The Girl Who Fell from the Sky

By Heidi W. Durrow

Book Overview

Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after a fateful morning on their Chicago rooftop.

Forced to move to a new city, with her strict African American grandmother as her guardian, Rachel is thrust for the first time into a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring a constant stream of attention her way. It's there, as she grows up and tries to swallow her grief, that she comes to understand how the mystery and tragedy of her mother might be connected to her own uncertain identity.

This searing and heartwrenching portrait of a young biracial girl dealing with society's ideas of race and class is the winner of the Bellwether Prize for best fiction manuscript addressing issues of social justice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1616200154
• ISBN13: 9781616200152
• Release Date: January 2011
• Publisher: Algonquin Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

3.75 stars

THE GIRL WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by Heidi W. Durrow I’m conflicted. The first half of this book really drew me in, but the second half (and end) left too many things unexplored and unresolved. I appreciate the interweaving of Rachel’s experience with addiction, gender roles, race and identity, societal expectations and stereotypes. The book addresses these topics in a compelling way without coming off as overly preachy. That said, I wish the timeline and multiple POVs weren’t so… scattered. I understand the goal was to have the reader make inferences to piece together the mystery, but it didn’t hit the mark for me. I also wanted Rachel to have had a chance to explore her feelings once she finds out/come to terms with what happened. Overall, this was a poignant, coming of age story that provides a fresh perspective when it comes to racial and gender identity. It would make a good choice for a book club. Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐️