Thoughtfully written and a pleasure to read. The Shock of the Fall, by Nathan Filer has won the Costa Coffee Book awards 2013 and it could not have been more deserved. Matthew Holmes retells the story of his childhood and his battles with his illness. Matthew’s story focuses on the loss of his brother Simon and the way in which he grieves. The innocence of Matthew shines through the novel, which in return, makes his character’s childhood more relatable.
The novel is written in a variety of formats, making Nathan Filer’s first novel seem truly original. If you prefer reading diary entries or letters within a book then this book will have you hooked. Filer’s novel can read like a diary whilst the layout maintains the structure of a novel. Although the main structure is novel-like; paragraphs and chapters use various formats such as font sizes and styles, repetition and drawings to help describe Matthew’s story. Here is a small piece of The Shock of the Fall in which the Daily Telegraph describes as ‘bittersweet and wonderfully etched.’
‘I’ll tell you what happened because it will be a good way to introduce you to 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.’
Although Matthew’s illness and grief are significant elements in this novel, it is Matthew’s actions that truly make this novel so moving.
I personally feel that it is a must read, however if you wish to have a look at the Daily Telegraph’s review then please feel free to here.
Charlotte Anne Barker 