Novemeber 2020, during the global pandemic, Kate is stuck at home with her teenage son for a 14 day isolation. But she feels the call of nature, she is drawn to the great outdoors and is finding this locked up period insuferable. Surely nobody will notice if she pops out for a quick walk on the fells that surround her house.

In this sparse novel Moss captures the recent climate of pandemic Britain. The monotony, the stresses, the isolation and the claustrophobic feeling of being constantly enclosed. Kate can't cope with being inside for 2 weeks, her neighbour has been shielding for months, her teenage son is shut in for two weeks with her, but Kate is the one who can't bear to stay put. Moss shows how the tumultuous recent past affects different generations, how we all find our ways to cope, and the consequences those coping mechanisms have on the people around us.

Written beautifully, this is a novel that makes you feel trapped, it echoes Kates feelings and mental state. I was there with her, wanting to run away from her story but at the same time compelled to see it through.

I found it difficult to write a review for this book mainly because it was by far the most irritating book I read in 2021.

Ostensibly, this is a book about the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
In truth the Covid-19 aspect is mostly a McGuffin, clickbait, to draw attention to a story about a selfish woman acting self-indulgently and thus endangering kind strangers and causing her family and friends much worry.

The story centres on Kate who seems to be almost completely inept at coping with the day-to-day requirements of life. She lives in a badly maintained cottage with her son who, rather than bringing her comfort, she sees as just another burden: eating too much food and creating too much housework.
The only parts of her life she enjoys are her job, which provides her with social interaction and some extra food, and the wild beauty of the Peak District, the area where she lives.
And now she is required to isolate for two weeks, deprived of the socialization of her job and hikes in the Peak District.
While I could have some sympathy with her frustration this is not the story of someone isolating in an airless apartment in a dreary city, or someone trapped in lockdown with stressing-inducing or abusive family members. She is lucky enough to live in a cottage in the country with a garden.

A second point of view is that of her son Matt, a relatively passive teenager, who spends his time in his room gaming or pondering on his relationship with his best friend. I would have liked to hear more from Matt but his contribution is minor and mainly involves worrying what has happened to his mum.

We also have the point of view of the elderly neighbor Alice who is sheltering at home due to the fact she is recovering from cancer. Her POV is the most Covid-relevant narrative. She muses on the restrictions and difficulties, the problems big and small, and her rather unsatisfactory relationship with her daughter’s family.

The fourth perspective is that of one of the volunteer rescuers who must leave his disgruntled teen daughter at home in order to assist in the search for Kate.
Although he is unexpectedly on-call due to a Covid- related shortage of available volunteers he is happy to be tramping around on fells and tors and enjoys the excuse his volunteer work gives him to wander freely outside even during lockdown.
Incredibly, the author seemed to be implying that his ‘selfish’ pleasure derived from his volunteer work in some way equates his actions with those of Kate!

I was not as impressed as others by the writing style but was quite good even though I tend to dislike stream of consciousness. However, it was not good enough to elevate my opinion of this book.
2.5 stars

Sarah Moss is uncannily brilliant at creating an atmosphere that is claustrophobic, also her ability to enter peoples heads and get on the page the thoughts that we all had during the lockdown is second to none. This is overwelmingly quite a sad book but one that leaves your heart aching, and wondering if things could of been managed a differently for a better outcome for alot more people.

Her writing is not to be missed, Summerwater is just as gripping and also one not to miss.

Sarah Moss's immediate and vivid writing style draws you into the world of 4 different people who live in or near a small village in the Peak District: Kate, a single mother and her teenage son, Matt, their elderly neighbour Alice and Rob, a member of a mountain rescue team. The novel follows what happens on an evening in November 2020 when Kate, who is supposed to be self-isolating for 14 days, sets out for a walk on the local fell.
It reminded me of what life felt like in lockdown and of how much things have changed since then, even though the pandemic is still raging. Sarah Moss is an amazing writer and really brings to life the inner lives and different preoccupations of the different characters.

In ten years' time, it is to be hoped, Covid will be a distant memory. People will look back at that time and ask: did people really do that? did people really think that?

The Fell is the third Covid novel I have read, and the only one of the three to have been faithful to the scale of the virus - that is a virus which had an enormous impact on our lives, but with a mortality rate of between 1-4%. Sarah Moss alone seems to have had confidence in depicting the impact it has had on our psyche without having to exaggerate the deadliness.

So in this short novel, we find single mother Kate isolating at home with her teenage (and autistic?) son Matt after exposure ti the virus. They live in a small house backing onto The Fell, and they are claustrophobic. Kate steps out for an illegal stroll on the fell one evening just to clear her head. Unfortunately she slips and injures herself. The Fell becomes The Fallen.

Matt eventually realises Kate is not coming home and is left with no option but to break cover and ask his neighbour Alice for help. Alice is shielding, so conversations take place from behind locked doors. Alice calls out the mountain rescue, which we join through the eyes of Rob, who is worried in case the rescue messes up his weekly contact with the kids...

The Fell gets inside the characters heads; it exposes the dilemma between doing the right thing by Covid and the emergency unfolding around them - the dilemma between preserving self and serving the community - between seeking help and avoiding punishment for breaking the rules. It was particularly elegant to juxtapose Alice's self-interest which came through following the rules; and Matt/Kate's self-interest which comes through setting the rules aside.

The story is straighforward and the beauty is in the interior monologue; the thought processes that chime with any of us who have lived through Covid and isolation. This captures a strange moment in time, and it captures it so very well.

The fell by Sarah Moss.
At dusk on a November evening in 2020 a woman slips out of her garden gate and turns up the hill. Kate is in the middle of a two-week quarantine period, but she just can’t take it any more – the closeness of the air in her small house, the confinement. And anyway, the moor will be deserted at this time. Nobody need ever know.
A great short read with tension high. Great story and characters. 4*.

The Fell is a short novel that perfectly portrays the pandemic conditions and the difficult decisions faced by those involved, their thoughts and fears as over the course of one evening the seriousness of the situation becomes apparent. Its thought provoking, raw and totally recommended.

I wasn’t sure if I was ready to read a novel set during lockdown yet, however Sarah Moss drew me in as usual! This short and sharp dip into life during lockdown was excellently executed, I particularly enjoyed the characterisations of the main players. There is something for everyone to take away from this book, as it puts into words a lot of the feelings we have experienced as a society, even if we’re not quite sure we want to confront them yet.

The Fell gives a realistic portrayal of life in lockdown within the UK. It was a dark time full of uncertainty and hard on those who lead an active life outdoors as neighbours tattled on neighbours to the police when they felt lockdown guidelines were being ignored. Not very neighbourly and, hopefully, out of character given the usual circumstances.

I failed to gel with the story though it was well written. It took me a while to come to grips with the sentence structure - extremely long sentences and abnormal punctuation on the dialogue - and even the characters. I kept mixing up Kate and Alice until I found my sea legs and it all fell into place. I did feel for Kate in her awful predicament but, I felt, Alice was the real star as she delivered a heartbreaking storyline being an elderly woman on her own. A tough time as all struggled with their own issues made clear in this novel.

It’s England, November 2020. The time of Covid.
Kate should be self-isolating but cannot bear being cooped up any longer so she sets off for a walk in the Peak District fells near her home. And what follows, seen through the eyes of Kate, her teenage son, Matt, their elderly neighbour, Alice and Rob, a mountain rescue volunteer, recreates the bleak reality of lockdown and it’s uncertain times.
I didn’t think I was ready for a pandemic novel but in the safe hands of Sarah Moss, I decided it might be doable.
What a stunning read!
The beautifully drawn characters are flawed but so complete, with all their feelings laid bare, which in turn stirred up all my conflicting emotions of the past 20 months.
The setting of the Peak District is very evocative - I’ve walked those fells and felt the joy but also the menace of the place. It’s wild beauty is intoxicating.
The novel is so well written - I loved the stream of consciousness narrative which creates such intimacy. And I relished the humanity of it - it captures the inner lives of us all: full of rage, guilt and sadness but also joy, humour and kindness. We humans make mistakes, and life is difficult but we face what is thrown at us, because what else can we do?“Life, then, to be lived somehow.”
The Fell is brilliant! I’ll be re-reading it very soon and
Sarah Moss is fast becoming one of my favourite writers!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All views are my own.

The Fell by Sarah Moss is an excellent pandemic novel that covers all aspects of lockdown life.
The novel concerns a small number of people struggling with the isolation of lockdown. Many issues are considered such as the selfishness of people that refuse to wear masks that put shop workers at risk and how mental health is affected by the feeling of being trapped.
Kate, a single mum, isolating at home with her son Matt, is missing her walks on the fells. Kate is a considerate community minded person but after many days of isolation she wonders what would be the harm in a short hike and sets out on an ill fated expedition.
As we are still living through the pandemic you may prefer to read a novel about the pandemic in future years. However, I found the novel a thoughtful reflection on the changes that our lives have taken because of the pandemic.

This is a sensitive account about the effects of Covid and lockdown can have om ordinary people.
We are introduced to several average households and invited to watch how the situation has impacted on their lives.
In the future we will look back at this time in our lives, and this book will be a stark reminder of ow we felt and how we worked together.
Alice is vulnerable and has to isolate. Kate, her neighbour keeps an eye on her and does her shopping now that the café where she worked has closed. Money is short. Rob loves to have his daughter to stay with him.
Although dark, this is a compelling read.

REVIEW: The Fell by Sarah Moss
As its approaching sunset on a November evening in 2020 a woman, Kate, leaves her house to go up to the moors, even though she is in the middle of her quarantine period. She can’t take being cooped up inside anymore and its not like she’s going to run into anyone on the moors at this time. Her neighbour sees her leaving and her son soon realises something is wrong when she doesn’t return home. Kate has fallen whilst on her walk and has badly hurt herself. What began as a solitary walk has turned into a mountain rescue.

This is the second novel I have read from Sarah Moss, after reading Summerwater in September. I will say I enjoyed The Fell much more than Summerwater. I think I will at some point make my way through her backlist as I really enjoy her writing. We get glimpses into 4 people for 24 hours. Kate, the one who is isolating and has gone out of the house, she is a single mum trying to make ends meet for her and her son. We also follow her son and his thoughts and worries when he realises his mum is missing. Their neighbour who is shielding due to having cancer and has undergone cancer treatment. And lastly, the mountain rescuer.

This novel is so tense, and I think it wonderfully captures the reality of the lockdowns due to the pandemic. We might not agree with Kate’s decision, but we empathise with her – her mental health is fragile, and she feels like she needs to escape. I’ve seen a review that says that they couldn’t read this as they felt like Moss was advocating for breaking lockdown rules and not wearing masks. I didn’t feel like this was the case and instead she was showing the pressures of the pandemic and the reality of it, but I guess it’s open to interpretation. I’d highly recommend giving this one a read.

This is an exquisite little time-capsule of a very strange time. Sarah Moss has managed to capture the uncertainty, loneliness, and madness of life during quarantine. The Fell gives us a glimpse into life for different sorts of people and how they handle these extraordinary times: the stir-crazy depressive mum who breaks quarantine to get some fresh air, the keep-calm-and-carry-on older lady keeping her eye on the neighbours, the teen stuck at home, and the man who volunteers to work search-and-rescue. This short novel is definitely worth a read – you're bound to see something of your own lockdown experience somewhere in this story.

An intimate examination of the personal experiences of COVID isolation and cabin fever, this is the first book I've read about the pandemic since experiencing it firsthand. Even now I'm not sure I was ready to read about something that I still find so emotionally raw. It's not an easy read, but it's also a quiet read, exploring these feelings and situation in such a way that you feel wrapped up in this environment and characters in this small moment in time. It's often everyday, boring conversations and actions, coupled with common anxieties in complex characters and I can't deny it's well crafted and does what it sets out to do.

However, the writing is not my normal style, leaning very much into the stream of conscious that I'm not a fan of. Couple this with the subject matter, which starts to become quite dull to read about after a while and I have to admit this one wasn't really for me.

One evening in November 2020, Kate’s feeling claustrophobic and the lure of the Peak District Fells is pulling at her. She should be self-isolating for fourteen days but unable to resist, she sets off. Her elderly neighbour Alice sees her leave her house but her teenage son, Matt doesn't immediately notice that she’s broken the quarantine rules.

This is an impressive tale from Sarah Moss. It’s beautifully written and gave me lots to reflect upon. Matt’s teenage sections are well constructed as his random thoughts flitter around but this changes to a feeling of powerlessness. Alice's concerns, kindness, irritations, vulnerabilities, idiosyncrasies, and ways of coping are also very well done. Kate's sense of relief at being outdoors is almost palpable but then everything changes giving rise to a degree of tension and suspense. In a four-way telling revolving around Alice, Matt, Kate and Rob, a mountain ranger, the storytelling takes an almost supernatural direction. The author wonderfully describes the remote, brooding Derbyshire Peak District landscape, alluring with its beautiful rugged wildness yet so deceiving to the casual wanderer. The Fell is highly thought-provoking and compelling and it's a novella that will resonate with many.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Pan Macmillan, Picador via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

'Life, then, to be lived, somehow.'

I read and loved 'Summerwater' and so was greatly looking forward to this new novel from Sarah Moss. I wasn't disappointed, no, but then I wasn't blown away either. It is very similar in tone and structure to the previous book: set over a 24-hour period, chapters alternating in point of view between a handful of main characters, lots of internal monologues and not a lot of action. Which is great if you can pull it off, and Moss very nearly does again, but I just didn't feel the connection with it as I did her previous novel.

It is very much a lockdown/pandemic novel, and I'm sure a lot of the thoughts of the characters ring true with many readers, from the shielding neighbour Alice who won't open the door without wearing a mask, to the stir-crazy Kate who should be self-isolating but instead takes it on a whim to go for a quick walk into the country. The consequences of her action drives the 'plot' of the novel and explores how one small deed can have massive implications for friends, family and complete strangers.

As ever, Moss's observations of the natural world are beautifully done, and the writing is superb, but somehow at its core there seemed to me to be an emptiness to this book which left me a little - but only a little - disappointed. 3.5 stars rounded up because of the sheer wonder of the prose.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Tried and failed to read or enjoy this book. I am not a fan of reading in the present tense and tried skipping through to see if it changed and still could not find an entry point I found pleasant to read. The idea appealed to me but sadly not the writing style. This may be just a personal choice but thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book! I read this in one sitting and I read it FAST. An incredibly astute sideways look at the effect the pandemic has had on different groups of people in the UK, propelled by a time-sensitive mystery. I loved the narrative style, the close third person switching between characters, and I loved the way this slender book reflects on life, death and confinement. Just brilliant.

Single mother Kate is suffering during her self-isolation, she cannot leave the house, which is frustrating for one who loves the country so much. Finally one evening she decides to go for a walk up into the hills, she knows she shouldn't but she's unlikely to meet anyone. Her son finds she's gone and after a few hours goes found to their neighbour. Alice is a cancer sufferer and extremely vulnerable, she has money but not her health. She calls the police and all they can do is wait. Kate has suffered a serious accident and now the mountain rescue team have to search for her.
This is a quite intense little book! It is very topical and I'm not sure how it will age but for those of us who suffered during lockdown from isolation, money worries or serious health concerns then it will ring true. In addition the roles of the emergency services are highlighted but not overplayed. Short, taut and really good