DRIFT STUMBLE FALL

DRIFT STUMBLE FALL

BY M. JONATHAN LEE

I’ve been somewhat undecided on how to review and rate Drift Stumble Fall by M. Jonathan Lee. There is no question that it’s an exceptional book, delving into the melancholy mind of Richard, who is married to Lisa and the father of young Hannah and Oscar.

Set over the course of several days during a continuous snowfall, which leaves Richard and family home bound along with his in-laws, we are witnesses to his mind’s plan of escape from what he has determined is a trapped and chaotic life. Richard longs for his freedom and a simple quiet, with no screaming children or annoying wife hanging on to him, caging him in a world where he no longer wants to be. From the window of his home, he longingly watches his elderly neighbor Bill, who is apparently leading the uncomplicated and peaceful life he longs for.

Bill and his wife, however, are leading a much different life than the one Richard dreams about. Bill also watches Richard, knowing that his hopes for what his neighbor has have long disappeared.

This was a moving although at times hilariously funny novel about human nature and our oftentimes belief that the grass is always greener elsewhere. The author has a way of wording certain situations in the most comical terms, which often had me laughing out loud. These situations, as strange as it sounds, in no way detract from the seriousness of the subject matter; in fact, they actually highlight the absurdity of the lives we lead and those we think we want. The reason I found the novel hard to review is because I struggle with whether Richard’s state of mind was due to depression or a simple midlife crisis. But then I wonder if a midlife crisis is actually that simple, and if maybe it really is a form of depression. I realized it made no difference as to my enjoyment of the story, which I found compelling. I decided I couldn’t give it less than 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an ARC of this touching book.