I picked up "The Falling Woman" because it snagged a Nebula Prize. But, as I'm discovering with the Nebulas, I don't really think this was the best sci-fi of 1986. That was a year Bujold dropped *three* Vorkosigan novels, including her absolute best, "The Warrior's Apprentice"; Asimov gave us "Foundation and Earth", the fifth in the Foundation series; and Stanislaw Lem published the excellent "Fiasco". Pat Murphy's "The Falling Woman" felt way too predictable. The characters are one-dimensional...

I absolutely adored "The Falling Woman." It weaves together several plot threads, each captivating in its own right, and the way they all converged at the end was simply masterful. The characters are richly drawn and unforgettable, and Murphy's depiction of time and place is spot-on. If you're looking for a great read, I highly recommend "The Falling Woman." A must-read for fans of Pat Murphy and a top pick for my best book reviews of the year!

I barely recall a thing about "The Falling Woman," even though I must have read it back when it snagged the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1987. Giving my memory a nudge, I stumbled across Mara's concise 2-star review, which pretty much nails it:"I picked this up because of all the glowing reviews, but honestly, it was a total bore. It's basically 272 pages of beautiful writing focused on two characters I couldn't muster any interest in whatsoever..." https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Chec...

Look aliveSee these bonesWhat you are nowWe were onceAnd just like we areYou'll be dust...—Nada Surf, "See These Bones," from the album Lucky (2008)I must've first read The Falling Woman shortly after it came out, more than thirty years ago—but I'm afraid I didn't remember much about it when I picked up this handsome trade paperback reissue from Open Road. That's entirely my fault; upon this rereading, I found myself thoroughly amazed by Pat Murphy's Nebula Award-winning novel, and how adroitly ...

I really wanted to fall head-over-heels for this mother-daughter story, but I just couldn't quite connect with it on an emotional level. I appreciated the structure and the way it switched between perspectives, but the plot of "The Falling Woman" by Pat Murphy just left me wanting something more. As far as book reviews go, this one's tough because I see the potential, but it didn't fully grab me.

Pat Murphy's "The Falling Woman," a Nebula Award winner from 1988, boasts a wealth of potential that, unfortunately, never quite gels into a truly satisfying read. One of its strongest suits is its impeccably crafted sense of place; I was consistently and vividly immersed in every setting, particularly the archeological dig site amidst Mayan ruins where the majority of the story unfolds. Another strength lies in its clear-eyed and intimate portrayal of two women – a hesitant mother and her daugh...

The Falling Woman is a slow-burn, atmospheric read that sunk its hooks into me and refused to let go. I absolutely adored the setting—the archaeological dig site, the simmering tensions within the excavation team, even the strained dynamic between the long-estranged mother and daughter… It truly captures the feel of a place steeped in history, significance, and perhaps even lingering spirits. It's a challenge to articulate, and attempting to do so would be a disservice if you intend to read The ...

When one of the local workers on a Yucatan archeological site breaks his ankle, the local hospital fixes him up, but his mother, the cook for the archeological team, insists that the local *curandera* be brought in to check him out as well. This old woman also wants to meet Elizabeth Butler, the middle-aged and well-known leader of the team. She identifies Butler as a witch. Butler isn't bothered by this opinion. She can even appreciate it. All her life, she has lived with shadows of the past i...

Maybe I'm just too hopeful, but I honestly expected more from an award-winning book like *The Falling Woman* by Pat Murphy. Then again, maybe I should have known better. One of the blurbs on the back cover says the writing is "generally above average." If that's the best praise you can find to put on a book, consider that a major red flag. I don't have a ton of truly *bad* things to say about *The Falling Woman*. But I also don't have a lot of *good* things to say, either. The characters were w...

Told through the alternating first-person perspectives of archaeologist Elizabeth Butler and her adult daughter, Diane, *The Falling Woman* delves into the intricate relationships between individuals, the interplay of past and present, the tension between abstract theory and tangible reality, and the connection between physical environment and culture. Elizabeth, a long-divorced expert in Mayan archaeology, is actively excavating at Dzibilichaltun when her daughter unexpectedly arrives. Diane h...