Reviews

The Fell by Sarah Moss

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hongjoongie's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

She sits up, turns on the bedside light. One day, one hour approaching minute by minute, second by second, she'll be dead. In the time she's spent thinking this thought, the moment has come closer. One morning will be her last morning, one sleepless night, one waking, the last. A last set of clothes, brushing of hair and teeth. There'll be no more feeling in her skin, no more thinking in her mind or seeing in her eyes, blood will still and pool and darken, muscles set in their last form, skin begin to shrink. She will have to face the end just as everyone else has, her parents and her brother and Mark himself, who she thinks probably did know what was happening, just those final few minutes, the pain suddenly not indigestion at all, the fall, the last look of question and outrage, because even what they call a sudden death happens in time, must be endured, and how do you not know, how do you not think, that your own turn will come, that we all go into the darkness and end? How is that not frightening? Stop it, she thinks, stop it …

Wonderful writing and depiction of the debilitating effects of isolation.

katewhite77's review against another edition

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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.

Content Warnings

jayg's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

fernweh85's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

fionacummings64's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

motherofladybirds's review against another edition

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3.0

I thought the premise was intriguing and allowed the author to explore a number of perspectives about lockdowns and quarantine during the pandemic. I felt we had very long periods inside each narrators head and I would have welcomed the narrative being a bit more mixed up. Naturally there was no real conclusion to such a complex subject where many people have strong views and many swift judgements of others' conduct were made. Most of the characters displayed understanding and compassion, but such behaviours did lead to death and extreme disabilities.