The Splendor Falls - Review

Sylvie, a 17 year old prodigy, the youngest principal ballerina ever to dance for the prestigious American Ballet...that is until a career ending fall, a fall that happened during her very first performance with the company, a fall that left her with a compound tibia and fibular fracture. A fall that she could never recover enough from, to dance again.

The fall happening just months after Sylvie looses her father...to Sylvie, it seems life itself is falling apart, breaking at the very seems, threatening to pull her through.

Then, as if that was not enough, Sylvie is sent to live with her cousin – in back woods Alabama, a town she knows NOTHING about, with people she's only barely met. Her mother, and her new step father, declaring that NYC is no place for a 17 year old, depressed girl, to stay while they are on there honey moon.

Sylvie, basically shuts down, not caring where she's going...at least not enough to ask any questions....About this town, a place her father spent his summers as a child, but never talked about...

When Sylvie gets to Alabama, weird things start to happen, people seem to be omitting things, trying to hide things from her, secrets flare and Sylvie herself begins to think she's going crazy...

There's a mystery surrounding the house, and its inhabitants, can Sylvie figure out the mystery before it's to late to save herself and those she's starting to care about? Can she save herself and get back all she's lost?

(There is sooo much more to this book – even reading the flap there's a lot more there...but I tried to describe it better and kept wanting to give to much away...so this, from me is all you get! If you want more, you should read the book!)

Rosemary Clement-Moore, wow...what can I say other than WOW? The Splendor Falls is a hauntingly, beautiful, love story with a twist!

Rosemary, with her writing, creates a vivid world, as well as amazingly real characters. She mixes a hint of history, with a romantic, dark setting, which makes The Splendor Falls a rich, full intoxicating read. I was drawn in from the first pages...and I can't wait to pick up another of Rosemary's books!

The descriptions in this book are so real, I could almost imagine myself touching, feeling and living the life Sylvie is, struggling with her, laughing along side her, as well as being annoyed by the ever present Rhys (not to mention Shawn).

It's hard to put into words, exactly what The Splendor Falls is...the best I can do is; It's a slow, steady book, with amazing descriptions, and very well developed characters, full of strengths and weaknesses (which I found refreshing, our heron Sylvie was not always “perfect”). (And I don't mean slow as in, there's nothing going on, NOT AT ALL, this book is full of plot twists, humor and so much more. With little details that you think don't mean anything but...look out!) It's hauntingly beautiful...and if you enjoyed Beautiful Creatures, I think you will really enjoy this one too!

The only bad part, which was also part of what made it sooo good, is the descriptions – sometimes I found them overpowering, not so much as to over take the story but enough to sometimes get on my nerves.

This book receives a 4 stars.

The Splendor Falls
Written by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Published: September 8, 2009
518 Pages (Hardcover)