Book Review – Lean Fall Stand by Jon McGregor

The book is divided into three sections, each bearing a word from the book’s title. The sections aren’t an even spread. The first, which is by far the most compelling, occupies about a quarter of the whole.

Robert “Doc” Wright is a veteran of more than 30 years in the Antarctic, leading two young assistants on a geographical survey. McGregor’s description of the storm that hits is terrific; that sort of short graphic and expressive prose that can make you almost feel like you are there, like the best writers of non-fiction travel. Polar literature at its best.

Wright takes unnecessary risks in order to take a photograph – the storm strengthens, the radios fail, the three become isolated, Wright suffers a stroke, there is a death. What a powerful start. I slowed my reading pace, and ignored potential disruptions.

There were several ways the story could go now; delving into Wright’s background and mental state having been at opposite ends of the globe to his wife for the 30 years, his culpability in the accident, a previous fatality several years before in which Wright was also involved, the ambition and drive of the young assistants, the effect on Wright’s family.

The second section, which is almost as strong, deals with Wright’s wife travelling to Santiago to bring him home and convalesce. His family are clearly not close to him, and the interest lies in the balance of providing the huge amount of care necessary and continuing with normal life.

As in the first part, McGregor again demonstrates that in such harrowing circumstances language itself is often not enough.

Unfortunately though the third part, and inevitably the longest, falls very flat. The ups and downs of the therapy class for stroke victims Wright attends verges on the boring.

I’ve rarely read a novel like it, with the first two parts being so good, and the last part / half, bring so disappointing, the drudge heightened by expectations.

I can see McGregor’s point. Is losing the power to speak a worse fate than an Antarctic storm? Personally though, if I was to make a recommendation, it would be to read the first 100 pages or so, then pull out..