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Falling Animals
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
10 posts | 4 read | 18 to read
'An immensely impressive debut from a major literary talent' JOSEPH O'CONNOR, author of ShadowplayThe disquieting story of an unidentified man as told by those who crossed paths with him on the last day of his life, Sheila Armstrong's debut novel is haunting, lyrical and darkly suspensefulOn an isolated beach set against a lonely, windswept coastline, a pale figure sits serenely against a sand dune staring out to sea. His hands are folded neatly in his lap, his ankles are crossed and there is a faint smile on his otherwise lifeless face.Months later, after a fruitless investigation, the nameless stranger is buried in an unmarked grave. But the mystery of his life and death lingers on, drawing the nearby villagers into its wake. From strandings to shipwrecks, it is not the first time that strangeness has washed up on their shores.Told through a chorus of voices, Falling Animals follows the crosshatching threads of lives both true and imagined, real and surreal, past and present. Slowly, over great time and distance, the story of one man, alone on a beach, begins to unravel. Elegiac and atmospheric, dark and disquieting, Sheila Armstrong's debut novel marks her arrival as one of the most uniquely gifted writers at work in literary fiction today
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review
quietlycuriouskate
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Pickpick

A quiet, melancholic and ultimately affirming book about how we navigate the griefs we can carry across a lifetime and how connected we are to eachother, even from a tiny village on the edge of nowhere. I'll be thinking about this one a while.

(Could have done with fact-checking re neap tides and red-beaked gulls, but that's just me being finicky.)

TrishB I enjoyed this one too. 3mo
Tamra I‘ve had this TBR. Glad to see you have a positive review! 3mo
squirrelbrain Glad you liked it too…even if there were some little niggles! 3mo
36 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Pickpick

Intricately plotted and brilliantly crafted, Falling Animals starts with a dead body on a beach and uses that catalyst to spiral outwards into a story of connections made and missed, losses incremental and total, grief, love, loneliness, and beauty. An incredibly effective and affecting read.

Tamra I really want to read this one! 9mo
squirrelbrain Such a good book - I hope it makes the Women‘s Prize long list. 9mo
TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain it certainly feels like a Women's Prize book, they seem to long list books that are far more beneath the surface than their descriptions give away. Can't wait for Tuesday's announcement! 9mo
TheKidUpstairs @Tamra I highly recommend it, hope you like it as much as I did! 9mo
65 likes4 comments
blurb
quietlycuriouskate
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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What a lovely surprise!
Thank you, @TrishB ; this sounds great! ❤️

TrishB Hope you love it 😘 I did! 9mo
squirrelbrain I loved it too! ❤️ 9mo
36 likes2 comments
blurb
rockpools
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Mysterious strangers in Irish coastal villages, 1 living, 1 dead. Who are they, and how will their secrets unfold?

The library‘s new books shelf had a bit of a theme going on. And somehow I‘ve never read John Boyne, so now seemed like the time.

squirrelbrain Both great books! 12mo
47 likes2 comments
review
squirrelbrain
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Pickpick

Loved this, which I read because it features on the BBC‘s Between The Covers.

An unidentified man is found sitting serenely, but lifeless, on a beach in Ireland. The book is a series of vignettes of the lives of the villagers and other people who may have known the man previously.

It‘s a beautifully written, lyrical book; one of those that‘s very quiet but impactful.

@TrishB - I hadn‘t realised until now you also read (and loved!) this one.

TrishB I‘m glad this one is getting some more love ♥️ a little gem. 12mo
Caroline2 Oh sounds fab! Stacked. 👍 12mo
Tamra I have this TBR - it does sound great! 12mo
See All 9 Comments
rockpools Ooh. This came in at work the other week. Noticed because the writing on the spine is upside down just to annoy me! Maybe I should read it 😁 12mo
LeahBergen Lovely review! You‘ve made me even more excited to get to it now. 😊 12mo
squirrelbrain I noticed that too straight away @rockpools - very upsetting! 😬 12mo
TheKidUpstairs Oooh, I just picked this one up on a whim. Glad to see you and @TrishB both loved it! 9mo
TrishB @TheKidUpstairs hope you love it too. 9mo
squirrelbrain It‘s really good! @TheKidUpstairs Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it. 9mo
71 likes5 stack adds9 comments
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LeahBergen
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Thank you for this wonderful birthday bundle, @Cathythoughts ! ❤️

The tagged book sounds so intriguing and I love the other two that you picked because you thought I‘d like the covers. I do! 😆 I‘m a Jane Gardam fan but I haven‘t read this one!

The pretty reading gloves will be much appreciated in this old house this winter and, as always, I loved your sweet note. You‘re a dear friend. 😘

squirrelbrain Lovely gifts! I have Falling Animals to read shortly as it‘s featuring on the BBC‘s Between the Covers. 13mo
CarolynM Lovely😍 13mo
LeahBergen @squirrelbrain Oh, really? I‘ll look that up! 13mo
See All 10 Comments
LeahBergen @CarolynM Indeed! 🥰 13mo
squirrelbrain Here‘s the full list. Being a #listcompletist, I‘m reading them all! In fact Falling Animals is next on my list. https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2023/between-the-covers-series-seven It starts on Monday 6th Nov. 13mo
LeahBergen @squirrelbrain Thank you!! 13mo
batsy How lovely! 😍 I must read Gardam. 13mo
LeahBergen @batsy I‘m sure you‘d like her! 13mo
Balibee146 Belated birthday wishes xx 13mo
LeahBergen @Balibee146 Thank you! 😘 13mo
44 likes10 comments
review
TrishB
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Pickpick

Oh this was so beautiful. Lovely writing, brilliant characters. There is next to no plot but I didn‘t want it to end. Minutiae of people‘s lives and inner feelings so wonderfully explored.
I have one of those, so happy to have read this book feelings.

paper.reveries Just the cover in itself is hypnotizing! 😍 Not one for no plot books, so I'll live vicariously through your love for it 😂 1y
Cinfhen Sounds great 😊 1y
LeahBergen Lovely review! 1y
See All 11 Comments
squirrelbrain Sounds wonderful - stacked! 1y
youneverarrived Sounds like my sort of read! 1y
Tamra This sounds wonderful! 1y
TrishB @Cinfhen @LeahBergen @squirrelbrain @youneverarrived @Tamra I thought it was a quiet literary read 😁 1y
TrishB @paper.reveries not my go to- but like occasionally 😁 1y
Tamra @TrishB perfect! 👌🏾 1y
Cathythoughts Only seeing this gorgeous review now. I‘m looking forward to getting to it 👍🏻❤️ 1y
TrishB @Cathythoughts I thought this was lovely ♥️ 1y
85 likes10 stack adds11 comments
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TrishB
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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There is some beautiful writing in this book ❤️

Soubhiville It sounds unique. Looking forward to your review! 1y
66 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
TrishB
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Today‘s read. Look at that cover ❤️

julesG Looking forward to your review. It looks very interesting 1y
kspenmoll What a cover- certainly eye catching! 1y
CatMS First the cover is beautiful, and read a review on Goodreads so have put this on my TBR. 1y
Tamra Yes, it definitely grabs attention! 1y
72 likes4 comments
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TrishB
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Part 3 of treat your self day - books, of course ♥️ - and new leather bookmarks in Waterstones (I hadn‘t seen them before).

MicheleinPhilly Ooh, I‘ve not heard of any of these! Off to investigate. 🏃🏻‍♀️ 1y
sarahbarnes 😍😍😍 1y
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Deblovestoread Lovely haul…took a screen shot for future reference 😊 1y
squirrelbrain Great haul! ❤️ 1y
LeahBergen Waterstones has leather bookmarks?? 😮 1y
jlhammar Wow, fab haul! Excited for the new Ward. 1y
TrishB @LeahBergen I know that was totally me in the shop! How did I not know this. 1y
TrishB @MicheleinPhilly got to love paydays and Waterstones visits 😁 1y
TrishB @rubyslippersreads I don‘t know that one- good to know there are others! (edited) 1y
TrishB @Deblovestoread cool 👍🏻 1y
88 likes12 comments