The Shock Of The Fall by Nathan Filer

5 Stars from me!

The Shock Of The Fall is a gentle yet deeply moving story told through the eyes of MatthewHomes as he grows up and battles a mental illness alongside grief and guilt following the death of his brother, Simon.

I really enjoyed this completely different narrative style; the places where the typeface is different all add to the atmosphere of the book. Things like that can often be twee and unnecessary but I felt it added to the overall enjoyment of the book in this case. STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER for example gave me a wry smile.

This is a mostly sad book which has touches of humour and small uplifting sections. I thought the glimpse into the life of an adult living with a serious mental disorder was fascinating, a real caution not to judge the person next to you on the bus or in front of you in a queue – you never know what someone is living with inside.

I can see why The Shock Of The Fall has been so highly rated and has won so many reviews, it’s literary style and bravery of subject are refreshing, clever, interesting to read and make for a great story.

I can’t help wondering whether the illness the size and sound of a snake would always have reared it’s ugly head or whether it was entirely caused by Simon’s death, or even coaxed into life by his mum’s ill-timed attentions?