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meruhisu 's review for:
The Shock of the Fall
by Nathan Filer
It's been over a year now since I've finished this book I believe, but I still find myself thinking about it constantly.
Though the story itself was compelling and what intrigued me to read this book in the first place, it was really the writing that made me finish it as fast as I possible could.
This book's story and Nathan Filer's writing style is beautiful and mesmerizing from start to finish.
(Spoilers ahead)
I remember reading the chapter from Matthew's (protagonist) past where he was 10 I believe, and stabbed a classmate with a compass needle and having to put the book down for a minute to take everything in. The writing in that particular chapter is what made me fall in love with the whole book.
"There is weather and there is climate. If it rains outside, or if you stab a classmate's shoulder with a compass needle, over and over, until his white cotton school shirt looks like blotting paper, that is the weather. But if you live in a place where it is often likely to rain, or your perception falters and dislocates so that you retreat, suspicious and afraid of those closest to you, that is climate. These are the things we learnt at school. [...] The teacher put on a video, about the weather and the climate. Do you remember the difference? The lights were off to help us see the screen better, so I don't think Jacob noticed me reach into his pencil case and take out the set of compasses. I've already said what happened next. Sorry, Jacob."
I shiver every time I read that particular chapter and while it might've seemed obvious what was about to happen, especially when you know about Matthew's condition, which you do as a reader, I did not see that coming and all the air left my lungs. That chapter took my breath away from the first line to the setting of the scene up until the last two words. This book is a must read in my opinion and I think it captures mental illness and the topic of grief very well.
I also feel the intense need to reread this book now.
Though the story itself was compelling and what intrigued me to read this book in the first place, it was really the writing that made me finish it as fast as I possible could.
This book's story and Nathan Filer's writing style is beautiful and mesmerizing from start to finish.
(Spoilers ahead)
I remember reading the chapter from Matthew's (protagonist) past where he was 10 I believe, and stabbed a classmate with a compass needle and having to put the book down for a minute to take everything in. The writing in that particular chapter is what made me fall in love with the whole book.
"There is weather and there is climate. If it rains outside, or if you stab a classmate's shoulder with a compass needle, over and over, until his white cotton school shirt looks like blotting paper, that is the weather. But if you live in a place where it is often likely to rain, or your perception falters and dislocates so that you retreat, suspicious and afraid of those closest to you, that is climate. These are the things we learnt at school. [...] The teacher put on a video, about the weather and the climate. Do you remember the difference? The lights were off to help us see the screen better, so I don't think Jacob noticed me reach into his pencil case and take out the set of compasses. I've already said what happened next. Sorry, Jacob."
I shiver every time I read that particular chapter and while it might've seemed obvious what was about to happen, especially when you know about Matthew's condition, which you do as a reader, I did not see that coming and all the air left my lungs. That chapter took my breath away from the first line to the setting of the scene up until the last two words. This book is a must read in my opinion and I think it captures mental illness and the topic of grief very well.
I also feel the intense need to reread this book now.