The Fell by Sarah Moss (2021), published by Picador
What's it about? Set in the latter part of 2020 during the Covid pandemic, Moss tells the story of Kate who is isolating when she decides to break quarantine rules and step into the deserted moors in the Peak District. Her teenage son Matt is oblivious to her leaving while Alice, her elderly neighbour, spots her. Kate, who planned only a quick solitary walk – a breath of open air – falls and badly injures herself. What began as a furtive walk turns into a mountain-rescue operation.
Why you should read it? Set over a short number of hours, Moss is finely attuned to the beauty and perils of nature. Across 192 pages, she conjures up a suspenseful story with probing questions about the impact of Covid and its attendant lockdown. The Fell allows readers the opportunity to reflect on their own pandemic experiences and its legacy.
What the critics say: "Viewed as a study in repression and displacement, Moss's defiantly uneventful novel becomes a psychological thriller." - Lidija Haas, New York Times.
Moss on the rhetoric during lockdown… "When anybody said, 'How are you doing?’ you had to say: 'Oh, well, I’m so grateful that I’m not in intensive care.’ And you’d think, OK, but of course, always; but really?"
For readers of… The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, Companion Piece by Ali Smith, The Overstory by Richard Powers.
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