The Shock of the Fall: WINNER OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2013

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There is "too much small print" in life he says plaintively. He's no fool – and suspicious of people with scripted conversations – but, alas, he believes he can talk to his dead brother.

Nanny Noo — Matthew's grandmother, and one of the main characters of the novel, who often helps him out. Poi, andando avanti, ho capito che questo straordinario romanzo di Nathan Filer, diceva molto, molto di più. I have no experience with schizophrenia so I can’t say whether Matt’s behaviour is realistic or not, or even when or how the illness manifests throughout the narrative, but I was never sure whether his actions were the result of personal trauma or mental illness.The novel was praised by The Guardian as "a gripping and exhilarating read", the narrator's voice being "dazzlingly rendered". [5] British Journal of Psychiatry noted that readers who are psychiatrists hoping to find themselves portrayed within the work would be disappointed, as they are "mentioned less than a handful of times throughout". However, they praise Filer's "very talented storytelling" and "fine description of psychiatry". [8] Writing about the past is a way of reliving it, a way of seeing it unfold all over again. We place memories on pieces of paper to know they will exist. But this story has never been a keepsake – it’s finding a way to let go.” The book cleverly gives you snippets of a story, then later on you get more of that story to give you the fuller picture, so there is a lot of a-ha moments, at least there was for me. I found it sad in parts, I really felt for his struggle against the illness that has hold of him, his moving between lucidity and delusion. Epically done.

Osim toga, roman je prožet i odličnim humorom (poprilično crnim), čak i pored toga što se bavi ozbiljnim problemima - opakom bolešću uma, detetom sa daunovim sindromom,... But if you live in a place where is 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.” 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 weather. It’s an easy to follow narrative but a very dull one. Filer uses his own experience as a mental health nurse to inform the novel and the passages set in the treatment centre were convincing. If there’s one element that stays with you, it’s the clear picture of mental health treatment in England today, and how soul-draining it is for patients. This novel follows the story of a young man named Matthew. We are told of the tragic death of Matthew's brother during childhood and how he blames himself for its occurrence. As the reader we are unsure as to whether Matthew is actually guilty of the death of his brother or whether it was just a tragic accident. Nearer the end of the novel we discover the real story as to how his brother died.Moreover, the experience that Nathan Filer has gained as a mental health nurse is apparent through his irreverent treatment of the subject matter. He does not idealise the staff or the patients, both of them have good days and bad days and this was remarkably refreshing. I could not deny that I did not gain something from the text, but it was also pleasant to find that an author did not shove his or her ideology down my throat to the extent that the book merely appeared distasteful. Even better was that Filer managed to inject sharp bursts of humour which cut through what could otherwise be an oppressive narrative to entertain and make the work somehow more real. The characters are living, breathing creations, with their own foibles and imperfections. You see the heartache of Matthew’s parents who, having lost one son, feel they are losing their only remaining child. His Mum, is at her wits end, making lots of noise whilst Dad retreats into silence. His grandmother, the wonderful Nanny Noo, accepts Matthew as he is, visiting him at his flat every other Thursday, never passing judgement. But you notice it when he isn't there anymore. You notice so many places where he isn't, and you hear so many of the things he doesn't say.

Bosman, Julie (10 February 2014). "After Prize, Novel Gets 2nd Chance in the U.S." The New York Times . Retrieved 15 April 2019. Also included is a document that contains many of the key quotes from the novel and links to external sources for contextual research. There is also a detailed document that explores the narrative style of the protagonist under the following headings: Structure, Purpose of the Narrative, Unreliable Narrator and Chapter Titles. A good thing about talking to someone who is standing behind you is that you can pretend you don't know they're crying, and not trouble yourself too much with working out why. You can simply concentrate on helping them feel better.”From the start, Matthew’s placement in the mental institution and his slightly odd storytelling hint at the possibility that he’s not the most reliable of narrators. It is almost impossible to discern which parts of his story are true, and which are the product of a damaged mind. Matthew is only nineteen, extremely vulnerable, and his thoughts are all over the place, jumping through space and time from one short chapter to the next. But still, it’s his unforgettable voice that holds this narrative together firmly and effortlessly. Filer has been awarded the honorary degree of Master of Letters from the University of the West of England [24] and the honorary degree of Doctor of Liberal Arts from Abertay University. [25] These degrees were conferred in recognition of his role in raising awareness through literature and his commitment to mental health care. [24] [25] I am so fascinated by books that depict mental illnesses. Books such as The Bell Jar, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Countless just to name a few, have really touched me. The focus on the frailty of the human mind is something that resonates really strongly with me, and telling these stories is vital. Certainly for me, they remind me that none of us are alone in our suffering. The 19 year old protagonist of the novel, is a schizophrenic artist, son, and grandson. Suffering from the guilt of his down-syndrome brother, Simon's, untimely death. The novel is told from Matthews point of view beginning with a vacation with his family ten years earlier. With his dark sense of humor the reader follows Matthew on his descent into schizophrenia. Matthew is staying at a psychiatric day ward and with his regular medicine injections he is slowly spiraling into his uneasy mental state and struggling with the mental health system.