Lean Fall Stand by Jon McGregor
We start in peril. This is Antarctica; the weather can, and will, change without a moment’s notice. This is the first season working at the bottom of the earth for Thomas and Luke whereas Robert, or ‘Doc’, is an old hand at this, with over thirty years’ experience. But even Robert isn’t prepared for what goes wrong during the storm. What happens changes the lives of all three men, and the lives of their families back home. But what went wrong, and whose fault it is, is not clear. Robert may have the answers, but he can no longer communicate them. Burdened with caring for him, his wife Anna’s life is also irrevocably changed by the crisis.
Even with its thrilling beginning, I was initially unsure if this new novel by Jon McGregor was for me. I absolutely adored his Booker longlisted work Reservoir 13, but I couldn’t quite reconcile the quiet power of that domestic drama with this Antarctic thriller. My concerns, however, were misplaced. Lean Fall Stand moves effortlessly from thriller to a much more heart-wrenching story of family and survival. As always, McGregor’s greatest talent lies in his ability to see every one of his characters as a fully-fledged human being. Even the most peripheral of characters has an undeniable humanity and a completely original personality. I don’t think he could write a stock character if he tried.
Once again, McGregor has produced a bold, moving and stunning work of literature. This is a novel of survival in the harshest conditions – the terrain of the Antarctic – and in the wake of unspeakable tragedy and hardship.
