Jen never came home from work. In a small town like Terminal, isolated on the rural Victorian coast, there weren't many places she could be hiding. But as the missing persons case grows cold, her partner Thomas will become dangerously determined to find her.
Book-reviewers said...
"Tragic and un-put-downable, this book is perfect for anyone looking for a unique mystery. It is well written, with care taken to represent mental instability as realistically as possible." ★★★★☆ The Book Nook Reviews
"I never thought I would read something that would move me as much as Personal Fable did. What gets under the readers skin is the power in the simplicity of words. The imagery is exquisite. I read this book in one sitting." ★★★★★ My Wee Reads Reviews
"I was captivated from the start and couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read it again and digest it more slowly." ★★★★★ Peter R Reviews
“You’ll always find the thing you want in the place you least want to look.”
Personal Fable by Ander Louis is the account of Thomas who is coping with the disappearance of his partner Jen. Set in Terminal, in rural Victoria, the search for his partner will bring Thomas to a harrowing realisation of what he is up against.
This book 😭 At 180 pages, I never thought I would read something that would move me as much as Personal Fable did. There is no larger than life plot, it is a simple narrative set on the experiences of a man dealing with the loss of his partner. Thomas has had to overcome tragedy in his life, he has struggled with depression and emotions he couldn’t understand which come to a head when his partner goes missing.
What gets under the readers skin is the power in the simplicity of words. When Thomas is talking about what he thinks, sees, feels, expresses and copes with is all too real. Everyone can relate to this having experienced it themselves at one point in their lives. The imagery is exquisite. I read this book in one sitting, I slowly worked my way through it and was transported to Australia instantly.
If there is a book I can highly recommend that will move the reader then it is Personal Fable by Ander Louis. Huge thanks to Peter for putting this book on my radar and sending it all the way from Australia. I loved it and can’t recommend it enough.
Personal Fable is one of the realest and genuine books I have read, it is completely authentic to the main character Thomas’ voice. There is no flash fairytales, or interwoven notions of the main characters secret heart of gold, like most other novels, instead there is purely Thomas, and his reflection of a low sense of self worth and insecurity, which reflects what is truly hidden deep within all of us. This is what makes Thomas an interesting character, He doesn’t sugar coat life, he tells it how it is, however bleak that may be. When I first picked up this novel, I simply couldn’t put it down as I got sucked in by the dynamic of the protagonist’s relationship, and needed to know if Thomas’ outlook of things going south was merely his outlook on the world, or if it was an actual representation of how the relationship was faring. I was fascinated how often Thomas would tiptoe around the line of what would be considered normal realm of emotions and what would be considered an actual diagnosable problem, and how this is cleverly left up to readers to decide their take. An interesting read about how the mind deals with crisis and the thought processes we go through during those times. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an emotional depth to them, as they will find the story relatable and real.
Personal Fable, Ander Louis. 2020. . I received a review copy of this book, a first for me, and I was a little apprehensive as to whether it would be any good. It turned out I had nothing to worry about because I genuinely loved it! . As the title suggests this was a very personal, real and visceral reading experience. I was and captivated from the start and couldn’t put it down. The writing is top notch and has a lyrical, poetic, dark and brooding feel to it. . The story follows Thomas and his life in an rural Australian mining town. The characters are well drawn, as is the small town vibe and mannerisms. The relationship between Thomas and his girlfriend Jen is interesting and when she goes missing the story becomes a gripping page turning mystery. It really had my adrenaline going and there are some intense and moving scenes that I feel anyone can relate to. . As the search for Jen wears on, you get a deep and fascinating look into the psychology of Thomas in his sleep deprived delirious state and it becomes quite phantasmagorical. . This story has a bit of everything and I’m not even sure I grasped everything on offer on this first read as I was focused on what happened to Jen. I can’t wait to read it again and digest it more slowly. I also look forward to any future writings. . I enjoyed this book so much that I went and bought myself a hardcover copy and also a couple of extras to share with friends. . Highly recommend!! . . . 4.5/5 ⭐️ . . . #peterruysbookreviews
Ok. Wow. It was so interesting to go in Thomas’ mind and watch his downward spiral. He seemed to literally go mad and it was fascinating and unexpected. I was gripped from about half way in, I need to know what was going happen next and how it was going to end! Without giving to much away but, it was a very unexpected ending and I still didn’t get the answers to my questions 🤷🏼♀️
I couldn't put this book down once I started it. Thomas is a relatable character, desperate to find his missing girlfriend.
What I appreciated about this book was that I could feel his building mental anguish as his search continued. Earlier in the story it was clear he struggled with depression and possibly other issues, though they were not directly identified.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I will certainly recommend it to others.
EDIT: I am updating my review and my rating a day after my original review because I cannot stop thinking about this book. It leaves so many questions, but also is incredibly thought provoking. It would make a great book for discussion in a book club.
From the moment I picked this book up I just could not put it down... a real page turner and more importantly a book that is re readable! Can’t wait to dive back into this one again.
Authors who are able to describe landscape in a way that makes you feel like you’re there and make you feel such an array of emotion are truly wonderful to come across...
I can’t wait to see what comes next from Ander Louis
I read this in one night, which is rare for me because I like to read slowly. It sucked me in from the very first page. I felt both empathy and annoyance for the main character (in a good way) and enjoyed the mystery in what happened. Great story!
Could not put it down! One of the best books I have read in some time.
The characters are really well done, the attention to detail and raw emotional state paints a perfect picture. I was there with them, feeling what they are feeling and feeling for them.
Throughout this journey it took me on a roller coaster of a ride. I was completely engaged from start to finish and highly recommend. It’s the kind of book that had me ready for a re-read instantly and will definitely read over again and again. Loved it
Wow, what a read! I loved the psychology, symbolism, personal and social studies woven into the words. Well done Ander Louis on your debut Adult/New-Adult fiction!
This may just be my favourite description of an overcast day ever lol! I don't think I'll ever see a darkly overcast sky again without thinking "the sky is an absolute c*nt today".
This is an interesting little read. I think I would conceptualize it more as a long short story rather than a short novel. I tend to expect less resolution and more of a sense of a snapshot in time from a short story, and I think that fits this work.
It tells the story of Thomas, who has recently returned from overseas to the small Aussie town he grew up in, with Japanese girlfriend Jen in tow. Louis expertly captures the oppressive feeling that Thomas gets from being in this small town - the heat, the stagnancy of life, the causal racism - it all feels very accurate, and atmospherically conveyed. Having grown up in a small town myself (albeit a kiwi one), I could relate to quite a lot of what Thomas was feeling.
About halfway through the book, Jen goes missing, and we watch as Thomas descends into a kind of madness that perhaps was sitting just under the surface the whole time. I would not characterise this as a mystery story however, but rather more as a character portrait. The ending is somewhat abrupt and leaves a fair amount unresolved, which I think reinforces that this is not really a story about a missing girl, but rather a depiction of one man's state of mind. Approached as such, I think it is a successful and masterfully written piece.
Many thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
*this book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*
As someone who loves a good who-done-it mystery, Personal Fable wrapped my mind in the tragic story of our main character Thomas. He is faced with a situation everyone fears, the disappearence of a loved one. With no clues and no idea, Thomas endeavours to find that which he lost.
On this path, Thomas falls into the rabbit hole we all wish to avoid. Theories, worst case scenarios and the unavoidable hopelessness. I truly felt for the guy, even though he was a dick.
Thomas grew on me, just as madness grew on him. Slowly but surely. He was an angry, self-centered ass who only had a mind for himself. I hated him, but as the book progressed, I began to understand him. He didn't understand what was happening in his life, and had no stable ground to stand on. I've been in that situation, and it feels like you don't even know what you're doing. Like you're watching yourself from the outside, unable to help, unable to do anything about it. He was me, in a way, and I understood him.
This novel is well written, with care taken to represent mental instability as realistic as possible. Tragic and un-put-downable, this book is perfect for anyone looking for a unique mystery. I will put a disclaimer here that this is for mature audiences as it features swearing, adult content and themes. This is a great novel anyone can enjoy and learn from.
Personal Fable is the story of Thomas and his decent into madness. Having recently moved back home to a rural Victorian town and bringing his Japanese girlfriend Jen, it is not long before cracks start to appear within the relationship. However, when Jen goes missing Thomas will do anything to bring her home.
I can honestly say that this book was hard to put down. It was intriguing and beautifully written. My only gripes are that the story jumps around a bit, there are no chapters and it could've been a bit longer but otherwise a great read.
Thank you to Ander Louis for sending me a copy of this book for my honest review
Personal Fable is a story about an unlikable failure of a young man who obviously also suffers some level of mental illness. I should have gone with my gut instinct and relegated this to DNF, but I soldiered on to the end.There was o real conclusion,and nothing made me feel any better about main character, also the narrator.
A raw and gritty read, Ander Louis injects a dry witticism in his Australian novel Personal Fable.
PLOT: Following his wife’s mysterious disappearance, Thomas sets off in his small town of Terminal to see where Jen could be hiding. Was this her decision to leave? Has Jen even left Terminal?
Thomas, the main character, isn’t particularly likeable. He undermines his wife, embarrassed at her lowly ‘café job’, and shares his overprotective thoughts about the way she dresses and other outdated opinions. For a young couple, this character portrayal felt a little unrealistic.
However, Thomas had a quick wit and unpredictability which made the novel worth the time. One of my favourite lines follows an evening dinner early in the novel, where Louis lays on the tension thick,
"I don’t know what was more overcooked: my compliment or the meal itself" p. 3
Fred, Thomas’ brother, also has his moments of humour:
"How is everything so fucking weird right now? There’s an aboriginal bagpipe-playing pyromaniac who burns down buildings, and you’re somehow his mate?" p. 90
Louis includes moments of thoughtful writing, carefully curated for the right moments in the novel layered with darker intention:
"I called her back for another one-last-kiss. I wondered if the veil of sweetness was too thin, if she could see that beneath the surface I was really saying, ‘Before you head off into the world, remember, we love one another, got it?’" p. 5
Overall, I found this book to be an eccentric and gripping read. Something I usually wouldn’t pick out for myself but am glad to have had to opportunity to read.
At first, after I got accustomed to the writing style, I thought this might be an interesting and different kind of book. However, I found that the exploration of Thomas's - the main character's - mental breakdown after the disappearance of his girlfriend, just got to be redundant and self-indulgent. There might have been an arc of his mental breakdown, but the arc of the story ended.
If change in the protagonist is one of the indicators of a good read, then this is not, by that definition. There wasn't change. Thomas's anger and disconnectedness only became stronger as the book progressed.
Afer the disappearance of Jen - his girlfriend - as he spiraled into his own crazy world, I flipped through pages to see if there was anything happening in the story. Not much.
This novel transcends the often self-indulgent 'slice of life' genre. Rather than merely replaying a personal moment, Personal Fable evokes authentic emotions – frustration, pain, blissful nostalgia, and a yearning for more. It lingers in your mind like a potent memory.
Since reading this book, its surreal tone has me questioning whether the details are vividly real or subtly distorted. This ambiguity only makes it more thought-provoking. You won't turn the pages out of obligation or anticipation of a conventional payoff; you'll likely be hooked and ready to react.
A masterpiece that satisfies even as it leaves you wanting more – a closed chapter that lives on in your mind.
It felt like this meant a lot to the author. Didn't connect with me, though. The first half was very slow, and most of the second half was about the protagonist feeling sorry for himself.