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The Shock of the fall - Nathan Filer



‘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.’

Although I finished this book from my personal shelf a week or so ago I waited until today to publish my review to coincide with Time to Talk Day on 5 February. Just take 5 minutes out of your day tomorrow to talk about Mental Health, click through the link to find out more about the day.

It's not often I enjoy books that win awards, because they are usually trying to be too clever and they lose their message. This book is so different, it really has a message which is told by Matthew who is a young schizophrenic. 

The book is so insightful and I guess that comes from the author's time spent as a mental health nurse. You see the world through Matthew's eyes and it all makes sense - how he interprets the world and why to the rest of us it seems strange. 

Matthew has a real wit and his character is so likeable you really root for him and feel his setbacks as if they are your own. I recommend you read this book - it is sad in places but it is also so funny.

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