter part of the book. I found myself wondering what he was doing and what he was thinking and now super interested in the other characters.
I really like it when we see a character struggle through life, it makes them seem more human and relatable. My favorite thing about this book is how well the character grew. I really loved Gerad and I feel like I did not get to see much of him in the latter part of the book. I found myself wondering what he was doing and what he was thinking and now super interested in the other characters.
July 22, 2021
The title suggests an almost negative connotation but that isn't really so. The 'falling' is how a boy fell from the structure his family had decided was for him. In many ways, this boy didn't fall but he soared. He experienced life in all its glory and horror. Few could truly appreciate the vagaries of life the way this boy does. He gets to enjoy the magic of music in Paris and gets to suffer the darkness of German politics in the early 1930s.
Boy, Falling is brilliantly written and cannily paced. The book is essentially two stories and how they weave together is magical. There is a certain denouement that comes from one character achieving in the end what the other had at the start. The girl in the book, who is featured, exemplifies the human spirit. You will finish this book and your soul will soar. A wonderful follow-up to the House of Rougeaux. Recommended to every fan of a family saga. Recommended to people who enjoy books that shine a light on the human spirit.
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
Boy, Falling is brilliantly written and cannily paced. The book is essentially two stories and how they weave together is magical. There is a certain denouement that comes from one character achieving in the end what the other had at the start. The girl in the book, who is featured, exemplifies the human spirit. You will finish this book and your soul will soar. A wonderful follow-up to the House of Rougeaux. Recommended to every fan of a family saga. Recommended to people who enjoy books that shine a light on the human spirit.
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
January 11, 2022
I would like to begin this review by thanking Jenny Jaeckel for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a little while to get into the swing of this book as it’s been awhile since I last read some historical fiction. I loved getting to explore Gerrard’s journey through his life, and his exploration of the world and aspects of it as a gay, black man in the 1920s.
My favourite perspective of this book was Maudie’s, I could relate to her a bit more as I’d often get told as a child that I was off with the fairies!
I love the way Jenny writes, and the descriptive narrative. Like with the previous book, the family relationships remain my favourite bit, with all the characters being very caring towards their family. I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.
It took me a little while to get into the swing of this book as it’s been awhile since I last read some historical fiction. I loved getting to explore Gerrard’s journey through his life, and his exploration of the world and aspects of it as a gay, black man in the 1920s.
My favourite perspective of this book was Maudie’s, I could relate to her a bit more as I’d often get told as a child that I was off with the fairies!
I love the way Jenny writes, and the descriptive narrative. Like with the previous book, the family relationships remain my favourite bit, with all the characters being very caring towards their family. I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.
July 14, 2021
Special thank you going out to Jenny Jaeckel who reached out about having me read and review both books Boy Falling and House of Rougeaux for her, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and review these for you and am very grateful for your patience.
The boy falling, follows the members of a colored family, who has a very long history behind them that goes as far back as being slaves on plantations in different parts of the country. I felt that the story was rather well written and has a old fashion classic feel to it, by which I mean that I am comparing it to stories like Jane Eyre and other tales that are written in a similar fashion. It has a lot of old fashion lingo and values that you would find in tales like that, such as dedicated religious views, dedication to family, and a lot of other important values that are usually found wrapped up within them.
I really feel that if you like the older style stories that this will be something you would enjoy, it talks about and goes through the many different hardships that follow the family members of this group, ranging from slavery and freedom issues, to women being taken advantage of in various ways, the various struggles the people of color ended up having to face on a fairly regular basis, and other issues like sexuality, being true to oneself, while trying to fit into a society that really frowned upon anything outside of "normal" or that wasn't "godly".
This story really goes on into a lot of detail surrounding each one of the family members and the different hardships they all had to deal with, both in their individual lives and as a collective within the family and within the community.
I found that I enjoyed the story more after getting passed the first section of it, I found following the women's stories a little more interesting and heartfelt, although that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the first section, I just found myself connecting more with the later characters then the beginning ones.
If I were to say anything negative about the book, it would be that I found the occasional spelling mistake and that the story was a little on the slow side. The beginning of the story follows an orphan boy and I found it to be rather slow, at least until it mixes with current events, surrounding the world wars and then it got a little more interesting. I felt that while the book was written well, as previously mentioned I felt that there wasn't any real emotional connection with any of the characters and the story itself, which for me is surprising to say because I can usually find something to connect with and draw from. But I feel that its what kept this good story from being a great story. There needed to be more of an emotional pull when it came to some of the different events going on within the story. For example, I found that a unsettling abusive scene has about the same feel and pull as the happy wedding day ones. Not sure I am describing well but it was just missing that Wow factor that tends to be found in those different moments. Which brings me back around to saying that the story was good, really good, but it was because of the lack of the wow factor, that kept it from being a great story, which I really feel this one has the potential to be.
With all the said, I really did like some of the characters through out the story and I liked the main family that it all stems from. So all in all Id give this one a 3 out of 5 stars, because while I really did enjoy the story, it was lacking something for me.
If anyone reading this picks it up, I love to hear what you thought of them, nothing better than a good discussion and/or debate over a read!
Final thank you to the author for allowing me to read and review these for you!! I look forward to seeing what else you come up with! - Happy Reading!!
The boy falling, follows the members of a colored family, who has a very long history behind them that goes as far back as being slaves on plantations in different parts of the country. I felt that the story was rather well written and has a old fashion classic feel to it, by which I mean that I am comparing it to stories like Jane Eyre and other tales that are written in a similar fashion. It has a lot of old fashion lingo and values that you would find in tales like that, such as dedicated religious views, dedication to family, and a lot of other important values that are usually found wrapped up within them.
I really feel that if you like the older style stories that this will be something you would enjoy, it talks about and goes through the many different hardships that follow the family members of this group, ranging from slavery and freedom issues, to women being taken advantage of in various ways, the various struggles the people of color ended up having to face on a fairly regular basis, and other issues like sexuality, being true to oneself, while trying to fit into a society that really frowned upon anything outside of "normal" or that wasn't "godly".
This story really goes on into a lot of detail surrounding each one of the family members and the different hardships they all had to deal with, both in their individual lives and as a collective within the family and within the community.
I found that I enjoyed the story more after getting passed the first section of it, I found following the women's stories a little more interesting and heartfelt, although that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the first section, I just found myself connecting more with the later characters then the beginning ones.
If I were to say anything negative about the book, it would be that I found the occasional spelling mistake and that the story was a little on the slow side. The beginning of the story follows an orphan boy and I found it to be rather slow, at least until it mixes with current events, surrounding the world wars and then it got a little more interesting. I felt that while the book was written well, as previously mentioned I felt that there wasn't any real emotional connection with any of the characters and the story itself, which for me is surprising to say because I can usually find something to connect with and draw from. But I feel that its what kept this good story from being a great story. There needed to be more of an emotional pull when it came to some of the different events going on within the story. For example, I found that a unsettling abusive scene has about the same feel and pull as the happy wedding day ones. Not sure I am describing well but it was just missing that Wow factor that tends to be found in those different moments. Which brings me back around to saying that the story was good, really good, but it was because of the lack of the wow factor, that kept it from being a great story, which I really feel this one has the potential to be.
With all the said, I really did like some of the characters through out the story and I liked the main family that it all stems from. So all in all Id give this one a 3 out of 5 stars, because while I really did enjoy the story, it was lacking something for me.
If anyone reading this picks it up, I love to hear what you thought of them, nothing better than a good discussion and/or debate over a read!
Final thank you to the author for allowing me to read and review these for you!! I look forward to seeing what else you come up with! - Happy Reading!!
July 3, 2021
Boy Falling Jenny Jaeckel
Let me set the scene. It is Winter here and for the majority of the last week, it has been rainy and miserable. I spent most of the time reading this book in front of the fire, drinking coffee and tea (not at the same time). This is exactly how this book felt to me. .
This was a warm and cosy story, that filled me up with colors of yellow, orange and red. It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me sigh. It was like a the glow of the fire, filling me up from the inside out.
This is described as a Companion Book to Jenny Jaeckel's “House of Rougeaux”, but I feel it was a wonderful continuation of the family story and it's many generations, that began in the first book. You don't have to have read the first one, but I would recommend it. I think that 'Boy Falling” was my favorite of the two. (I did love “House of Rougeaux”).
This book has three main characters, Gerard, the illegitimate son of Eleanor, who we first meet in the House of Rougeaux, Jeanette, his half-sister and her youngest daughter, Maudie. I think one of the reason I loved this book so much, was that it concentrated on these three and therefore we were able to delve so much deeper into their lives and get to know them intimately. Half the book is dedicated to Gerard's story and he is a sensitive, caring, talented character. It travels from his youth, how he finds out he is not his Parent's biological son, how he finally comes to know his birth-mother, through to his reuniting with his sister and getting to know his nieces. It is a huge journey, not only in his emotional life, but from Montreal, to New York, to Paris, back to New York, with a little venture to Berlin, thrown in.
This was all set against the turbulent times of the beginning of the 20th century and the Great Depression.
There was once again a strong musical theme to this story, which I could almost hear as I read. The character of Maudie is creative in a different way to her relatives and I found this a beautiful aspect to the story. It brought such a colour to it. The last few sentences, brings the two themes together so well: “Maudie closed her eyes again, listening. Music was the color of time, that's what it was. Time's color. Pink morning, blue night, golden afternoon. Green, green forever.”
This is such a beautifully written work. The language is so like the characters, rich, deep, musical and colorful. (I don't mean their skin!). It pulled me into the world of Gerard, Jeanette and Maudie and I just wanted to stay there with them. I loved this book so much, I would love to hear the continuing story of this family. They are so inspirational, having to endure the prejudices of the period, but still managing to hold their dignity, impeccable manners, sense of unrelenting family support and love for each other. The characters are strong. They have a wonderful sense of who they are, even if it takes a while for them to figure this out. They don't deny their differences and are stronger for them.
I would recommend this book highly. It is such a beautiful story, about such an amazing, yet seemingly, ordinary family. They will capture your hearts, as they have done mine. As Jenny Jaeckel was the first author to send me a copy of her work to read and review, I am so grateful to have been privileged with the task. Thank you.
Boy Falling and House of Rougeaux are both available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=house+of+r...
Let me set the scene. It is Winter here and for the majority of the last week, it has been rainy and miserable. I spent most of the time reading this book in front of the fire, drinking coffee and tea (not at the same time). This is exactly how this book felt to me. .
This was a warm and cosy story, that filled me up with colors of yellow, orange and red. It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me sigh. It was like a the glow of the fire, filling me up from the inside out.
This is described as a Companion Book to Jenny Jaeckel's “House of Rougeaux”, but I feel it was a wonderful continuation of the family story and it's many generations, that began in the first book. You don't have to have read the first one, but I would recommend it. I think that 'Boy Falling” was my favorite of the two. (I did love “House of Rougeaux”).
This book has three main characters, Gerard, the illegitimate son of Eleanor, who we first meet in the House of Rougeaux, Jeanette, his half-sister and her youngest daughter, Maudie. I think one of the reason I loved this book so much, was that it concentrated on these three and therefore we were able to delve so much deeper into their lives and get to know them intimately. Half the book is dedicated to Gerard's story and he is a sensitive, caring, talented character. It travels from his youth, how he finds out he is not his Parent's biological son, how he finally comes to know his birth-mother, through to his reuniting with his sister and getting to know his nieces. It is a huge journey, not only in his emotional life, but from Montreal, to New York, to Paris, back to New York, with a little venture to Berlin, thrown in.
This was all set against the turbulent times of the beginning of the 20th century and the Great Depression.
There was once again a strong musical theme to this story, which I could almost hear as I read. The character of Maudie is creative in a different way to her relatives and I found this a beautiful aspect to the story. It brought such a colour to it. The last few sentences, brings the two themes together so well: “Maudie closed her eyes again, listening. Music was the color of time, that's what it was. Time's color. Pink morning, blue night, golden afternoon. Green, green forever.”
This is such a beautifully written work. The language is so like the characters, rich, deep, musical and colorful. (I don't mean their skin!). It pulled me into the world of Gerard, Jeanette and Maudie and I just wanted to stay there with them. I loved this book so much, I would love to hear the continuing story of this family. They are so inspirational, having to endure the prejudices of the period, but still managing to hold their dignity, impeccable manners, sense of unrelenting family support and love for each other. The characters are strong. They have a wonderful sense of who they are, even if it takes a while for them to figure this out. They don't deny their differences and are stronger for them.
I would recommend this book highly. It is such a beautiful story, about such an amazing, yet seemingly, ordinary family. They will capture your hearts, as they have done mine. As Jenny Jaeckel was the first author to send me a copy of her work to read and review, I am so grateful to have been privileged with the task. Thank you.
Boy Falling and House of Rougeaux are both available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=house+of+r...
August 1, 2021
When is becomes obvious that young Gerald Rougeaux has a prodigious musical talent, his family ensure that he is able to pursue this, and he moves from Montreal to New York to study in the early 1900s. But, is music the only passion he harbours in his soul? Boy, Falling follows Gerard and his half-sister, Jeannette as they navigate intolerance and injustice with the utmost integrity.
Boy, Falling is, without doubt, one of the most beautifully written novels that I have read so far this year. The prose is achingly lovely; intricate, elegant and wholly without pretension. The novel encompasses, and confronts wide-ranging prejudicial views, and does so with considered depth. It is, broadly speaking, a hybrid work of historical fiction and family drama but, personally, I thought Boy, Falling was literary fiction at its finest.
From the beginning in Montreal, 1895, strands of intrigue operate at various levels, immediately drawing the reader in, especially as there is a profound twist for Gerard fairly early on. Cleverly, the first few chapters are told in close third person, from Gerard’s point of view as a child, enabling layers of dramatic irony to softly filter through. Gerard is such a wonderfully realised character; his tangled emotions and painful vulnerability so vividly poignant. He is also extremely likeable and his presence on the page has a strangely comforting aspect although, in many parts of his story, you desperately want to put your arms around him when his acute self-awareness and loathing threaten to derail him. All the characters are brilliantly and realistically depicted; their dialogue nicely precise yet individually nuanced, and weighted with unspoken emotion and impending doom. Miriam Cartier was an especially good example of this.
Just after halfway, the novel switches to Jeannette’s story. At first, she appears to be a slightly weaker character than Gerard but gradually she becomes stronger and the birth of her two daughters consolidates her confidence and defines her personality. As with Claude and Gerard, the relationship between her and Macon is shot through with foreboding from the beginning. Ms Jaeckel could have taken a well-trodden route with him, and at times, it threatens (as he does), but instead she chose a different, more sympathetic path and I thought it worked very well.
The last fifth of the novel is concerned with Maudie, Jeannette’s youngest daughter. Anyone with a spark of creativity will recognise elements of Maudie in themselves, at times, her sense of disparity was heart-breaking. It is through her, the reader also gains another aspect of Gerard, that of Uncle. However, because we have been privy to his struggles and feelings of isolation, which mirror Maudie’s, although for different reasons, the reader is subtly aware that if anyone can help her, Gerard can.
The chapters jump, sometimes in months and sometimes in years, keeping the momentum fresh and the tempo lively. It does not linger too long in one period or allow events of the time, such as WWII, to overshadow what is essentially a story of the human condition with all its unique facets and flaws.
Boy, Falling is a truly mesmerising and hauntingly beautiful book – highly recommended.
Boy, Falling is, without doubt, one of the most beautifully written novels that I have read so far this year. The prose is achingly lovely; intricate, elegant and wholly without pretension. The novel encompasses, and confronts wide-ranging prejudicial views, and does so with considered depth. It is, broadly speaking, a hybrid work of historical fiction and family drama but, personally, I thought Boy, Falling was literary fiction at its finest.
From the beginning in Montreal, 1895, strands of intrigue operate at various levels, immediately drawing the reader in, especially as there is a profound twist for Gerard fairly early on. Cleverly, the first few chapters are told in close third person, from Gerard’s point of view as a child, enabling layers of dramatic irony to softly filter through. Gerard is such a wonderfully realised character; his tangled emotions and painful vulnerability so vividly poignant. He is also extremely likeable and his presence on the page has a strangely comforting aspect although, in many parts of his story, you desperately want to put your arms around him when his acute self-awareness and loathing threaten to derail him. All the characters are brilliantly and realistically depicted; their dialogue nicely precise yet individually nuanced, and weighted with unspoken emotion and impending doom. Miriam Cartier was an especially good example of this.
Just after halfway, the novel switches to Jeannette’s story. At first, she appears to be a slightly weaker character than Gerard but gradually she becomes stronger and the birth of her two daughters consolidates her confidence and defines her personality. As with Claude and Gerard, the relationship between her and Macon is shot through with foreboding from the beginning. Ms Jaeckel could have taken a well-trodden route with him, and at times, it threatens (as he does), but instead she chose a different, more sympathetic path and I thought it worked very well.
The last fifth of the novel is concerned with Maudie, Jeannette’s youngest daughter. Anyone with a spark of creativity will recognise elements of Maudie in themselves, at times, her sense of disparity was heart-breaking. It is through her, the reader also gains another aspect of Gerard, that of Uncle. However, because we have been privy to his struggles and feelings of isolation, which mirror Maudie’s, although for different reasons, the reader is subtly aware that if anyone can help her, Gerard can.
The chapters jump, sometimes in months and sometimes in years, keeping the momentum fresh and the tempo lively. It does not linger too long in one period or allow events of the time, such as WWII, to overshadow what is essentially a story of the human condition with all its unique facets and flaws.
Boy, Falling is a truly mesmerising and hauntingly beautiful book – highly recommended.
August 9, 2021
I was sent a copy of this book for review.
This was a sequel to House of Rougeaux which tells the story of three new members of the Rougeaux family – Gerard, Jeannette and Maude.
Gerard’s story starts with a dream that features throughout his life as he strives to find its meaning. His story takes him from a boy in Montréal where he learns he was adopted to a young man gifted in music who moves to New York for study and to live with his musical Aunt Eleanor. While there he discovers the truth about his past. He also explores his sexuality because he is a closeted gay man in the late 19th century who had no previous outlet to pursue his forbidden desires. Love and loss find him which encourages him to move further field and ends up in Paris to progress his music career. Will he find true love at last? The backdrop to his story in Paris is Hitler's rise to power the effects that caused.
Jeannette's story tells of her life in New York looking for love but settling for a man rather than hold out for true love. It tells of her marriage (its ups and downs), her love for her children and journey to find herself and her purpose in life.
Maude is one of Jeannette’s daughters. She isn’t as capable academically in school as her sister and Jeannette worries for her. Her uncle Gerard sees her potential and offers to introduce her to an artist friend from Paris. When he takes her away she meets and befriends a boy called Jasper. Through her art and her unusual ability to see people and colours in a unique way will she finally find success in life.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. This story took the best aspects of the first book - the rich family background, detailed settings/locations and intriguing personalities and brought these new characters to life in new and inventive ways. I liked that this story followed a more linear storyline because the nonlinear timeline of the first book was what made it slightly confusing. All the story threads had me glued to the page as their gripping stories unfolded in stunning beauty and I highly recommend this book to all.
This was a sequel to House of Rougeaux which tells the story of three new members of the Rougeaux family – Gerard, Jeannette and Maude.
Gerard’s story starts with a dream that features throughout his life as he strives to find its meaning. His story takes him from a boy in Montréal where he learns he was adopted to a young man gifted in music who moves to New York for study and to live with his musical Aunt Eleanor. While there he discovers the truth about his past. He also explores his sexuality because he is a closeted gay man in the late 19th century who had no previous outlet to pursue his forbidden desires. Love and loss find him which encourages him to move further field and ends up in Paris to progress his music career. Will he find true love at last? The backdrop to his story in Paris is Hitler's rise to power the effects that caused.
Jeannette's story tells of her life in New York looking for love but settling for a man rather than hold out for true love. It tells of her marriage (its ups and downs), her love for her children and journey to find herself and her purpose in life.
Maude is one of Jeannette’s daughters. She isn’t as capable academically in school as her sister and Jeannette worries for her. Her uncle Gerard sees her potential and offers to introduce her to an artist friend from Paris. When he takes her away she meets and befriends a boy called Jasper. Through her art and her unusual ability to see people and colours in a unique way will she finally find success in life.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. This story took the best aspects of the first book - the rich family background, detailed settings/locations and intriguing personalities and brought these new characters to life in new and inventive ways. I liked that this story followed a more linear storyline because the nonlinear timeline of the first book was what made it slightly confusing. All the story threads had me glued to the page as their gripping stories unfolded in stunning beauty and I highly recommend this book to all.
July 27, 2021
Boy, Falling is a sequel to the family saga House of Rougeaux by Jenny Jaeckel. Unlike House of Rougeaux, this novel is considerably easier to read as it is told in three sections in three points of view that overlap somewhat in time.
It begins in 1985 in Montreal where a young Black man, Gerard Rougeaux,, struggles with his rising awareness of his difference—he is homosexual. He soon learns that he is adopted as well, the lovechild of his aunt and one of her professors at the musical school she attends. In 1909, he moves to Paris to expand his musical horizons and, there, accepts his true self.
In the middle section, Jeannette, takes over. She is a music teacher in New York. During the stock market crash, her work is terminated; however, all the white teachers remain employed. She faces the question many women face: should she marry a man who can provide security, even if she doesn’t love him? lot of joy in her work.
In the third section, Gerard’s niece, who nowadays would probably carry a diagnosis of ADHD or something on the autism spectrum, takes over. She learns to deal with her special talents.
Boy, Falling tackles such diverse topics as love, suffering, grief, neurodiversity, homosexuality, and racism. The book quite improvement to the first, feeling more concise and cohesive and moving forward in time in a linear fashion with only minimal overlaps between the three characters. She also covers less time in the 278 pages rather than compressing three centuries into the 308 pages of House of Rougeaux. While there are still many characters (family, friends in France and the US), the three noted above dominate, and though there were many Rougeaux family characters in House of Rougeaux, they are mentioned only in passing in Boy, Falling. There is also less emphasis on magical realism, with it being limited to a similar dream that ties the three main characters together.
It begins in 1985 in Montreal where a young Black man, Gerard Rougeaux,, struggles with his rising awareness of his difference—he is homosexual. He soon learns that he is adopted as well, the lovechild of his aunt and one of her professors at the musical school she attends. In 1909, he moves to Paris to expand his musical horizons and, there, accepts his true self.
In the middle section, Jeannette, takes over. She is a music teacher in New York. During the stock market crash, her work is terminated; however, all the white teachers remain employed. She faces the question many women face: should she marry a man who can provide security, even if she doesn’t love him? lot of joy in her work.
In the third section, Gerard’s niece, who nowadays would probably carry a diagnosis of ADHD or something on the autism spectrum, takes over. She learns to deal with her special talents.
Boy, Falling tackles such diverse topics as love, suffering, grief, neurodiversity, homosexuality, and racism. The book quite improvement to the first, feeling more concise and cohesive and moving forward in time in a linear fashion with only minimal overlaps between the three characters. She also covers less time in the 278 pages rather than compressing three centuries into the 308 pages of House of Rougeaux. While there are still many characters (family, friends in France and the US), the three noted above dominate, and though there were many Rougeaux family characters in House of Rougeaux, they are mentioned only in passing in Boy, Falling. There is also less emphasis on magical realism, with it being limited to a similar dream that ties the three main characters together.
October 2, 2021
“He hadn’t planned to say this thing, but it came upon him suddenly gargantuan and magnificent, like a whale breaching the glittering surface of the sea. “
Delicately laced with story intertwined with story, so authentic they appear to burst forth as if with a will of their own, “Boy Falling” weaves an intricate and utterly captivating spell.
Through the generations, following characters whose ancestors were brought to life in the brilliant companion book, “House of Rougeaux”, this new epic introduces the further mesmerizing lives and loves of Gerard, his half-sister, Jeannette, and her incomparable daughter Maudie.
Gerard - an accomplished, masterful musician, lonely and intensely unresolvedly up-rooted, Gerard is searching for a home, a heart, a “one-ness” to complete him.
“He packed securely all the things he needed to wrap his body and his soul so that he might move through the world and into the unimaginable future.“
Jeannette - a daughter, a mother, a sister, a wife - none of which completely captures her innermost yearning to share and guide others to the music she feels dancing within her.
Maudie - (my favorite) - a spirit child, and artist, - completely out-of-place in a world that likes to fit people into boxes. It’s easy to find, in Maudie, primeval traces of the ancient ancestral healer Abeje (Marie) and her brother Adunbi (Guillaume), introduced in the earlier work.
“The paper, the colors, were like magnets that drew her to them, her hands longed for them and her pictures grew from there like long, lovely exhales”
I loved these characters and their wonderful mesmerizing stories - losing myself completely to their essential kindness, their “bigness” of spirit, their heartbreaking vulnerabilities, and the bonds that so clearly define them, holding them dear to each other, and ultimately, to the heart of this reader.
A great big thank you to the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
Delicately laced with story intertwined with story, so authentic they appear to burst forth as if with a will of their own, “Boy Falling” weaves an intricate and utterly captivating spell.
Through the generations, following characters whose ancestors were brought to life in the brilliant companion book, “House of Rougeaux”, this new epic introduces the further mesmerizing lives and loves of Gerard, his half-sister, Jeannette, and her incomparable daughter Maudie.
Gerard - an accomplished, masterful musician, lonely and intensely unresolvedly up-rooted, Gerard is searching for a home, a heart, a “one-ness” to complete him.
“He packed securely all the things he needed to wrap his body and his soul so that he might move through the world and into the unimaginable future.“
Jeannette - a daughter, a mother, a sister, a wife - none of which completely captures her innermost yearning to share and guide others to the music she feels dancing within her.
Maudie - (my favorite) - a spirit child, and artist, - completely out-of-place in a world that likes to fit people into boxes. It’s easy to find, in Maudie, primeval traces of the ancient ancestral healer Abeje (Marie) and her brother Adunbi (Guillaume), introduced in the earlier work.
“The paper, the colors, were like magnets that drew her to them, her hands longed for them and her pictures grew from there like long, lovely exhales”
I loved these characters and their wonderful mesmerizing stories - losing myself completely to their essential kindness, their “bigness” of spirit, their heartbreaking vulnerabilities, and the bonds that so clearly define them, holding them dear to each other, and ultimately, to the heart of this reader.
A great big thank you to the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
July 10, 2021
Thank you to @jennyjaeckel for sending me a copy of this book to read! @blackrosewriting #boyfalling
The companion book to House of Rougeaux follows Gerard Rougeaux as he embarks to Paris in the height of the Jazz Age. His story is mixed with his sister, Jeannette and her two children who back in New York are struggling to make their way after the economic crash of 1929.
Review:
After having read House of Rougeaux I was a little weary of another family epic with a lot of characters to keep track of. This book was more focused on a few main character, although some family movers from House of Rougeaux made appearances. It was interesting to follow Gerard through his youth and adult life as he struggled with his sexuality with his family and on his own. Throughout his section of the book the years go by fast but i found that I continued to build a deeper connection to him in later narrator parts.
There were of lot of diverse characters from a variety of lgbtq community seamlessly written in, something you don’t really associate with the 1900’s even though it was surly there. I loved Miri and Gerard’s relationship throughout his time in France.
I found the narration switch to Jeanette very interesting. I liked seeing that same time periods that were covered from Gerard’s section from her perspective. It was interesting to see how much more her race affected her in America then it did Gerard in France (we suck). The thing I think I most enjoyed from her sections were the letters from both her and Gerard. We had heard about them in Gerard’s section but I really liked the actual bits of transcript we got in Jeanette’s section.
Maudie’s section at the end was nice but didn’t deliver as much for me as Gerard and Jeanette’s section.
The companion book to House of Rougeaux follows Gerard Rougeaux as he embarks to Paris in the height of the Jazz Age. His story is mixed with his sister, Jeannette and her two children who back in New York are struggling to make their way after the economic crash of 1929.
Review:
After having read House of Rougeaux I was a little weary of another family epic with a lot of characters to keep track of. This book was more focused on a few main character, although some family movers from House of Rougeaux made appearances. It was interesting to follow Gerard through his youth and adult life as he struggled with his sexuality with his family and on his own. Throughout his section of the book the years go by fast but i found that I continued to build a deeper connection to him in later narrator parts.
There were of lot of diverse characters from a variety of lgbtq community seamlessly written in, something you don’t really associate with the 1900’s even though it was surly there. I loved Miri and Gerard’s relationship throughout his time in France.
I found the narration switch to Jeanette very interesting. I liked seeing that same time periods that were covered from Gerard’s section from her perspective. It was interesting to see how much more her race affected her in America then it did Gerard in France (we suck). The thing I think I most enjoyed from her sections were the letters from both her and Gerard. We had heard about them in Gerard’s section but I really liked the actual bits of transcript we got in Jeanette’s section.
Maudie’s section at the end was nice but didn’t deliver as much for me as Gerard and Jeanette’s section.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2022
This book is a sequel to “House of Rougeaux” but a stand alone - read and reviewed as such.
“Boy, Falling” follows three different points of view for related characters over time. It begins by introducing Gerard Rougeaux, a young African American living in Montreal at the turn of the 20th century. While struggling with family secrets and personal identity, his innate talent for music evolves into a passion. An opportunity to develop his passion brings him the opportunity to travel to Harlem, NY, USA and subsequently Paris, France where he evolves into a self aware and successful musician.
Overall, there were some things about this story that I really liked and other things that made it a hard read for me. I really liked the style and fluidity of the author’s language throughout the story. It was easy to read, follow, and the descriptions were lovely and vivid. I also enjoyed following the three main characters as they developed, learned, and grew. However, there was no real event or especially strong storyline to explain the telling of this particular space and time of these characters. The full blog post can be found at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
“Boy, Falling” follows three different points of view for related characters over time. It begins by introducing Gerard Rougeaux, a young African American living in Montreal at the turn of the 20th century. While struggling with family secrets and personal identity, his innate talent for music evolves into a passion. An opportunity to develop his passion brings him the opportunity to travel to Harlem, NY, USA and subsequently Paris, France where he evolves into a self aware and successful musician.
Overall, there were some things about this story that I really liked and other things that made it a hard read for me. I really liked the style and fluidity of the author’s language throughout the story. It was easy to read, follow, and the descriptions were lovely and vivid. I also enjoyed following the three main characters as they developed, learned, and grew. However, there was no real event or especially strong storyline to explain the telling of this particular space and time of these characters. The full blog post can be found at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
July 26, 2021
The 4 things I loved the most about this book:
💭 How Gerard is so real in his feelings, the angst, want and joy - You felt it right through the pages and I kind of need him to be real so I can hug him??
✒️ The writing was so rich and it felt like poetry when reading! (At some points it became too much at least for a non-native-English speaker like me, but the good parts completely overtook these few moments!)
♥️ The feelings it brought along - I don't know why but I cried a couple of times when reading the book... Okay, I know why, but I truly was surprised by how hard-hitting Gerard and his family's life story was!
📰 The balance of history and facts on one hand and fictional story on the other
Boy, Falling is historical fiction with a focus on Black History, which also includes a strong LGBTQ storyline and contains elements of magical realism. It is a continuation of the book House of Rougeaux where we first meet the Rougeaux family. Boy, Falling can be read as a standalone!
💭 How Gerard is so real in his feelings, the angst, want and joy - You felt it right through the pages and I kind of need him to be real so I can hug him??
✒️ The writing was so rich and it felt like poetry when reading! (At some points it became too much at least for a non-native-English speaker like me, but the good parts completely overtook these few moments!)
♥️ The feelings it brought along - I don't know why but I cried a couple of times when reading the book... Okay, I know why, but I truly was surprised by how hard-hitting Gerard and his family's life story was!
📰 The balance of history and facts on one hand and fictional story on the other
Boy, Falling is historical fiction with a focus on Black History, which also includes a strong LGBTQ storyline and contains elements of magical realism. It is a continuation of the book House of Rougeaux where we first meet the Rougeaux family. Boy, Falling can be read as a standalone!
July 21, 2021
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
I loved Jaeckel’s first novel and was very excited for this one. It’s been called a sequel and a companion novel, but I’m not sure if either truly fits it. Where the first novel was a sweeping epic, this novel is far more intimate and person. We have more time with each character and really get to know them. This novel focuses on art and music, but also explores themes like self-acceptance, independence, and resiliency. Gerard’s section in particular was incredibly powerful and emotional.
The ending for this one was not as satisfying for me as the first novel, hence the 4.5 rating. It definitely had good closure, but for me, it was just missing a little something. It was intimate and close to all of the main characters, so it definitely was satisfying for the story. It just didn’t feel as full circle as the first one did. That being said, it was still a fantastic read!
4.5 stars
I loved Jaeckel’s first novel and was very excited for this one. It’s been called a sequel and a companion novel, but I’m not sure if either truly fits it. Where the first novel was a sweeping epic, this novel is far more intimate and person. We have more time with each character and really get to know them. This novel focuses on art and music, but also explores themes like self-acceptance, independence, and resiliency. Gerard’s section in particular was incredibly powerful and emotional.
The ending for this one was not as satisfying for me as the first novel, hence the 4.5 rating. It definitely had good closure, but for me, it was just missing a little something. It was intimate and close to all of the main characters, so it definitely was satisfying for the story. It just didn’t feel as full circle as the first one did. That being said, it was still a fantastic read!
October 12, 2021
This is the second novel in the House of Rougeaux Series. This novel follows the story of Gerard who is a child music prodigy growing up in the late 1800s. Readers see Gerard as a child grappling with the fact that he has been adopted, being aware of his race as a young black boy, and grappling with feelings of his blooming sexuality. He is often teased and made fun of by others that’s around him which makes him feel lonely. Like in the first novel of the series, Jaeckel’s atmospheric writing is very detailed and really pulls the reader into its historical settings. You could really imagine yourself in Gerrard’s shoes looking at the world through his eyes and looking at all the artistry that was about to arise within the early 1920s.
Read the full book review on the blog at: https://www.lifeofafemalebibliophile....
Read the full book review on the blog at: https://www.lifeofafemalebibliophile....
December 26, 2021
Boy, falling is a historical fiction that begins with Gerard Rougeaus leaving Montreal, his home for New York City. The story is set in 1909 and tells the story of Gerard’s journey. He has a half-sister Jeannette and two nieces who are struggling. The story focuses on Black history and includes an LGBTQ storyline.
Gerard’s love for music is beautiful. He has a big secret and journeys to Paris, embracing his passion. I particularly enjoyed that the book represented personal and social change. The literature is written very well, and if you are into historical novels and family history, you will enjoy this read.
The author blends the love for family and love in general very well into the layered narrative. The literature is rich and celebrates family, which was beautiful.
I recommend this book to historical fiction readers.
Gerard’s love for music is beautiful. He has a big secret and journeys to Paris, embracing his passion. I particularly enjoyed that the book represented personal and social change. The literature is written very well, and if you are into historical novels and family history, you will enjoy this read.
The author blends the love for family and love in general very well into the layered narrative. The literature is rich and celebrates family, which was beautiful.
I recommend this book to historical fiction readers.
September 22, 2022
' BOY, FALLING ' , is a historical novel that begins in 1895, Montreal Canada and moves to New York to Paris to Berlin and then back to Canada. The first part sheds lights on young Gerard Rougeaux, struggling with his true identity, his complex family secrets, his sexual identity and pursuing his dream music career in Paris. Whereas, The second half of the book sheds light on Gerard's half sister Jeanette,her struggles with her music school and emotional journey and fight for her future.
This book makes you walk side by side with the characters and you could feel their growth and their sorrows. Beautifully written and relatable characters.
Although the character build up was excellent but the storyline felt a little lagging.
Thank you so much @jennyjaeckel for sending me an ARC copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
This book makes you walk side by side with the characters and you could feel their growth and their sorrows. Beautifully written and relatable characters.
Although the character build up was excellent but the storyline felt a little lagging.
Thank you so much @jennyjaeckel for sending me an ARC copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
June 13, 2021
This novel begins with a boy feeling a bit out of touch with his life and ends with a girl in the same position. In between is a litany of experiences with family, friends, lovers, and partnerships that defines what it means to be part of a family and part of a community. The bulk of the book is told from Gerard's point of view so we mainly see the world as he does. Even though he has a perfect musical mentor in his mother, Gerard struggles to find a path in other aspects of his life. This very real struggle makes him a compelling character. I was a bit disappointed to see Gerard relegated more to the background in the later pages of the book, but other wonderful characters blossomed, too. Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. Thank you to the author for an advanced copy to review.
July 21, 2021
I want to thank Jenny Jaekel for sharing her book with me for a review.
This story follows three more people from the Rougeaux family. I loved the history starting in the 1900s and ending around the beginning of the World War 2 era. I also enjoyed cameos from specific historical figures such as Langston Hughes. There’s a powerful theme of the celebration of art and creating something beautiful.
Readers who read the previous book, House of Rougeaux will recognize some of the characters. I believe I had a greater appreciation for this book because I read the book that came before it, however, readers can still enjoy this book without reading House of Rougeaux.
This story follows three more people from the Rougeaux family. I loved the history starting in the 1900s and ending around the beginning of the World War 2 era. I also enjoyed cameos from specific historical figures such as Langston Hughes. There’s a powerful theme of the celebration of art and creating something beautiful.
Readers who read the previous book, House of Rougeaux will recognize some of the characters. I believe I had a greater appreciation for this book because I read the book that came before it, however, readers can still enjoy this book without reading House of Rougeaux.
July 22, 2021
I was thrilled to see Jaeckel's unique style carried through in this sequel. There was definitely more emotion behind this one for me, perhaps because I had already read the first book (although this can totally be read as a standalone). I teared up a few times while reading this, and each time I had to set it down, I felt like I was coming up gasping for air after diving too deep in the ocean. I got lost in the story, watching and feeling it unfold around me. Furthermore, I was a little sad when it ended, and I returned to the real world for the final time. I hope to read more by this brilliant author in the future!
August 25, 2021
Like it’s companion book, House of Rougeaux, we get to follow the multi generational stories of the Rougeaux family. With Jaeckel’s writing you can’t help but empathize with each character’s relatable journey of finding self-worth. I was happy to find characters from the companion novel weaved into the story like Easter eggs. The threads connecting the characters are almost as magical as the characters themselves. Traveling from Montreal to Harlem to Paris during the jazz age, readers are swept up in Gerard’s quest for romance. Gerard discovers unwavering love from his family, with the family he chooses as well the family he’s born into.
July 9, 2021
This book was a great way to get back into reading after a small slump! This book picked up beautifully from its predecessor, House of Rougeaux, following the stories of Gerard, Jeannette, and Maudie. While reading I felt myself really feeling for the character and some of the scenes really pulled at the heart strings. It almost felt like instead of reading I was living these experiences with them, I cried, I smiled, I was happy and sad and overall really enjoyed this book! Such a great read truly!
July 14, 2021
Special thanks for the author Jenny Jaeckel, who reach to me and let me discover her upcoming book ! This book was a reading I enjoyed with passion, for Gerard Rougeaux. I had the chance of traveling with him all around the world, and it was a blessing. Passing trough history, stages of life while living his struggles, feelings, choices and dreams with his large family, amazing friends, and beloved relationships. Did you love history, the world, life in general ? Gerard can lead you trough it, in Boy, Falling.
July 15, 2021
Thank you to the author for the eARC of her beautiful book!
As a lover of historical fiction I enjoyed the story of Gerard and his family through the first half of the 1900s.
The writing is very detailed and paints a sprawling picture of the family and their travels and tribulations.
I did find it hard to connect to all the characters as there wasn’t a lot of emotional pull to them and the story sometimes jumped ahead just as I was getting invested in something going on.
However I did enjoy this read and got through it rather quickly.
3.5/5 from me
As a lover of historical fiction I enjoyed the story of Gerard and his family through the first half of the 1900s.
The writing is very detailed and paints a sprawling picture of the family and their travels and tribulations.
I did find it hard to connect to all the characters as there wasn’t a lot of emotional pull to them and the story sometimes jumped ahead just as I was getting invested in something going on.
However I did enjoy this read and got through it rather quickly.
3.5/5 from me
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews