The Fell

I'd  recently read two other books by Sarah Moss (Summerwater and Ghost Wall) and enjoyed her writing very much so I snapped her latest book up as soon as I saw it.  This is another very short novel by this author written from the point of view of four characters. It unfolds over the course of a single day. Kate is a cafe waitress and the single parent of 16-year-old Matt. She has been exposed to Covid 19 and the two of them are under a strict two week quarantine order. Their elderly neighbour, Alice, is a widow with breast cancer who lives alone and spends her time baking and eating cookies under her cozy electric blanket. The fourth character is Rob, a divorced volunteer mountain rescuer who has his irritating daughter on weekends. Kate is chafing under the quarantine order and decides to go for a hike on the moors, although she is technically forbidden to leave her home, and tells no one where she is going. When Matt realizes his mother is gone he asks Alice if she has seen her. Alice tells Matt that she saw her heading off earlier. Matt is worried because his mother has been in low spirits after more than a week in quarantine. He also knows that this violation of the rules could result in a hefty fine. Alice is also concerned and would like to comfort Matt but, since she is immunocompromised, she is unable to invite him in. When it starts raining and darkness falls Matt suspects that Kate may have had an accident and contacts the authorities. Rob is on the team that is involved in the search. Moss captures the banality that many of us have experienced during this pandemic - the social isolation, the repetitive tasks that get us through each day, the frustration with social distancing (although we know it is for the benefit of our community). The mood of the book is oppressive with Covid 19 hanging over the story like the sword of Damocles. We know something awful will happen. I did prefer her other books but thought The Fell was a good read although some might not appreciate the stream of consciousness style.