The Shock of the Fall- Book Review

"I have an illness, a disease with the shape and sound of a snake. Whenever I learn something new, it learns it too … My illness knows everything I know. This was a difficult thing to get my head around."- The Shock of the Fall

The debut novel from Nathan Filer, the first drafts of the book were written while simultaneously completing a course in creative writing. Fortunately for him, the hard work paid off in the form of a 2013 Costa Award for best first novel. I'd wanted to read this book for a while, mainly due the subject matter of mental illness. While there are many books written about schizophrenia, this one is told from the character's perspective. 

The story itself is refreshing - from the perspective of 19 year old Matt, the book reads as a stream-of-conciousness as he attempts to make sense of his world through writing. Delving into his own life story, the book begins with the death of his brother, Simon and follows his descent into mental illness. Unfortunately, I read the book on my kindle, but I am told that in the printed version, there are many doodles and scribbles as well as different fonts to show a glimpse of Matt's character. 

The characterisation was one of my favourite things- the people that edge in and out of Matt's life are very real, and have their own flaws to content with as well as his. He is particularly occupied with his mother's behaviour after the death of his brother - dosing herself up on anti-depressants with a constant state of anxiety while his father remains passive. This provides a great insight into the starting point that sparked Matt's illness and his reactions from then on. 

Contrary to its bleak subject matter, there are moments of humour. The family members in particular are very well thought-out as characters and the book is enriched with mundane conversations and subtle humour that leaves you thinking: 'my family are just like that!' 

A great book with a sensitive subject matter, it offers an exciting and gripping read as well as an inspirational tale of the resilience of one man. A must-read for anyone interested in mental illness.

The Fault in Our Stars: Book Review

"Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together again unless all living humans read the book."

-John Green

As you well know, I'm a sucker for a good book. The Fault in Our Stars was recommended to me by many but remained on my Kindle 'to-read' list for a good while before I got around to reading it. 

The premise of the story is a gloomy one. Hazel, a self-titled unextraordinary individual meets an attractive stranger at a support group intended for teenagers struggling with cancer. The attractive stranger is seventeen year old Augustus Waters, in remission from cancer and assisting his friend Isaac in coming to terms with eye cancer. He buys cigarettes but doesn't smoke them, purely for the metaphorical value. Their spontaneous meeting results in them both agreeing to read each other's favourite novels and so a love story ensues. So far, so cheesy?

Whilst it sounds like a slushy teen romance novel, the book is more substantial than that. The characters of Hazel and Augustus are so well developed and multidimensional that you cannot help but become drawn into their story. In addition, the subject matter is handled well and with good humour. Rather than venturing into the realms of misery literature, it gives a real perspective on what it means to be someone who is battling cancer. What I loved most about the novel was it's ability to be romantic without romanticising their situation. Very real and sometimes graphic, it shows that the romance lies in Augustus and Hazel's relationship with one another rather than the tragedy of circumstance. 

I don't want to say too much about the book as I don't want to give too much away. It is definitely one to read all at once, perhaps in an afternoon, as it was sometimes difficult to put down. Give it a read and you'll see exactly what I mean.

The Sunday Review

Another beautifully sunny weekend. This one has been really relaxed- some blogging, Household DIY, a bit of running and making my way through a stack of magazines. I had my last day at work on Friday and was given a huge bunch of flowers that are now brightening up my living room. I start my new role tomorrow and I am nervously excited.

I have been listening to...Coldplay's Ghost Stories. I've been a big fan of Coldplay since I can remember. One of the best gigs I have ever been to was seeing them on their Mylo Xylto tour in 2012. I'm really liking the mix of trademark old-style Coldplay tracks on this album with the more upbeat dance tracks.

I have been watching...Orange is The New Black. I have been meaning to start watching this series for ages but hadn't got around to it yet. The release of series two was a good a reason as any to start binge-watching series one. A quarter way through the first season, we are already hooked.

I have been reading...The Fault in Our Stars. This book was recommended to me a long time ago and I've just finished reading it. Funny, witty and beautifully written, you won't be able to put it down. Review coming soon.

I have been buying...This cute little jewellery holder for my wall. This nifty little holder is a brilliant way to display my statement necklaces so that they don't get all tangled up and lost in the depths of my wardrobe. It was surprisingly cheap, too. Check out Sass & Belle for similar styles.