Review – Fallout by Sadie Jones

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Luke is an aspiring playwright in 1970s London. He has left his small town and troubled childhood behind to move in with wannabe theatre producer Paul and together they help to set up a new theatre company, Graft.

Leigh met Paul and Luke briefly a few years previously and when she joins Graft, she feels an instant connection. The three form a strong bond, but this is threatened when Luke meets Nina Jacobs, a fragile actress who he feels compelled to save. The arrival of Nina in their lives will test the strength of their friendship, perhaps destroying it completely.

I really enjoyed reading Fallout as I felt immediately enveloped in the lives of Luke, Paul, Leigh and Nina. We see Luke and Nina grow from damaged children, struggling to find their places in life and I particularly felt connected to Luke from the very start. I could empathise with his upbringing and the difficulties he faced. I liked the friendship he built with Paul and Leigh and hoped that he would find peace within himself, especially as he started to find success. I would have liked to have known a little more about Paul and Leigh’s childhood as it wasn’t explored as in depth as Luke and Nina’s were.

I liked Sadie Jones’s writing style and although it wasn’t the most fast-paced of books, I enjoyed the gentleness of it. I seemed to fall into Luke’s world, feeling completely absorbed by it all so that when the book was finished, I didn’t know quite what to do with myself. Centred around the world of theatre, Fallout is an intense story of love, friendship and obsession. It was at times frustrating as the characters headed for self-destruct, but I found it to be an enjoyable read that was full of charm and had me eager to discover how it would all end. I can’t say that I was completely satisfied with the ending as there were a few loose ends I would have liked tied up, but overall I thought Fallout was a good read that was well-written and captivating.

8/10

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