Lean Fall Stand

Reservoir 13 was one of my favourite novels of 2019 so, when I spotted the chance to read a review copy of Jon McGregor's new novel, Lean Fall Stand, via NetGalley, I didn't hesitate to request it. McGregor uses this story to thoughtfully explore concepts of communication and heroism and I was absolutely captivated by it from the first page to the last. Similarly to Reservoir 13, Lean Fall Stand is a slow-paced, character-driven work that uses clever wordplay and mirroring to impart its ideas. I appreciated how malfunctioning radios and satellite phones are responsible for thwarted communications in the Antarctic, whereas damaged brain cells fulfil that function in England. Robert as an Antarctic explorer embodies our traditional idea of heroism, yet I understood his struggles to overcome his injury and Anna's efforts to keep her job and household functioning while caring for and supporting him, to be just as heroic even though society at large tends to overlook such everyday bravery. I loved how McGregor portrayed each of his characters through speech and silence, allowing me to fully understand their predicaments and also their motivations, both positive and negative. The pace change from the initial fast-moving Antarctic accident to the slow pull towards recovery worked very well for me. Even though I didn't particularly like either of them, I found myself willing Robert and Anna on to persevere and hoping that the investigation team would not destroy the fragile new relationship they were trying to build. Lean Fall Stand won't be a novel that appeals to every reader, but I loved it!