12.08.2016
Today I woke up in the mood to be a book blogger so this post is about the last book I read - Before the fall by Noah Hawley. It’s one of the bestsellers this summer and it’s already translated in Bulgarian. Noah Hawley is the creator of the television series Fargo and his popularity is one of the factors for the quick success of this novel.
Before the fall begins with a private plane crash, the passengers are two wealthy families. The only survivors are a 4-year old boy and a painter who is on the plane by pure luck. The storyline follows the investigation of the crash, tells us about the lives of the passengers and the crew. The chapters weave between past and present similar to the TV show LOST.
Before the fall is a really well written book. Noah Hawley is definitely a serious author. The book is not fast pasted and that’s why I thought I won’t like it in the beginning. The writing style is what made me keep reading. This is a serious literature piece, not your typical bestseller. I read the book in English and I really hope the interpreter has managed to keep the qualities of the novel in the Bulgarian edition. In Before the fall there is some action only in the very beginning and at the very end of the book (when you actually find out what has happened).
I really enjoyed this novel, but I guess not everyone will. The writing is what makes you flip the pages, not the storyline. I guess the name of the author is what made this book a bestseller, Before the fall is not a book that the vast majority of people would enjoy. For me it was a breath of fresh air, it’s quite different than my recent reads. People who love to read and can appreciate the writing style will love this book. The interpreter’s work will be crucial for the Bulgarian edition, because a bad translation can totally ruin this book. Before the fall is targeted towards a more mature audience. Many of the characters are 40-50 years old and the storyline is not fast paced, all good reasons for the young people not to like this book. The characters are complicated and well developed and the focus of the story is on them.
Before the fall is an interesting read, but if the writing style does not captivate you, you may find it boring and give up on reading it. If you are looking for something a little bit different to read I highly recommend it.
