Until We Fall

by Nicole Zelniker

Isla, a Black, transgender girl, is just an ordinary student when government forces arrest her and her teacher for revolutionary activity. This action turns Isla into an activist working for social justice. What follows is an exhilarating ride marked by danger, close calls, and betrayals, with love and friendship as the reward among a LGBTQ+ community. Throughout this coming of age dystopian novel are the cornerstones of an authoritarian loss of civil rights, violence, suppression, and, most importantly, the inevitable countermovement. It is within this movement that all human life is valued and fought for, and it is within this movement that heroes are born.

Genres: Fiction, Dystopia, Queer, LGBT, Mental Health, Transgender

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2021

About the author

Nicole Zelniker (she/they) is the indie author of several books, including FROM WHERE WE ARE and WE ARE MADE OF SCARS & STARLIGHT, which have both been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, and her young adult debut, ALL I KNOW SO FAR. She’s also the founder of Knee Brace Press, which is an online literary magazine devoted to stories about disability and mental health.

In her free time, Nicole enjoys re-reading her favorite books, talking about the intersection of queerness and chronic illness on the internet, and cuddling her formerly semi-feral tabby cat. You can keep up with them on TikTok at @nicolewritesbooks or Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram at @nicolezelniker.

Reviews

[MELISSA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always say if you finish a book and you are still recalling moments in the story or thinking about it days after that’s a sign of a good book.

I don’t normally pick up dystopian novels but this book’s description made me curious. It is a bit uncanny how the current events happening in our country how aligned this story. It was as if Ms. Zelniker had a crystal ball.

Like another reviewer shared, the pace of the book did seem rushed and relationships between characters could have used more development.

I look forward to reading some of Ms. Zelniker’s other novels in the future.

[M. Dressler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seek out energetic speculative fiction, especially the kind that pulls no punches. This is a dystopian novel set in a not-too-distant future where the United States of America have separated into distinct countries, with authoritarianism holding sway in the largest region, where a belligerent dictator and his repressive regime suppresses identities, speech, and freedom of movement, stifles classroom conversations, smothers facts, punishes dissent and makes war on the bodies of those who do not fit its very narrow definition of gender. Against this ignorance and inhumanity rises a group of people who will not look the other way as their friends, teachers, and family members are imprisoned or killed. If you are looking for a subtle book, this is not it. Zelniker has no time for gentleness. This is a plot-driven book that reads fast and reads bluntly, straddling a crossover space between young adult and adult fiction, with appealing young characters Hannah and Isla leading the way. UNTIL WE FALL is as much a warning as it is a novel, and, like the future it describes and the hope it defiantly strains toward, it is not for the faint of heart.

[Brandon Hoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the plot! The dystopian scenario felt extremely plausible which provided a sense of authenticity. It was a scary reality to say the least. I loved how inclusive Zelniker was with her characters. Representation is important and she did a wonderful job touching on all spectrums.

I personally felt like the pacing was off. I had trouble keeping track of the time line and how much time passed between events. For what was stated as month felt like a week. Another issue that prevented me from rating it as a 5 was to me, the MC and her sister didn’t come across as intelligent/mature as portrayed. Between certain dialogues and actions, I often pictured them as middle school aged rather than closer to graduation.

Overall I really loved this story and author and cannot wait to see more from her.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you walk into a book festival and come out with something you absolutely love. From the start this dystopian novel draws you in with similar situations to what's happening now in the USA and it's terrifying, but by the end gives you hope that the people will rise up and over come a tyrannical few who are trying to rule the country. I think the prose is easy to follow and allows the villains to reconcile with their wrongs by the end. I was super sad with not everyone making it out by the end, but that just makes it more realistic.

I highly recommend to those that are feeling dismal with the state of the US currently. It helps give you back hope.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something very special about being a Hunger Games teenager and then reading YA dystopian lit by one of your friends. One of the most special things about this book is the respect the adult characters have for the teenagers and young adults. It's such a departure from the rest of the genre. This also struck the perfect balance of death and survival to make it impactful, fairly realistic and overall hopeful.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the story that this book told, but for me the pacing was just too fast. I think I would have enjoyed this more if the events of the story were actually stretched into a couple of books - that way things wouldn't jump from event to event so quickly and I could get a little more invested in the characters.

[Bridgette Portman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An action-packed, inclusive dystopian novel with great representation. Zelniker crafts a future world that is frighteningly believable, given current trends. The plot is fast-paced and gripping, full of twists and turns that had me hooked from page one, and I quickly became emotionally invested in the characters and their efforts to escape persecution and overturn an unjust system.

[Allison Stalberg]

(I do not do star ratings anymore, as I don't think they are a fair assessment to literature.)

This is definitely a book that reflects the anxieties and fears our times. Read for found family meets social justice.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out our review of this book and other LGBTQ+ books on our new podcast, Your Rainbow Reads.

Available on all podcast platforms or at www.yourrainbowreads.com


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