Falling by Marc Burgio is a literary Matryoshka doll of life stories, layered in superbly crafted relief, with a Carnival adventure on the 15th June 1995 at its core. A Carnival attended by a group of young preteens who, with the exuberance of youth, set out on a course to wonderous adventure, only to be brought up short by the surprising impact of life’s uncertainties; a random and completely unexpected incident that will set them all on paths to redefined futures. The ripples of this impact will reverberate through time in ever-increasing waves of destruction, as each personality in this journey of life tries to ride out the after-effects of tragedy, whilst navigating the travails of societies that we all face.

Initially, Marc Burgio’s Falling may seem to be a daunting read, being over 900 pages in length and containing graphic violence and sexual content, however, you will quickly realize it will be a very worthwhile reading experience. Mr. Burgio has a smooth writing style, that allows his book to flow effortlessly, and is quite accomplished at painting rich and vivid canvasses, which allow you to sink seamlessly into the story’s environment; an environment of incredible diversity, covering huge sections of the world and sweeping vistas of the human condition. The portrayal of characters was spot on, with each being cast in chilling clarity, almost to the point of becoming someone you may have known in your past. This was highlighted in Gisela, where you have a privileged vantage of actually seeing a teenage grow up with each page turned, warts and all. This is our species laid bare and the things we are capable of astounds in scale and shocks in effect; not dissimilar to the impact you will feel from reading Falling.

Falling by Marc Burgio is a novel with lots of drama, suspense, and action to sweep you off your feet and land you right in the pages of this fantastic novel. Jeremy doesn’t remember much. His memories are foggy, but if he tries hard enough, he can remember them. Talking with Annie brings back memories that he has repressed for years, but now that they have touched the surface, they are not going away. However, it is the picture of his cousin Julia that jogs memories he doesn’t want to remember. But the real trouble begins when Julia suddenly appears in his life and confesses to murdering three people. She makes him remember things he did in the past and makes him question things he'd rather not even think about. This trip down memory lane proves to be more than what he wanted. But when Julia brings chaos back into his life, things are going to get worse and the only thing he can do is try to survive.

Falling by Marc Burgio is not a light novel. Several themes will be too much and triggering for some readers so read with caution. That being said, this is a brilliantly composed story that delves deep into the human psyche and how there is darkness in all of us. Julia is the kind of character that baffles you, but she is very straightforward. She is unapologetic, she accepts her craziness and the way she is. She is not proud of it but she doesn’t regret killing people even though her conscience is alive enough for her to realize what she did was wrong. Jeremy’s character is very conflicting, which is great because his growth becomes more prominent as well. Ivy and Gisela play a vital role in his growth and so does Annie. The acceptance that Jeremy has for himself at the end is a great way to conclude the story. All in all, a great novel to keep you up at night. Complex, intense, and very well-written.