“Fallen”, a literary saga by Lauren Kate, has captivated millions of readers worldwide with its romantic and supernatural intrigues. This series, blending love, fallen angels, and redemption, quickly found its audience in the young adult genre, which was on the rise in the early 2010s. This enthusiasm led to film and television adaptations, marking a natural transition from the page to the screen.
The Books: An Angelic Love Story
The Fallen saga begins with the first book, published in 2009, which introduces Lucinda Price (nicknamed Luce), a teenager sent to a boarding school for troubled youths after a tragic incident. There, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Daniel Grigori, a mysterious student who seems to have known her forever. What she discovers is even stranger: Daniel is a fallen angel, and their forbidden love has been cursed for centuries.
The success of the first book quickly led to the release of several sequels:
- “Torment” (2010)
- “Passion” (2011)
- “Rapture” (2012), which concludes the quadrilogy.
The series explores universal themes such as eternal love, free will, and the struggle between good and evil while delving into a world of celestial beings and fascinating mythologies. This blend particularly appealed to young readers who were fans of paranormal romance, a genre that was trending following the phenomenal success of Twilight.
In addition to the four main novels, Lauren Kate also wrote a novella, “Fallen in Love”, and a companion book, “Unforgiven”, which explores the story of another key character in the series, Cam, another fallen angel with a complex past.
Film Adaptations: A Much-Anticipated but Mixed Reception
The success of the Fallen books did not go unnoticed in Hollywood. In 2016, a film adaptation of the first book, Fallen, was released, directed by Scott Hicks. The film stars Addison Timlin as Lucinda Price, Jeremy Irvine as Daniel Grigori, and Harrison Gilbertson as Cam.
Unfortunately, despite high fan expectations, the film did not achieve the same success as the literary saga. Reviews were mixed, criticizing the film’s slow pace, lack of character development, and difficulty capturing the depth of the novel’s plot. Many felt that the adaptation failed to do justice to the richness of the world created by Lauren Kate, particularly when compared to other successful book adaptations of the time.
However, the film did manage to attract a devoted fan base, especially among those who were already fans of the books. Nevertheless, the studios did not continue with plans to produce sequels to adapt the remaining books in the series.
The Idea of a TV Series: Fans’ Wait Ends in 2024
After the lukewarm reception of the film, some fans hoped that the Fallen saga might be better suited to a TV series format. The richly detailed universe, complex characters, and emotional story arcs do seem more fitting for a series format that would allow for a deeper exploration of the saga’s themes.
Based on the books, the eight-part series Fallen has been available in Switzerland on Sky Show since August 2024. This season recounts the exciting story of Lucinda Price and her love story across the centuries.
The main roles are played by Jessica Alexander («The Little Mermaid»), Alexander Siddig («Star Trek: Deep Space Nine»), Sarah Niles («Ted Lasso»), Gijs Blom («The Letter for the King»), and Timothy Innes («The Last Kingdom»).
The eight-episode fantasy series was developed and produced by Claudia Bluemhuber from the Swiss production company Silver Reel, and written by Roland Moore (« Humans ») and Rachel Paterson (« Domina »). Claudia Bluemhuber, Matt Hastings, and Herbert L. Kloiber are the executive producers, assisted by co-executive producers Florian Dargel, Alexander Jooss, and Karol Griffiths. The series was produced by Silver Reel and co-produced by Night Train Media. Alen Bulic supervised the series for Silver Reel.
Why has Fallen made an impact?
The success of Fallen is primarily based on its ability to blend classic and timeless themes with a supernatural twist. The idea of a cursed love that spans centuries, embodied by fallen angels, gives the romance an epic dimension. Additionally, Luce’s story, as she gradually uncovers truths about her past and her connection to the angels, is both intriguing and emotionally captivating.
The saga has also managed to capture the interest of young adults, partly due to its dark atmosphere, moral dilemmas, and deeply tormented characters. It fits into the lineage of popular sagas like Twilight and The Mortal Instruments, which combine love, mystery, and the supernatural.
Fallen remains a significant work in the young adult literature field. With unforgettable characters, fascinating mythology, and a plot full of twists, it has managed to touch the hearts of many readers.
