Eventually They All Fall

by Jenna Marcus

Domino Garrison knows that he is the king of all that is weird, but he would rather abdicate that throne. He would rather be a normal teenager who just goes to school and works at a bookstore—and for all intents and purposes—that's exactly how he appears to his peers; however, aside from his best friend, Griswold, no one knows Domino's secret, or his secrets. His father abandoned him and his only family—his mom—when he was 5 years old, and his mom is a drug addict who has a parade of men coming in and out of their home. Oh, and Domino has the ability to see into other people's fantasies. He thinks this ability is pretty useless; however, little does he know that his ability is more powerful and expansive than he thinks.

When extraordinary circumstances begin to occur, like massive earthquakes hitting the East coast, exotic animals wandering around zoos that they had not escaped from, and black sludge eviscerating everything in its path, Domino soon discovers that not only can he see fantasies, but he can also pull these fantasies into reality; however, doing so causes horrendous pain and mental anguish as Domino is concerned that the power he has could corrupt his mind.

However, he knows that it is up to him—with the support of his friends Griswold and Lucy, and his boss Miles—to put a stop to the unnatural occurrences plaguing the earth before it is too late.

296 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2022

About the author

Jenna Marcus is an academic leader with a passion for leveraging her decade of expertise to robustly enhance and redefine the quality of teaching and learning. She is also an avid reader, voracious coffee drinker, a vegan and supports animal rights. Currently, she is a Literacy Coordinator at a NYC charter school. In addition to her professional experience, she holds two Master of Science in Education degrees, one in Middle Childhood & Adolescent English Education and another in Educational Leadership as well as a BA in Literature. She is also certified in School Building Leadership and ELA (grades 7-12) in NYS. When she is not writing, you can find her reading a good book, or spending time with friends and family.

Reviews

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there's one thing I really love it's the power of imagination. So, when I read the blurb of this book I was sold. A world where the lines between fantasy and reality blur? Where a young boy can see everyone's fantasies? And where it's quite clear that whatever is happening is just as weird? Count me in! I was therefore very happy that I discovered this book on BookSirens and that I could grab myself a review copy!

The true star of this book was, without a doubt, the imagination and the ethical issues surrounding the powers of imagination. I really loved how we were shown the beauty of being able to see each other's fantasies, but we also saw the downside. It might sound a little cliche, but the powers in this book are really big and as the author and characters state: with big power comes big responsibility. So the author makes sure that it's not only about how cool these powers are.

The plot of the book is a little bizarre at times. The characters are constantly racing against time, constantly looking for a solution and encountering the most dangerous and absurd situations. And yet, everything does make sense. The mythology, the characters, the way the powers work, the limitations and possibilities, it all makes sense in the end when everything comes together and even the most convenient plot points have a really good explanation.

To make the book even more fun the characters in this book really act and sound like teenagers. Quite often teenagers in YA books act and sound way too grown up for their age. I understand that some teenagers do grow up way too soon, but not all of them and it's nice to also see those teenage teenagers in books once in a while. And, even though the romance is subtile and not very prominent, it feels like a very realistic teenage romance with some great growth too!

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eventually, They All Fall by Jenna Marcus is a young adult urban fantasy. Domino Garrison knows that he is the king of all that is weird, but he would rather abdicate that throne. He would rather be a normal teenager who just goes to school and works at a bookstore—and for all intents and purposes—that's exactly how he appears to his peers; however, aside from his best friend, Griswold, no one knows Domino's secret, or his secrets. His father abandoned him and his only family—his mom—when he was 5 years old, and his mom is a drug addict who has a parade of men coming in and out of their home. Oh, and Domino has the ability to see into other people's fantasies. He thinks this ability is pretty useless; however, little does he know that his ability is more powerful and expansive than he thinks. When extraordinary circumstances begin to occur, like massive earthquakes hitting the East coast, exotic animals wandering around zoos that they had not escaped from, and black sludge eviscerating everything in its path, Domino soon discovers that not only can he see fantasies, but he can also pull these fantasies into reality; however, doing so causes horrendous pain and mental anguish as Domino is concerned that the power he has could corrupt his mind. However, he knows that it is up to him—with the support of his friends Griswold and Lucy, and his boss Miles—to put a stop to the unnatural occurrences plaguing the earth before it is too late.

Eventually, They All Fall is a read with a great premise and some intriguing possibilities. I thought the character introduction and building was very well done, and the world building for Domino's gifts was well done. I was glad to see character and relationship growth across the board, and even though there is a hint of romance, it did not take over the other aspects of the story and stayed in the background for the most part. I thought the problems the group faced were well constructed and handled, even if a few details seemed a little too easy for me - but when the magic involved is wish fulfillment it does make sense. There were some twists that went in a completely different direction than I was expecting, and some that follow my expectations. It was nice to be surprised a couple times. I will say that I liked everything about the book, but I did not get that 'I need to get back to reading" urge that some books give me. I do not think it had anything to do with the book or writing, but rather it was not the right book for me at the time. I still will be recommending it to those in my circle that I feel will enjoy it. I think there is a large audience for this book and I am interested to see where the story goes from here.

Eventually, They All Fall is an engaging read the young adults and adults alike can enjoy.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Domino has always had the ability to perceive the fantasies of others, even ones he would prefer to be blissfully unaware of. For the most part, his abilities are a well kept secret. The only other person who knows is his best friend. However, when odd natural disasters start striking across the globe he learns he is not the only one with unnatural abilities. Domino and a group of friends begin to hunt down his father, who left him and his mom when he was a kid. Unfortunately, things become much more complicated.

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Truly, I would give this book 3.5 stars if it was possible. Considering this rating system is subjective, I'll elaborate. A rating of 3 stars means that I liked the book. The extra half a point was for the uniqueness of the plot line. I have read a lot of books, but I've never read one with a similar idea.

I loved the fact that the title had a strong relation to an idea in the book and the chapter names.

One thing that did not thrill me as much was the number of mentions of "released a breath that I didn't know I was holding". I can think of at least five instances in this 296 page book. In my opinion, it's a bit excessive.

Overall, I think this book is a worthwhile read for those who enjoy this genre.

[Kurtis Mcdowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book if for nothing else the original plot line. The plot was not just a washing machine rehash of other books or ideas. I appreciate not going over the top on the young adult aspect and not making it a wanna be romance novel between two teens. I felt for all the characters in the book, whether that be Domino, Griswold, Lucy, Max, or the drunk at the dumpster. Each of these characters had enough depth that they could be woven into their own story lines in separate books. I would like to learn more about Dr Sutai, and thought Lucy should have been less of a wall flower. Although the death of three characters occurred, each had their own unique ending. The vocabulary building was well used and sufficient and it didn't overpower standard text to the point that the book was uncomfortable to read. I agree with Jenna that the phrase "released a breath that I didn't know I was holding" seemed to be a bit over used. This was a uniquely enjoyable read that I would recommend to others.

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Eventually They All Fall’ is a young adult fantasy. It is filled with urban fantasy and created for the young mind. The story revolves around a boy called Domino and his power being able to view other people’s desires.
Domino is a special child, and although, at first, he is just a teenager working at a bookstore, once he begins to believe in his own abilities, things manifest on an even larger scale, causing the world’s fate to be at stake.

I was intrigued and hooked from the start. The concept was novel, and the characters increased my enjoyment of the story. The pace of the story was steady and perfect for the coming-of-age story. I recommend this book to fantasy fans.

[Georgina Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it flowed really well and was so easy to read that I read it in about 24 hours!

The main character, Domino, can see things from other people’s imagination. The only other person that knows is his best friend, Griswold, who helps him on this adventure. I got vibes of Percy Jackson (without the myths & prophecies), Stranger Things and Fantastic Beasts/Harry Potter with the magic and fantasy involved. The story is brilliant, well written and full of adventure with a touch of humour, sarcasm and seriousness when needed.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a young adult Fantasy, definitely different from anything I have read before.

It literally allows you to go as far as your imagination will allow.

The characters are well developed and with a twist in the story it just kept getting better.