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The Shock of the Fall
- Narrated by: OIiver Hembrough
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
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The Shock of the Fall
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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 a young man’s descent into mental illness. It is a brave and groundbreaking novel from one of the most exciting new voices in fiction.
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‘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
‘A deeply moving (but also funny) first novel’ Kate Saunders, THE TIMES
‘A compelling story of grief, madness and loss. Filer has an ear for the dark comedy of life, and Matthew is a charismatic lead character who draws you in even as his world falls apart’
OBSERVER MAGAZINE
‘A tragic and comic account of living with schizophrenia. A must for fans of Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook’
GQ
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What listeners say about The Shock of the Fall
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Paula B
- 19-07-18
Ok
Not my favourite, a bit slow at times but overall an ok book. It is a sort of coming of age story of a boy who lost his brother and talks about the aftermath and consequences that ultimately define him.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- LBS
- 22-06-14
An amazing debut novel
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I have and will continue too - it is a very poignant look at how struggling with mental health is a journey. There is great humour, but this book is totally gut-wrrenching in places too. Unbelievable debut, just fantastic
What other book might you compare The Shock of the Fall to, and why?
The Trick I learned from Dead Men
What about OIiver Hembrough’s performance did you like?
He was an excellent reader and I really like his characterisations. great accent too
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rita
- 09-05-15
Insightful novel about mental illness
Matt a schizophrenic since his teens tells his story . His reality is ours and Simon his dead brother is an integral part of his world. The depiction of mental health services is particularly good with the different personalities perceptively observed by Matt.Ultimately hopeful but realistic view of schizophrenia and the impact on Matts family. Well read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sigrin
- 16-09-14
An insiders view of mental illness
A amazing first novel, Matthew was a very believable character as well as his family and friends. His accounts of his life and the things around him as he descended into schizophrenia was very thought provoking, and has made me understand this aspect of mental illness a little better. Excellent narration by Mr Hembrough
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- oliver rees
- 16-02-15
A peek behind the vale of mental health.<br />
Peek behind the curtain of psychosis,mental health and its service. Greatly entertaining story expertly told.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sammy
- 05-08-20
Had me bursting into tears every 10 minutes!
A very relatable character for me having grown up in the UK in the 90s. Beautifully written and narrated. The first half of the book in particular had me bursting into tears every 10 minutes!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Linda Patterson
- 03-02-14
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
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diana W.
- 28-04-17
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
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elvis wife
- 03-02-17
Beautiful
As some who works in mental health I found this truly realistic and very beautiful.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Victoria Loughlin
- 15-05-22
true to life
Excellent, really enjoyed the narration as well. Having previously worked in a secure unit, I recognised characters and the thought processes. Loved it.
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