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Book Review: The Shock of the Fall

THE SHOCK OF THE FALL by Nathan Filer
2 Stars
Verdict: Not worth it.

It took me 307 days to get through this book, which I’m sure is not the intended reading span. It just didn't grip me like I hoped it would.

From early on, I already felt like I knew Matt’s story enough to guess what wasn't said. It made it difficult to keep reading, and so I kept putting it down. Maybe I would have got more out of it if I read it one go, but I just couldn’t.

It opens with the death of Matt’s brother, and leads on to an uncomfortable relationship with his strange mother. From there, I felt like the book didn’t have much of a plot, just Matt’s life but in a jumbled ordered. I found it bland, and unsurprising. Page 178 is when I managed to push through to the end, but by then, it had already lost me.

I think too much was given away at the start. The gaps which were probably meant to keep readers guessing were small enough for me to stride over and reach the finish line long before the book was done.

What I enjoyed from reading this book – a few lines here and there, a good metaphor, the use of typography – wasn’t worth the effort (maybe I tried too hard). I can see from other reviews that a lot of people found it funny, emotive, and engaging, so all I can say is I couldn’t find those same qualities. I found it flat, and that is that.

Source: Bought it.

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