The Fall

A teenage boy, Mog, reflects on his schooldays and gang relationships following news of the death of a classmate. The story is one of hero worship, wanting to belong, of pride and jealousy. It shows too how actions have consequences and they are seldom the ones we expected. McGowan, who is an award winner for teen fiction, tells it with an authentic, uncompromising teen voice and with a tone of well-tuned regret that doesn’t veer into the maudlin.

Designed to be dyslexia friendly, this short novel is billed as for reading age 8+ and interest age 14+. Readers who struggle with reading will find the narrative sensitive to their needs but might be a bit perplexed at the slightly enigmatic ending. It’ll certainly give them something to reflect on and demonstrates that good stories aren’t all about plot alone.