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caitlinm248's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kfrig's review against another edition
3.0
Do you ever enter a reading rut where everything you read feels similar? Even if the book is PHENOMENAL, sometimes it just feels SIMILAR to everything else in some way? This is no fault of an author, but a fault of the reader (like me!) who has trouble finding the right books to keep things fresh. I picked up Lean Fall Stand at our local Indie bookstore because the Antarctic adventure backdrop seemed interesting. Instead of finding a story about a group in Antarctica, I found a refreshingly different book. The novel is divided into three periods of time stemming from a tragedy in Antarctica. I'm not entirely sure of the plot (or if it really mattered) but was caught up in the writing style and structure. I was seeking an interesting adventurous plot (which may have brought me more sameness) but instead I found my reading palate cleansed by this deceivingly unique novel. I greatly enjoyed many of the passages, especially in the "Lean" (first 1/3 of book) section but the story was not very notable. To earn a high rating from me, there must be a compelling story. 3.5 stars.
patokoao's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
mscezik's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sadiereadsagain's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book up purely for the author. Even when I saw it was about an Antarctic expedition - something I wouldn't be interested in reading - I still went for it on the strength of the author. McGregor's [b:If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things|103345|If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things|Jon McGregor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440279416l/103345._SY75_.jpg|1094652] is one of my favourite books, and so I wanted to see if I still loved his writing just as much.
Being dubious about the Antarctic setting, I was surprised at how quickly I was drawn in and hooked by this book. Three men carrying out studies from an isolated station find themselves in an unpredicted and incredibly dangerous situation. One man, the only experienced member of the team, is incapacitated and fails to act to avoid a tragic outcome. This section had me riveted, especially as it transpired what the nature of the incapacity was.
The book then abruptly changes setting and pace, but I found it no less compelling, as McGregor takes us back to England and into the world of aphasia and rehabilitation. We join a speech therapy group, and a wife struggling with her role as carer to a husband she has lived a very separate life to until he has to rely on her for almost his every need.
This book is a raw and real look at how the health we often take for granted can change in a moment, the repercussions of which can and very often do extend further than just the person suffering. There are no heroes or saints here, just a very realistic portrayal of how people are flung into either patient or carer mode with little prior warning, and how life changing that can be for both. Identities, relationships and the importance of telling our stories are all at the heart of this book, wrapped in exactly the quality plot and prose which I knew to expect from this fabulous author.
I was sent a Netgalley of this title from 4th Estate in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
Being dubious about the Antarctic setting, I was surprised at how quickly I was drawn in and hooked by this book. Three men carrying out studies from an isolated station find themselves in an unpredicted and incredibly dangerous situation. One man, the only experienced member of the team, is incapacitated and fails to act to avoid a tragic outcome. This section had me riveted, especially as it transpired what the nature of the incapacity was.
The book then abruptly changes setting and pace, but I found it no less compelling, as McGregor takes us back to England and into the world of aphasia and rehabilitation. We join a speech therapy group, and a wife struggling with her role as carer to a husband she has lived a very separate life to until he has to rely on her for almost his every need.
This book is a raw and real look at how the health we often take for granted can change in a moment, the repercussions of which can and very often do extend further than just the person suffering. There are no heroes or saints here, just a very realistic portrayal of how people are flung into either patient or carer mode with little prior warning, and how life changing that can be for both. Identities, relationships and the importance of telling our stories are all at the heart of this book, wrapped in exactly the quality plot and prose which I knew to expect from this fabulous author.
I was sent a Netgalley of this title from 4th Estate in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
quasimodo_dragon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
vezrity's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
serendipitysbooks's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Lean Fall Stand is a book of three parts, just like it’s title. The first part is set at an Antarctic research station. It felt like the book was going to be a blokey survival story and I was questioning why I had it on my TBR in the first place. While that broad description fits the first part of the novel the other two parts are decidedly different. They follow Doc and his wife Anna. He’s an Antarctic veteran who suffered a stroke during whiteout conditions, only narrowly survived, and is suffering from severe aphasia. I thought the depictions of his struggles to relearn everyday tasks and regain the ability to communicate were handled with compassion. So too the difficulties faced by Anna. She was strongly invested in her career and their relationship was not the strongest. Yet she was expected to become his full-time career with little guidance or practical support. That lack of support was one of my abiding memories of this book. I also enjoyed the final section which focussed on a community support and rehabilitation group. Watching different characters regain some degree of communication and movement, albeit in non-standard ways was very moving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Medical content
Moderate: Death and Ableism
best_lemon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
thisotherbookaccount's review against another edition
3.0
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thisotherbookaccount
This book’s synopsis will have you believe that it is about an Antarctic expedition gone wrong and how the survivors live through the ordeal. However, since it’s also a book by McGregor, who has a reputation, it isn’t JUST about that.
Robert ‘Doc’ Wright is a 33-year veteran of Antarctic expeditions. During a survey mission, Doc and his team are hit by a freak storm, causing one of them to pass away. Doc himself suffers a stroke, which then leads to a severe case of aphasia. The rest of the book, then, is about how he has to come to terms with his inability to communicate, relearn how to move and get back on his feet once more.
This book leans way too heavily on the technical details of recovery (how to button buttons, how to sip water, how to put on trousers, how to use the bathroom, how to pronounce words with more than two syllables) and not on the mental/emotional impact of trauma.
Part 2 is told from the perspective of Anna, Doc’s wife, who is suddenly saddled with her infirmed husband. How does she feel as a caregiver of her estranged husband? How does it feel to put aside her career? McGregor doesn’t explore this at all, choosing instead to focus on Doc’s slow but steady recovery. While still interesting, I cannot help but feel like he missed a huge opportunity there.
Part 3 is more of the same, but told from the perspective of a speech therapist. I get what the book is trying to say: that ‘recovery’ is more than just the ability to speak, but the ability to communicate and ‘tell stories’. However, when the book sometimes reads like a speech therapist’s handbook, you do wonder if it’s better to not tell stories at all.
Lean Fall Stand is not bad, really. As my first entry to McGregor’s works, it just tastes like a slice of dry pie. The reason why it doesn’t get fewer stars is because, having spoken to @gothookedonbooks, I’ve come to appreciate the work of Speech Language Pathologists.
This book’s synopsis will have you believe that it is about an Antarctic expedition gone wrong and how the survivors live through the ordeal. However, since it’s also a book by McGregor, who has a reputation, it isn’t JUST about that.
Robert ‘Doc’ Wright is a 33-year veteran of Antarctic expeditions. During a survey mission, Doc and his team are hit by a freak storm, causing one of them to pass away. Doc himself suffers a stroke, which then leads to a severe case of aphasia. The rest of the book, then, is about how he has to come to terms with his inability to communicate, relearn how to move and get back on his feet once more.
This book leans way too heavily on the technical details of recovery (how to button buttons, how to sip water, how to put on trousers, how to use the bathroom, how to pronounce words with more than two syllables) and not on the mental/emotional impact of trauma.
Part 2 is told from the perspective of Anna, Doc’s wife, who is suddenly saddled with her infirmed husband. How does she feel as a caregiver of her estranged husband? How does it feel to put aside her career? McGregor doesn’t explore this at all, choosing instead to focus on Doc’s slow but steady recovery. While still interesting, I cannot help but feel like he missed a huge opportunity there.
Part 3 is more of the same, but told from the perspective of a speech therapist. I get what the book is trying to say: that ‘recovery’ is more than just the ability to speak, but the ability to communicate and ‘tell stories’. However, when the book sometimes reads like a speech therapist’s handbook, you do wonder if it’s better to not tell stories at all.
Lean Fall Stand is not bad, really. As my first entry to McGregor’s works, it just tastes like a slice of dry pie. The reason why it doesn’t get fewer stars is because, having spoken to @gothookedonbooks, I’ve come to appreciate the work of Speech Language Pathologists.