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The Shock of the Fall cover art

The Shock of the Fall

By: Nathan Filer
Narrated by: OIiver Hembrough
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Summary

WINNER OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2013

WINNER OF THE SPECSAVERS POPULAR FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014

WINNER OF THE BETTY TRASK PRIZE 2014

‘I’ll tell you what happened because it will be a good way to introduce my brother. His name’s Simon. I think you’re going to like him. I really do. But in a couple of pages he’ll be dead. And he was never the same after that.’

There are books you can’t stop reading, which keep you up all night.

There are books which let us into the hidden parts of life and make them vividly real.

There are books which, because of the sheer skill with which every word is chosen, linger in your mind for days.

The Shock of the Fall is all of these books.

The Shock of the Fall is an extraordinary portrait of one man’s descent into mental illness. It is a brave and groundbreaking novel from one of the most exciting new voices in fiction.

©2013 Nathan Filer (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

‘A stunning novel. Ambitious and exquisitely realised, it's by turns shocking, harrowing and heartrending. The writing is so accomplished it's hard to believe it's a debut – it's clearly the work of a major new talent' S J WATSON

‘Nathan Filer is following in the footsteps of Mark Haddon’s genre-setting The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time. Both funny and painful… you’re going to love it’ DAILY MAIL

‘Bittersweet and wonderfully etched…perceptive and moving’ TELEGRAPH

What listeners say about The Shock of the Fall

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Tender and heartwarming

This is a wonderful. The author has been careful to maintain a realistic picture about mental illness, and yet it is not completely bleak. The image of Matthew alone in his flat obsessively working at his typewriter is heartbreaking but this is mitigated by the persistence on Nanny Noo who's love pervades this story.
The grey area between being a normal person and somebody who is defined as mad is brilliantly depicted. All of a sudden reading a book becomes 'reading behaviour'' in the eyes of the observer. In addition I really began to understand why people resist being subjected to drug regimes that are merely a blunt instrument to deal with the problem.

I have met a number of young people who have suffered the same problems as Matthew. This story has helped me understand a little of what they are going through.

The narration from Oliver Hembrough is first class and his Bristol accent adds an authentic
air to the story.

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Captivating characters and a facinating journey.

What did you like most about The Shock of the Fall?

The concise language used for a complex subject gives the reader a clear view from inside the mind on a young person dealing with grief, it is not a sentimental or depressing read but rather an enlightening tale of the cause and effect of mental illness on a typical family.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the way the author gives all the family members a point of view. The services available to help families were shown to be well meaning but at times useless, this injected humour at times, the narrative is speedy and the story truly takes you on a journey of discovery.

What about OIiver Hembrough’s performance did you like?

I thought the narrator brought the main character life and that he gave the story the pace it needed.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me laugh out loud and also cry for the unfairness of life. I would also say it gave me a feeling hope.

Any additional comments?

This book deals with a very difficult subject in a wonderfully written story, the characters are all very "alive", even when they are not. A brilliant read.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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An amasing book

Would you listen to The Shock of the Fall again? Why?

I would definately listen to it again, all the characters were brilliant

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Shock of the Fall?

I loved the way he describes the centre it is so true to life
I adored Nanny Noo, I wish everyone one has that person in their lives.
Well written.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I loved how the story was carefully unravelled
How he loved his brother

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both it made me laugh and cry

Any additional comments?

I had reservations when I started reading but I very soon could not stop listening
Read in two days
Great read
C Young

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderfully moving and beautifully narrated.

Any additional comments?

This was written with such honestly and simplicity I felt it had to be an autobiography. It was a fascinating journey into the pscyhe of this young man as well as a well told story without being maudlin. I loved the fact that Matthew, the main character, was essentially such a kind person. This shone through with his treatment of his grandmother and one felt that he just had to get better. Well done to the narrator. Lovely Bristol accent and he told the story in a lovely "straight" manner.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Shock of the Fall -loved this book

Where does The Shock of the Fall rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's one of my top three

What did you like best about this story?

The honesty

What does OIiver Hembrough bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

About mental illness

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely

Any additional comments?

Loved everything about this book & performed brilliantly by OIiver Hembrough

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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The story of a boy's descent into mental illness

Where does The Shock of the Fall rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best and I've listened to a lot!

What other book might you compare The Shock of the Fall to, and why?

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time by Mark Haddon.
Both books give a simple but deeply moving account of a boy living with mental and emotional differences but, whilst similar in some ways, they are also very different.

What about OIiver Hembrough’s performance did you like?

The plain and simple narration, no frills, nothing fancy, just a boy.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Having lived thorough my own difficult times, this book resonated very deeply with me.

Any additional comments?

I loved listening to this book and have bought the paperback 'real book' version so I can keep it forever.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A tale of family love, loss and learning to grieve

A very well-crafted story about a family's experience of loss, mental illness and learning to grieve. There is a sense of compassion and a lightness of touch that brings warmth and humour alongside some hard-edged realism in the way the story is told by the central character Matt. The reading on the audio book is also excellent.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Best narration I've ever heard

This was a wonderful, engrossing book. Narrated in the 1st person, it was a deeply personal journey about living with schizophrenia and also very perceptive about family relationships.

It was tough to listen to, not a barrel of laughs, but the central character has enough humour to make it enjoyable.

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Touching

I had just read Cuckoo's Calling and I found myself reading another book about fratricide. But this one is different. It is told through the eyes of a young man with mental health problems, deeply troubled by the death of his brother. Whether the illness was caused by his involvement in his brother's death, or by the effect it had on his parents, or the effect of having a disabled sibling, or whether he would have been susceptible, we will never know but in a sense that is irrelevant. This story is written by the young man himself taking us through the events of his childhood and adulthood. The ending is poignant as we realise, as he does, that his mental health issues will always be with him and need careful management. The story comes to an end without an ending, but that is because that is the only way it can. I would not have wanted the book to go on any longer than it did, but it is well read. If you want to be touched by these issues and want to think about a book after you have read it, give this book a read.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A one sitting listen

A thought provoking novel, totally believable, able to make you laugh and to cry. This is obviously an author to look out for.

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3 people found this helpful