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Together We Fall Apart
For the past seven years, Clare has been living in London. She works for a judge on child protection cases. Her partner, Miriam, is devoted to raising their young son, Rupert – their days are dominated by nap times, laundry and hiding from each other.
When Clare returns to Melbourne to visit her ailing father, another family crisis looms – her brother Max's long-term drug addiction. She turns her efforts towards helping Max into rehab, but is this at the expense of her family back in London?
Moving, heartbreaking and devastatingly insightful, Together We Fall Apart is a story about running away and coming home.
2025, The Readings Prize New Australian Fiction, Short-listed
When Clare returns to Melbourne to visit her ailing father, another family crisis looms – her brother Max's long-term drug addiction. She turns her efforts towards helping Max into rehab, but is this at the expense of her family back in London?
Moving, heartbreaking and devastatingly insightful, Together We Fall Apart is a story about running away and coming home.
2025, The Readings Prize New Australian Fiction, Short-listed
Audible Audio
Published December 1, 2024
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December 23, 2024
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🏺Written with poise, sentiment and realism, Together We Fall Apart is a first-time release for Central Victorian based author Sophie Matthiesson. It is just such a great feeling to meet yet another talented new author amongst the ranks of Australian fiction and I feel it is an honour to be able to endorse Together We Fall Apart.
🏺Sophie Matthiesson's debut allows us to follow Clare, an Australian woman who has been living and working in London for almost a decade. Clare must leave her partner Miriam, their child Rupert and her high-powered position to attend to a family crisis back home in Australia. Not only is Clare’s father seriously ill, but her brother has addiction issues. Clare must negotiate her ties to her family back in Australia and her London home life, a process that proves to be extremely difficult and emotional. Sophie Matthiesson brings these two strands of Clare’s life together with honesty, tenderness and significant moral insight.
🏺This sure was a heartbreaking read! I had just come off the back of a historical fiction tearjerker and I soon found myself swept up in the deep feeling and emotion of Sophie Matthiesson’s debut. Together We Fall Apart reads extremely well for a first release. Filled with understanding, depth and a deep sense of knowing and close attention to the issues at hand, I was impressed by how much this debut had to offer. I loved the past-to-present crossing, the family crossroads situation, the raw emotion, the authenticity of the scenarios Matthiesson places her characters in bind wise and most of all the local setting. I was deeply intrigued by the main character’s life in London, especially her career within the child protection caseload field. Clare’s family could easily be your own, so this book felt rooted in normality.
Together We Fall Apart is a fragile story that reminds us of a sense of belonging, home, obligations to family, and personal growth. It will stay with you, long after that final paragraph has been read.
I would like to give a warm reception to Together We Fall Apart by debut author @sophie_matthiesson and the kind folks at @panterapress who have provided me with an opportunity to both read this fabulous book and take part in an amazing book tour.
🏺Written with poise, sentiment and realism, Together We Fall Apart is a first-time release for Central Victorian based author Sophie Matthiesson. It is just such a great feeling to meet yet another talented new author amongst the ranks of Australian fiction and I feel it is an honour to be able to endorse Together We Fall Apart.
🏺Sophie Matthiesson's debut allows us to follow Clare, an Australian woman who has been living and working in London for almost a decade. Clare must leave her partner Miriam, their child Rupert and her high-powered position to attend to a family crisis back home in Australia. Not only is Clare’s father seriously ill, but her brother has addiction issues. Clare must negotiate her ties to her family back in Australia and her London home life, a process that proves to be extremely difficult and emotional. Sophie Matthiesson brings these two strands of Clare’s life together with honesty, tenderness and significant moral insight.
🏺This sure was a heartbreaking read! I had just come off the back of a historical fiction tearjerker and I soon found myself swept up in the deep feeling and emotion of Sophie Matthiesson’s debut. Together We Fall Apart reads extremely well for a first release. Filled with understanding, depth and a deep sense of knowing and close attention to the issues at hand, I was impressed by how much this debut had to offer. I loved the past-to-present crossing, the family crossroads situation, the raw emotion, the authenticity of the scenarios Matthiesson places her characters in bind wise and most of all the local setting. I was deeply intrigued by the main character’s life in London, especially her career within the child protection caseload field. Clare’s family could easily be your own, so this book felt rooted in normality.
Together We Fall Apart is a fragile story that reminds us of a sense of belonging, home, obligations to family, and personal growth. It will stay with you, long after that final paragraph has been read.
I would like to give a warm reception to Together We Fall Apart by debut author @sophie_matthiesson and the kind folks at @panterapress who have provided me with an opportunity to both read this fabulous book and take part in an amazing book tour.
July 20, 2024
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
I found Together We Fall Apart by Sophie Matthiesson to be a brilliant surprise of a book, I can’t believe this is a debut novel and I couldn’t put it down! The characters in the book are skilfully crafted and were so realistically flawed, I was immersed in their complicated situations and messy relationships. I highly recommend you cancel all your plans and read this one!
The story centres around Clare who has been living in London for the last seven years working for a judge and dealing with child protection cases. She lives with her partner Miriam and their young son, Rupert.
When Clare returns alone to Australia to visit her sick father, she also finds herself dealing with her older brother’s long-term drug addiction as he still resides at home with their mother and father.
This is a story about a dysfunctional family, motherhood, siblings, addiction, relationships, grief and home. Perfectly written, a book that will have you reflecting long afterwards about the ups and downs of life and being pulled in different directions. Life is never perfect but has the potential to be filled with hope and love!! It’s out now and easily readable, grab yourself a copy! I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
Publication Date 02 July 2024
Publisher Pantera Press
A huge thanks to Pantera Press for sending a copy my way and for having me on the blog tour.
I found Together We Fall Apart by Sophie Matthiesson to be a brilliant surprise of a book, I can’t believe this is a debut novel and I couldn’t put it down! The characters in the book are skilfully crafted and were so realistically flawed, I was immersed in their complicated situations and messy relationships. I highly recommend you cancel all your plans and read this one!
The story centres around Clare who has been living in London for the last seven years working for a judge and dealing with child protection cases. She lives with her partner Miriam and their young son, Rupert.
When Clare returns alone to Australia to visit her sick father, she also finds herself dealing with her older brother’s long-term drug addiction as he still resides at home with their mother and father.
This is a story about a dysfunctional family, motherhood, siblings, addiction, relationships, grief and home. Perfectly written, a book that will have you reflecting long afterwards about the ups and downs of life and being pulled in different directions. Life is never perfect but has the potential to be filled with hope and love!! It’s out now and easily readable, grab yourself a copy! I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
Publication Date 02 July 2024
Publisher Pantera Press
A huge thanks to Pantera Press for sending a copy my way and for having me on the blog tour.
January 5, 2026
A tender and thought-provoking debut!
This character-driven novel is told from the perspective of Clare, an Australian who has established a life in London, with a wife (Miriam), young child (Rupert) and a successful job (working for a judge on child protection cases). Clare returns to Australia after more than seven years, to support her ailing father. Clare reflects on her life growing up in her family home, her time at university, her early relationship with Miriam, and relocating to London. While trying to support her terminally ill father, Clare is also forced to navigate the impact of her brother Max’s long-term drug addiction and the impact upon the entire family, and her family in London.
This story tackled dysfunctional relationships, grief, addiction, love, self-discovery and so much more. There are some confronting yet disturbingly perceptive depictions of long-term addiction, and the impact upon the wider support network.
I am excited to see what Sophie Matthiesson will write next.
3.5 stars
This character-driven novel is told from the perspective of Clare, an Australian who has established a life in London, with a wife (Miriam), young child (Rupert) and a successful job (working for a judge on child protection cases). Clare returns to Australia after more than seven years, to support her ailing father. Clare reflects on her life growing up in her family home, her time at university, her early relationship with Miriam, and relocating to London. While trying to support her terminally ill father, Clare is also forced to navigate the impact of her brother Max’s long-term drug addiction and the impact upon the entire family, and her family in London.
This story tackled dysfunctional relationships, grief, addiction, love, self-discovery and so much more. There are some confronting yet disturbingly perceptive depictions of long-term addiction, and the impact upon the wider support network.
I am excited to see what Sophie Matthiesson will write next.
3.5 stars
July 19, 2024
A powerful and confronting novel, Sophie brilliantly portrays a family in crisis and explores the ripple effects of addiction.
Thirty one year old Clare has spent the past seven years in London with her partner Miriam and now young son, Rupert. Upon her return to Melbourne, to be with her father in his final days, she is again confronted by her brother Max’s struggles with addiction and its effects on their family. Extending her stay to support Max through rehab, she is torn between the family she was born with and the family she has made. With heartbreaking insight, we follow Clare as she faces up to the past and what it means for her future.
Upon starting this book, I was immediately comforted by the familiar Melbourne setting. The many known locations, both here and in London, promoted a feeling of nostalgia and being home. The tension within this family, especially between the siblings, is so raw and full of regret and blame. Sophie has painted a very real picture of what it’s like to live with someone who is addicted to drugs. As a parent, I could empathise strongly with Barb and Alan and the way they continued to support Max and let him live at home. I know I would do anything to protect my kids and this was very strongly felt through the writing. Conversely, I could also understand Clare’s viewpoint that they needed to be tougher on him in order to break the cycle and not allow him to manipulate them. Clare’s grudge against her brother and feeling like he was to blame for the way her life went was also very believable. “The boy she’d revered was gone and they were left with his hungry ghost.”
The desperation and suffering of this family really shone through in Sophie’s writing and I especially enjoyed contemplating where the line between selfish and selfless lies. “He was the ceaseless disappointment, her parents’ fixation, her family’s regret, the darkness looming over the house, the never-ending what-ifs.”
Together We Fall Apart is an outstanding novel highlighting addiction and its repercussions for those around the addict. It was challenging and thoughtful, but also left me with a feeling of hope. A superb debut novel that I highly recommend to all.
Thirty one year old Clare has spent the past seven years in London with her partner Miriam and now young son, Rupert. Upon her return to Melbourne, to be with her father in his final days, she is again confronted by her brother Max’s struggles with addiction and its effects on their family. Extending her stay to support Max through rehab, she is torn between the family she was born with and the family she has made. With heartbreaking insight, we follow Clare as she faces up to the past and what it means for her future.
Upon starting this book, I was immediately comforted by the familiar Melbourne setting. The many known locations, both here and in London, promoted a feeling of nostalgia and being home. The tension within this family, especially between the siblings, is so raw and full of regret and blame. Sophie has painted a very real picture of what it’s like to live with someone who is addicted to drugs. As a parent, I could empathise strongly with Barb and Alan and the way they continued to support Max and let him live at home. I know I would do anything to protect my kids and this was very strongly felt through the writing. Conversely, I could also understand Clare’s viewpoint that they needed to be tougher on him in order to break the cycle and not allow him to manipulate them. Clare’s grudge against her brother and feeling like he was to blame for the way her life went was also very believable. “The boy she’d revered was gone and they were left with his hungry ghost.”
The desperation and suffering of this family really shone through in Sophie’s writing and I especially enjoyed contemplating where the line between selfish and selfless lies. “He was the ceaseless disappointment, her parents’ fixation, her family’s regret, the darkness looming over the house, the never-ending what-ifs.”
Together We Fall Apart is an outstanding novel highlighting addiction and its repercussions for those around the addict. It was challenging and thoughtful, but also left me with a feeling of hope. A superb debut novel that I highly recommend to all.
October 25, 2024
‘This was home.’
Clare has made a life for herself in London, where she has lived for the past seven years. She works for a judge on child protection cases while her partner Miriam raises their young son Rupert. Life in London makes it easier not to think of family issues in Australia, but Clare’s father’s terminal illness brings her back to Melbourne.
As I read this novel, I was reminded of this quote from Maya Angelou:
‘The truth is you never can leave home. You take it with you everywhere you go. It’s under your skin. It moves the tongue or slows it, colors the thinking, impedes upon the logic.’
Clare in London may have been able to avoid thinking about her brother Max’s drug addiction, about her parents’ passivity in relation to Max and their uneasy acceptance of her sexuality and relationship with Miriam. Once back in Melbourne, Clare (mostly) fits into the role required by her mother. But the death of her father and the impact of Max’s addiction has Clare focussing on Max’s possible rehabilitation. In the meantime, Miriam and Rupert are in London, awaiting her return.
There are a couple of twists in this story, and a revealing moment at the end when Clare accepts that Max is not solely responsible for issues within their family. But there are other aspects I was far less comfortable with, including the apparent ease with which Clare makes her final decision to remain in Australia. And yet … the complexity of family life, of relationships within families and their impact on others, the contradictions in behaviours are well portrayed.
I finished this novel wondering what might happen next, hoping that the main characters would each find the life they hoped for, that home would become a blessing rather than a burden. An impressive debut novel.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Clare has made a life for herself in London, where she has lived for the past seven years. She works for a judge on child protection cases while her partner Miriam raises their young son Rupert. Life in London makes it easier not to think of family issues in Australia, but Clare’s father’s terminal illness brings her back to Melbourne.
As I read this novel, I was reminded of this quote from Maya Angelou:
‘The truth is you never can leave home. You take it with you everywhere you go. It’s under your skin. It moves the tongue or slows it, colors the thinking, impedes upon the logic.’
Clare in London may have been able to avoid thinking about her brother Max’s drug addiction, about her parents’ passivity in relation to Max and their uneasy acceptance of her sexuality and relationship with Miriam. Once back in Melbourne, Clare (mostly) fits into the role required by her mother. But the death of her father and the impact of Max’s addiction has Clare focussing on Max’s possible rehabilitation. In the meantime, Miriam and Rupert are in London, awaiting her return.
There are a couple of twists in this story, and a revealing moment at the end when Clare accepts that Max is not solely responsible for issues within their family. But there are other aspects I was far less comfortable with, including the apparent ease with which Clare makes her final decision to remain in Australia. And yet … the complexity of family life, of relationships within families and their impact on others, the contradictions in behaviours are well portrayed.
I finished this novel wondering what might happen next, hoping that the main characters would each find the life they hoped for, that home would become a blessing rather than a burden. An impressive debut novel.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 14, 2024
An interesting and generally well written debut novel that looks closely at relationships, addiction, grief, enabling parents and more. Although I didn't particularly like many of the characters, and I cannot decide if Clare was selfish or naive/searching, it was an engaging read and I will certainly look to read the author's next work.
July 25, 2024
Phoar.
I’m tense.
This book has made me very tense.
‘Together they fall apart’ but don’t expect them to be put back together again.
Clare has established a new life overseas (job, wife, child) which is disrupted when she returns home to Australia to be with her ailing father.
To the life she escaped because her home life was dominated by her brother Max’s heroin addiction. From her parents powerless to stop him. From her lack of defined role or identity.
This is a story of self discovery. Finding peace in the past before you can carve out a happier, healthier future.
It is thoroughly descriptive. At times I felt some of the stringent detail could have been stripped back and replaced by more time building character.
But then, I absolutely loved the Melbourne Uni references - talk about transporting to a time and a place! A Plush Fish reference! That was literally my introduction to sushi and takeaway coffee.
It actually gave me some ‘Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude get a life’ vibes at times ❤️
I liked how real this felt. It’s not pretty. Everyone wears their flaws.
There’s so much resentment.
I’m not sure I felt any relief or release by the story’s end but it felt wholly genuine.
This one will sit with me for a while.
If a sign of a well written story is evoking an emotional response, then I rate all of the stars!
Thank you to @panterapress and @sophie_matthiesson for a gifted copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review and for including me in the #togetherwefallapart book tour.
I’m tense.
This book has made me very tense.
‘Together they fall apart’ but don’t expect them to be put back together again.
Clare has established a new life overseas (job, wife, child) which is disrupted when she returns home to Australia to be with her ailing father.
To the life she escaped because her home life was dominated by her brother Max’s heroin addiction. From her parents powerless to stop him. From her lack of defined role or identity.
This is a story of self discovery. Finding peace in the past before you can carve out a happier, healthier future.
It is thoroughly descriptive. At times I felt some of the stringent detail could have been stripped back and replaced by more time building character.
But then, I absolutely loved the Melbourne Uni references - talk about transporting to a time and a place! A Plush Fish reference! That was literally my introduction to sushi and takeaway coffee.
It actually gave me some ‘Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude get a life’ vibes at times ❤️
I liked how real this felt. It’s not pretty. Everyone wears their flaws.
There’s so much resentment.
I’m not sure I felt any relief or release by the story’s end but it felt wholly genuine.
This one will sit with me for a while.
If a sign of a well written story is evoking an emotional response, then I rate all of the stars!
Thank you to @panterapress and @sophie_matthiesson for a gifted copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review and for including me in the #togetherwefallapart book tour.
December 17, 2024
Really enjoyed. Moving and thought provoking book and I loved how it weaved exploring how addiction impacts families
June 28, 2025
The novel's protagonist is Clare, in her early thirties. She's been living in London for seven years. Her partner, Miriam, is the biological mother of their four-year-old son.
Clare returns to Australia to attend to family matters. Being back home brings back memories about past relationships and things that happened within her family.
This was a decently written debut novel, hyperrealistic but also quite mundane. The main themes - finding yourself, drug addiction and its effects on those around the addict, the constraints of familial and romantic relationships, and grief.
Unfortunately, I found Clare not that interesting or memorable.
Clare returns to Australia to attend to family matters. Being back home brings back memories about past relationships and things that happened within her family.
This was a decently written debut novel, hyperrealistic but also quite mundane. The main themes - finding yourself, drug addiction and its effects on those around the addict, the constraints of familial and romantic relationships, and grief.
Unfortunately, I found Clare not that interesting or memorable.
October 21, 2025
5 / Wow, I am left with a prick of tears and a feeling of sadness, relief, hope and joy. This debut has it all: yearnings, obsession, addiction, grief, fear of failure, overcoming, growing up, coming home and finding one’s true self.
With a softness on difficult subjects and very real in its telling, Sophie delves into every character’s view elegantly. I feel like I know them and with all their flaws, they are relatable and can picture them vividly.
I did not know if I wanted to read this for fear of heartache and heaviness, but having read and very much enjoyed Emily Bitto, Ewa Ramsey and Nadine J. Cohen, and they have recommended it, I am so glad I did and cannot recommend it enough.
Congrats to you Sophie on a wonderful debut!
Below are a few of my favourites
“They had been close once, she was sure of it. The distance must have crept in later, but when, she didn’t know.”
“The boy she’d revered was gone and they were left with his hungry ghost.”
“Her brother and mother were different sides of the same coin, thought Clare in their own quiet complicity.”
“I was so worried about mum, and dad was pretty tapped out trying to forget. I felt like I had to parent my own parents, but I’ve got my own stuff. I’m not perfect and there just didn’t seem to be enough air in the house for me.”
“You don’t think there’s anything missing? That it isn’t just the circumstances?”
“I feel like I’m in this alone.” “Well that makes two of us.”
“It’s a matter of being paralysed by decisions, then being disappointed with myself.”
“She cried until there was nothing left.”
From the epilogue
“But we can still love them, we can love completely without complete understanding.”
5 ⭐️ Audiobook read by Eva Seymour
With a softness on difficult subjects and very real in its telling, Sophie delves into every character’s view elegantly. I feel like I know them and with all their flaws, they are relatable and can picture them vividly.
I did not know if I wanted to read this for fear of heartache and heaviness, but having read and very much enjoyed Emily Bitto, Ewa Ramsey and Nadine J. Cohen, and they have recommended it, I am so glad I did and cannot recommend it enough.
Congrats to you Sophie on a wonderful debut!
Below are a few of my favourites
“They had been close once, she was sure of it. The distance must have crept in later, but when, she didn’t know.”
“The boy she’d revered was gone and they were left with his hungry ghost.”
“Her brother and mother were different sides of the same coin, thought Clare in their own quiet complicity.”
“I was so worried about mum, and dad was pretty tapped out trying to forget. I felt like I had to parent my own parents, but I’ve got my own stuff. I’m not perfect and there just didn’t seem to be enough air in the house for me.”
“You don’t think there’s anything missing? That it isn’t just the circumstances?”
“I feel like I’m in this alone.” “Well that makes two of us.”
“It’s a matter of being paralysed by decisions, then being disappointed with myself.”
“She cried until there was nothing left.”
From the epilogue
“But we can still love them, we can love completely without complete understanding.”
5 ⭐️ Audiobook read by Eva Seymour
July 16, 2024
What an incredible debut! A tender, moving, thought provoking story that felt so real it hurt.
Clare returns to Melbourne, leaving her partner Miriam and their son Rupert in London, as her dad is terminally ill. Coming home, Clare has to deal with many difficult situations, including her brother’s drug addiction, which affects the whole family.
I really loved how we were shown glimpses of Claire’s life growing up, going to uni, how she met Miriam and moving to London. It was written perfectly and really helped shape Claire’s character and helped the reader understand who she really was.
The way the author has written about this family is so real and raw. I was completely drawn into this family, their struggles, the pain and their loss. I was so invested in all the characters and their complicated, messy lives and relationships.
The writing is beautiful and makes you feel all the feels while you’re reading it.
Sometimes my heart hurt for Clare, being pulled in every direction, I kept hoping she will find her happiness.
This story is about dysfunctional families, drug addiction, motherhood, grief and home. I found myself thinking a lot about life while reading this story. The choices we make, the relationships we have, our families, it all shapes our lives, and we all deserve to find love and happiness.
Thank you @panterapress for sending me a copy of this amazing book and including me in this book tour.
Clare returns to Melbourne, leaving her partner Miriam and their son Rupert in London, as her dad is terminally ill. Coming home, Clare has to deal with many difficult situations, including her brother’s drug addiction, which affects the whole family.
I really loved how we were shown glimpses of Claire’s life growing up, going to uni, how she met Miriam and moving to London. It was written perfectly and really helped shape Claire’s character and helped the reader understand who she really was.
The way the author has written about this family is so real and raw. I was completely drawn into this family, their struggles, the pain and their loss. I was so invested in all the characters and their complicated, messy lives and relationships.
The writing is beautiful and makes you feel all the feels while you’re reading it.
Sometimes my heart hurt for Clare, being pulled in every direction, I kept hoping she will find her happiness.
This story is about dysfunctional families, drug addiction, motherhood, grief and home. I found myself thinking a lot about life while reading this story. The choices we make, the relationships we have, our families, it all shapes our lives, and we all deserve to find love and happiness.
Thank you @panterapress for sending me a copy of this amazing book and including me in this book tour.
November 3, 2024
I devoured this book in all it's glory. This novel truly paints the picture of the twisted dynamics that occur within families who have member/s suffering from addiction. I particularly resonated with how family members of addicts can struggle to find and maintain healthy relationships after navigating the flux of a fraught home life. A tender and beautiful read.
December 2, 2024
The resonance I had with this character was near unimaginable in terms of her choices and circumstances, it was confronting but so beautiful. My only critique was the inability to really like or root for any of the characters throughout given how poignant the arcs were. It made it challenging to get into.
March 27, 2025
Listen to as an audio book read by Eva Seymour.
It was really nice to be reading an Australian novel. There was a lot of potential delving into family issues, finding oneself, running away and a sense of obligation but I got halfway through and just couldn't continue. It was too slow, I simply lost interest and couldn't bear to listen for another 5 hours.
It was really nice to be reading an Australian novel. There was a lot of potential delving into family issues, finding oneself, running away and a sense of obligation but I got halfway through and just couldn't continue. It was too slow, I simply lost interest and couldn't bear to listen for another 5 hours.
September 7, 2025
loved this! a sad story about addiction and grief
i really hate when i can’t imagine what the characters look like and this was one of those books which made it hard to empathise with the main character, but she also just wasn’t very likeable
but a nice read, based in melbourne!! which was funny to know the streets and bars the author was referring to
i really hate when i can’t imagine what the characters look like and this was one of those books which made it hard to empathise with the main character, but she also just wasn’t very likeable
but a nice read, based in melbourne!! which was funny to know the streets and bars the author was referring to
July 7, 2025
Heart wrenchingly raw yet tender characters navigating themselves and their family dynamics. Figuring yourself out, who you are, what you want and how/who that intertwines with.
All felt super poignant and relatable.
All felt super poignant and relatable.
February 16, 2025
This got an extra star just because it was very targeted to me.
August 31, 2024
A beautiful narrative that beautifully captured the feeling of being torn between two lives. I loved this book but at times the transitions were sharp and the pacing felt rushed.
April 10, 2025
Tragic but got there in the end
August 30, 2024
Raw and heartbreaking, this is a page turner to the end. Sophie Matthieson's writing creates an evocative portrait of ordinary people's extraordinary life challenges. So refreshing to read a book where the main protagonist is queer, but not the one in crisis (although caught up in it and having to navigate the impact on her own life). It was also fun being transported back to the Melbourne queer scene of 20 years ago (Alia!). Together We Fall Apart is a beautifully crafted story of the impact and frustrations of drug addiction and the toll one person's actions can take on an entire family.
August 30, 2024
I couldn't put this book down. It's beautifully written so much so I became immersed in it. The story engages you and the characters are captivatingly flawed. A snapshot about the devastating effects of drug addiction on a family and how they navigate through tumultuous episodes of lies, treatments and decision making. The central character Clare is a resilient, intelligent and funny person who takes control of her life even when it seems overwhelmingly difficult. A fantastic read.
May 5, 2024
Set in current-day Australia, MC Clare returns temporarily to Melbourne, after living in London with her wife and child, to be with her terminally ill father. Faced with the dynamics of the situation and the daily impact of her drug-addicted brother who lives with her parents, Clare begins to reassess her life and embarks on a painful journey of self-discovery.
The author jumps between the current day and glimpses of Clare's past. It's an effective way of providing the back story that has led to Clare's discontent. The author maintains strong control in the retelling, each glimpse providing a significant insight into how Clare's pivotal relationships have developed over time. The author has done this with clarity and purpose, only using relevant situations that strengthen the plot.
Overall, the storyline is tight, rational, and realistic. As a debut novel, the character development is superb. The intricacies of each relationship and situation harmonize perfectly with the plot. The reader is drawn fully into Clare's world and mind.
To say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. It has all the gritty reality of a dysfunctional family that is in the grips of addiction. Its honesty resonates with the reader on a personal level. And it is so refreshing to read about real people. I can't wait to read the author's next book!
The author jumps between the current day and glimpses of Clare's past. It's an effective way of providing the back story that has led to Clare's discontent. The author maintains strong control in the retelling, each glimpse providing a significant insight into how Clare's pivotal relationships have developed over time. The author has done this with clarity and purpose, only using relevant situations that strengthen the plot.
Overall, the storyline is tight, rational, and realistic. As a debut novel, the character development is superb. The intricacies of each relationship and situation harmonize perfectly with the plot. The reader is drawn fully into Clare's world and mind.
To say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. It has all the gritty reality of a dysfunctional family that is in the grips of addiction. Its honesty resonates with the reader on a personal level. And it is so refreshing to read about real people. I can't wait to read the author's next book!
October 5, 2024
Was really surprised by this book…it held so much promise. From the blurb and reviews I had read I went out and bought a copy straight away, it had all the things I love; a queer protagonist, a cross continental love affair, family drama, a sense of place and some gritty realism.
While it was definitely a page turner and an easy, accessible read I felt all areas, including the writing overall lacked depth, richness or sense of reality. I felt the depiction of drug addiction and the description of the child protection cases pretty offensive to be honest; they were one dimensional and blamed the victim while barely exploring the why. And the portrayal of parenthood was quite simply bizarre; very few parents take off overseas without their kid and act like they couldn't care less.
Saying all this I feel like it was written more like a script and holds potential to be brought to life in a TV series; the city imagery and some great acting could do wonders for an otherwise solid plot line.
While it was definitely a page turner and an easy, accessible read I felt all areas, including the writing overall lacked depth, richness or sense of reality. I felt the depiction of drug addiction and the description of the child protection cases pretty offensive to be honest; they were one dimensional and blamed the victim while barely exploring the why. And the portrayal of parenthood was quite simply bizarre; very few parents take off overseas without their kid and act like they couldn't care less.
Saying all this I feel like it was written more like a script and holds potential to be brought to life in a TV series; the city imagery and some great acting could do wonders for an otherwise solid plot line.
September 30, 2024
ave you ever picked up a book on a whim and ended up feeling like it was meant for you? Well, Together We Fall Apart by Sophie Mathiesson has done just that! 📖
Gifted by a friend who stumbled upon it at our local street library (the best kind of surprise, right?!), this book had me hooked from the first page and accompanied me everywhere—yes, I even read it in the most unexpected places.
Mathiesson dives deep into love, family, and all the messy bits in between. Her storytelling is like piecing together delicate fragments—just like the kintsugi-inspired cover art suggests. Every crack reveals something beautiful. 🖤
If you’re into emotional reads with characters who feel real (sometimes too real!), then this one’s for you.
Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that it came from a street library? Talk about serendipity!
What’s a book you’ve stumbled upon by chance that totally captured your heart? Let’s chat!
Gifted by a friend who stumbled upon it at our local street library (the best kind of surprise, right?!), this book had me hooked from the first page and accompanied me everywhere—yes, I even read it in the most unexpected places.
Mathiesson dives deep into love, family, and all the messy bits in between. Her storytelling is like piecing together delicate fragments—just like the kintsugi-inspired cover art suggests. Every crack reveals something beautiful. 🖤
If you’re into emotional reads with characters who feel real (sometimes too real!), then this one’s for you.
Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that it came from a street library? Talk about serendipity!
What’s a book you’ve stumbled upon by chance that totally captured your heart? Let’s chat!
May 5, 2025
3.5 Together we Fall Apart is a look at meaning, family and belonging - the gaps between who we are and who we want to be, and how we construct or destroy those identities in our twenties. Clare is caught between her wife and young son in London, and her family in Melbourne who are grappling with her fathers encroaching death and her brothers decade long drug addiction. My main issue was that Clare didn't quite seem like a parent for the first section, which was probably purposeful, but I just struggled to connect with the story at first because of the quasi-absence. For a debut though, with quite a lot of grand themes, this is pretty strong. Sophie Matthiesson has written an engaging and thought provoking novel, and I'm eager to see what she comes out with next.
January 9, 2025
This was very sweet but kind of bland. It tackled important issues and the writing was simple but gripping. I flew through it. The characters were well-defined and I found the way their dynamics were set up interesting.
But in the end, the story didn't stick with me; the revelations were obvious. Overall, it was lacklustre and mid. If I remove the queerness element, this was quite cliché.
I understand literary fiction is like this (it's my favourite genre, after all!) but it has to be no plot, just vibes to land. The vibes did not vibe. So, while the plot plotted a bit, it was simply not enough to salvage the book for me.
But in the end, the story didn't stick with me; the revelations were obvious. Overall, it was lacklustre and mid. If I remove the queerness element, this was quite cliché.
I understand literary fiction is like this (it's my favourite genre, after all!) but it has to be no plot, just vibes to land. The vibes did not vibe. So, while the plot plotted a bit, it was simply not enough to salvage the book for me.
September 24, 2024
4.5 stars
Australian debut fiction exploring themes of family dysfunction, addiction, relationships.
Looked forward to continuing this book each day and getting to know the characters, their loves and fears.
Centred around Clare, whose brother is a heroin addict with parents that struggle with chronic enablement. Clare’s own family - her partner Miriam and son Rupert in London creating anxiety as she returns home for her father’s funeral. Super interesting and enjoyable with a strong Australian flavour and rhythm.
Australian debut fiction exploring themes of family dysfunction, addiction, relationships.
Looked forward to continuing this book each day and getting to know the characters, their loves and fears.
Centred around Clare, whose brother is a heroin addict with parents that struggle with chronic enablement. Clare’s own family - her partner Miriam and son Rupert in London creating anxiety as she returns home for her father’s funeral. Super interesting and enjoyable with a strong Australian flavour and rhythm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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