Twin brothers, years of estrangement - What could have broken that strongest of family bonds? Although a slow burner, this is a beautifully written story, using dual time lines to tell the story of growing up in in the 70's after being torn from their beautiful suburban house and losing all contact with their father after their parent's acrimonious break up. The twins, move into a flat in a new, experimental residential community designed by their architect mother Zoe. In the present day this concrete jungle is derelict, with one twin being the only resident steadfastly resisting to sell and move out, his twin brother is the rich developer determined to level the complex. Atmospheric, superbly descriptive, with a steadily menacing undercurrent this is a story of human relationships, jealousy, lies and miscommunication set alongside the resident's racial prejudice and the resulting simmering tension in the oppressive 1976 heatwave. The events of that summer and the tragic results are slowly revealed along with a couple of shocking twists. Weeks after reading I still cannot forgive her actions - to know what I mean, you will just have to read the book. This one may not be for those who want a fast paced thriller of a read but I loved it, wonderfully crafted, understated, sophisticated and a pleasure to read :)

This is the third book in recent weeks that I have read, where a tower block is pretty central to the narrative (referencing True Crime Story by Joseph Knox and The Unheard by Nicci French). In this novel Marlowe Tower is at the heart, part of a 1970’s Deptford development and the brainchild of Zoe Goldsworthy, a woman in the distinctly male dominated world of architects. She was so convinced of the merits of the concept that she took her twin sons Aaron and Clive to live there, convinced that communal living was the future. They left behind her architect designed house, which had been the family’s home until that point. However, now, Aaron and Clive haven’t spoken in 40 odd years. Clive is a property developer and speculator, and is closing in on the estate. A huge thorn in his side is Aaron, who, it seems is the sole inhabitant of the tower, a significant stumbling block to the redevelopment whilst he remains in situ. The appearance of Annette and Christine, ghosts from the past, is a surprise, and seemingly they are also residing in the tower. For them, the tower signifies a blighted period in their lives. They are black and in 1976 racism was even more rife. The reality of this social experiment evolved in a very different way than anticipated, as the characters all find out to their cost. This is a dual timeline story which is beautifully brought to life by the author. He has a refined and sensitive writing style that enables the reader to pore over the lives of his characters, set against a bleak, crumbling and unforgiving architectural backdrop. The story in 1976 is filtered through an aged lens of grainy film which is a stark relief to the contemporary story. Pivotal events pull the reader out of the reading reverie the author creates, leaving the reader to reflect on what has occured in the novel, once the final page is turned.

Author West Camel’s debut novel ‘Attend’ was a spell binding and beautiful story with a hint of magic realism, so I was excited to be reading his latest book “Fall” knowing for sure it would be another rewarding and engaging story. - Estranged brothers are reunited over plans to develop the tower block where they grew up, but the desolate estate becomes a stage for reliving the events of one life-changing summer, forty years earlier. - Set in the sweltering summer of 1976 which I remember quite well, this slow burner of a tale tells the story of two twin brothers, Aaron and Clive Goldsworthy and their single mother Zoe. As they move into a recently built London tower block designed by architect Zoe, they become friends with black twin girls of a similar age and form a unique friendship, before a single night in 1976 changes all of their lives forever. Switching between then and the present day, I enjoyed reading how the events of 1976 still affected Aaron’s and Clive’s life today, learning that they are estranged and at opposite ends of the spectrum. West Camel has told a story of multi layered prejudice, love, grief and the struggle of a woman in a very male dominant world, where women did not overtake men in their career. Zoe was not a main character per se but it was her feelings and emotions that struck me the most and as a mother myself, I obviously related to her concerns and parenting issues. “Fall” is very much a thought provoking journey of life through a time when racism was the norm, rather than just a novel about family life and it’s divide. This story is one of those books that come along that you’ll never forget and grips you from the first page. It moves along gradually without hurry and is a story I would recommend if literary family drama is your interest. #FALL - 4 stars