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A review by katewhite77
The Fell by Sarah Moss
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
A Quiet Novel About The Psychological Effects Of Isolation
Set over a few hours during the second covid lockdown, we hear the story from four perspectives, Kate who goes on an ill advised hike up the local fell, Mat her teenage son, Alice their neighbour who is also shielding and Rob a member of mountain rescue.
This is an abject lesson in There But For The Grace of God Go I, and a reminder of how scared people were of braking the law for doing the most mundane of things and also how judgemental people were of others. It is also a reminder that lockdown was especially hard on those with a mental illness.
To tell the story mostly through a stream of consciousness style was a clever idea as it gave the novel an extra clostraphobic feel. The best thing about the book for me personally, though, was the references to British foĺk music throughout.
If you're looking for a short, quiet, and thoughtful novel about that strange time, then this one might be for you.
Set over a few hours during the second covid lockdown, we hear the story from four perspectives, Kate who goes on an ill advised hike up the local fell, Mat her teenage son, Alice their neighbour who is also shielding and Rob a member of mountain rescue.
This is an abject lesson in There But For The Grace of God Go I, and a reminder of how scared people were of braking the law for doing the most mundane of things and also how judgemental people were of others. It is also a reminder that lockdown was especially hard on those with a mental illness.
To tell the story mostly through a stream of consciousness style was a clever idea as it gave the novel an extra clostraphobic feel. The best thing about the book for me personally, though, was the references to British foĺk music throughout.
If you're looking for a short, quiet, and thoughtful novel about that strange time, then this one might be for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Cancer