The Application of Pressure

by Rachael Mead

For paramedics Tash and Joel, a regular workday is like a supercut of the worst days of other people’s lives. They maintain their sanity through a friendship built on black humour, but as the constant exposure to trauma takes its toll, both, in different ways, must fight to preserve their mental health and relationships – even with one another. How much pressure can they handle, and what will happen when they finally crack?

With each chapter revolving around an emergency – some frightening, some moving, some simply funny –Rachael Mead digs beneath the surface of gore and grit to lay bare the humanity of emergency services personnel and their patients. This breathtaking novel reveals not only the trauma of a life lived on the front line of medicine, but also the essential, binding friendships that make such a life possible.

Genres: Australia, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Audiobook

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2020

Reviews

[Nomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Application of Pressure is a darkly humorous, shocking and insightful Australian debut novel which has lingered with me since I finished it. It follows two Adelaide paramedics, Tash and Joel, spanning twenty years of their career and personal lives. Each chapter is episodic as they respond to emergencies ~ some with characters in truly bizarre situations, mingled in with traumatic and devastating scenes, many of which take a toll on their mental health and relationships. I found the episodes equal parts fascinating and unpredictable, there's some pure comedy gold to lighten the tension and horror, plenty of gore (be prepared!) and jaw dropping moments. Racheal Mead is a poet, and she has captured these brilliant tales beautifully, a haunting, funny, eye-opening and wild read.

[Kristy (sometimes_i_read_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Application of Pressure tells the story of Tash & Joel, two paramedics from Adelaide. We follow them from final training in 1997 to seasoned professionals in 2019. ⁣
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I loved this book on two levels. First up are the brilliantly told ‘ambo’ emergency stories, sometimes scary, sometimes funny, sometimes downright horrific. The insight into what a paramedic sees on the job was fascinating and the voyeur in me ate it up!⁣
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Then we have Tash & Joel. Initially they were catalysts there to help tell the fascinating stories. But slowly we delve deeper into their characters. The impact of a job like theirs is evident, I loved how, over the course of the book we see the true impact. The black humour and relationship strains, but also developing friendships and bonding over shared experiences. ⁣
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[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding debut novel. Each chapter forms a story or 'character snippet'. Many of these are mind blowingly good as stand alone pieces in their own right. But together they weave a captivating tale of hard lived lives.

[Julie McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was thinking of 3.5 but with the benefit of hindsight, I would have enjoyed it more if I’d read it in one go and not been distracted by other novels in the interim. I loved the idea of this book and, for the most part, it delivered. There were some serious gross-out moments and laugh-out-loud stories that were very amusing - I particularly enjoyed the one about helpful neighbours. A great debut.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting novel of two paramedics and their full on lives.

[Alessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting view on emergency situations from an EMT's perspective. I enjoyed that it was set in Adelaide, South Australia.

I would not recommend reading this book if you're squeamish. There are many mentions of blood, death, mental illness, excrement, etc.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hesitated over buying this book.  I never watch those reality programs about first responders such as paramedics, not because I'm squeamish, but because I'd rather not wallow in the sordid side of life.  (I don't read or watch True Crime for the same reason).  But Rachael Mead's debut novel about the lives of paramedics cut through those reservations, not least because of the blurbers recommending it: Pip Williams, Peter Goldsworthy and Steven Armstrong among them.

Early in the book, the twin meanings of the title become clear:

Back in training, they learned a couple of ways to work out if someone is truly dead to the world or if they're faking.  One is to rub knuckles really hard against their sternum.  It's not pleasant.  The other is to press a pen into the bed of a nail cuticle.  This is equally unpopular.  Both the sternum rub and a nail-bed press will make anyone  who's conscious flinch, even if they're determined — for whatever bizarre reason — to play possum.  (p.14)

(Why anyone would do that, becomes clear as the novel continues).

Along with doing CPR to restore a beating heart, ambos (who we learn must never be called 'ambulance drivers' because they are much more than that) apply pressure to various parts of the body, but they are also subject to intense pressure themselves.

This is the blurb:

For paramedics Tash and Joel, a regular workday is like a supercut of the worst days of other people’s lives. They maintain their sanity through a friendship built on black humour, but as the constant exposure to trauma takes its toll, both, in different ways, must fight to preserve their mental health and relationships – even with one another. How much pressure can they handle, and what will happen when they finally crack?

With each chapter revolving around an emergency — some frightening, some moving, some simply funny — Rachael Mead digs beneath the surface of gore and grit to lay bare the humanity of emergency services personnel and their patients. This breathtaking novel reveals not only the trauma of a life lived on the front line of medicine, but also the essential, binding friendships that make such a life possible.

The novel is episodic, alternating Joel and Tash's experiences (supplemented by narratives from some of the other ambos), from the early days filled with hope and fear, over twenty years to trauma, disillusionment and determination to carry on. 

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/09/15/t...

[Heather Taylor-Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for novels written through a series of short stories but strongly linked in narrative and I'm a sucker for novels written by poets (you can always tell from the very first page) - this book is both, so, indeed, I'm a sucker for it. Tash and Joel are paramedics, their jobs taking readers to places we didn't think we'd ever want to visit. Turns out we can't look away, don't want to, and in the midst of MUCH humour and gore, Mead explores the lasting effects of trauma on frontline medical workers. What works best for me is the tone of the book, which varies throughout the different stories / chapters yet somehow remains cohesive. It's an impressive feat. Also of note, the book takes place in and around Adelaide, and I love that my city's cannon is growing.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read this book from South Australian author Rachel Mead. I enjoyed every moment of it and hope she's written (or will write more). It doesn't matter if you don't know SA, but it's lots of fun if you do, reading the placenames. No boo-boos about what is where and when, either. The two primary characters, covered in their own first-person chapters alternating throughout the book, are well-drawn with insights to their thinking as they work as paramedics. Somehow, Ms Mead has managed to write drama, pathos, revelation, pain and humour without touching that dreaded basilisk - sentimentality - for one moment. Given the careers of the protagonists and their interior voices, that's a remarkable accomplishment. Well done! Five stars.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Although it's fiction, this book is an interesting snapshot into some of the calls an ambulance service might respond to. At times it was quite hilarious; very sad at others. I didn't love it, but I certainly enjoyed it and I'm glad I read it. I'd recommend The application of pressure to anyone with an interest in First Responders and the work they do.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, in equal parts, an insightful, jaw-dropping, hilarious, horrifying novel about the lives of two paramedics in Adelaide, South Australia. Mead leads us through the careers of two paramedics, Joel and Tash, from their initial training through to their becoming veterans of the profession. She does this using fairly self-contained chapters, each recounting part of a day in the life of the heroes of the book. And heroes they are. After reading this book, you will have a new-found respect for this profession, because Mead pulls no punches in describing the blood, gore, faeces and other bodily fluids they deal with on a day-to-day basis. She also sheds light on the vast range of people treated by paramedics, from the innocent victims of car crashes to the druggies and domestic abusers. But she does this by placing front and centre the humanity of the paramedics, the toll on their personal lives and the mental strain on them and their partners. She also leavens it with a healthy dose of humour - at times a wry humour, at other times outright belly laughs.

This is Mead's first novel, and all the more impressive for that. But she is already an experienced and highly-respected poet and reviewer. This experience is evident in the quality of the writing, the depth of characterisation and the easy flow of her story-telling. You can count on the authenticity of the stories because her husband is himself a paramedic, so she has an unparalleled level of insight into the life of what Australians simplistically refer to as "ambos".

Above all this is a rollicking good read which you will not want to put down.

Tip: never again refer to a paramedic as an ambulance driver. But read this book and if you ever need to call emergency services, you will hopefully be in the capable hands of a Joel or a Tash.

[Kenny Charlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"when I ask her name, she seems a little surprised.This isn't as strange as it sounds. I've noticed that wives transformed into full-time carers often react to attention like shadows asked how it feels to be outside"- Rachel Mead

what a darling book
Rachel mead writes a world so sincere and unafraid of its guts
either looking into someone's soul from the surface of their neuroticism to the har world that is health work

the Factor each chapter is a separate call or event is not novelty, it could be weeks or years between chapters and the vingettes feel so whole yet make you want more of these characters


a quality of this book I appreciate is that it could be enjoyed by both a long time reader or be the book that gets someone into reading

picked this up at orchard books in kaurna/Adelaide from a req from the owner for a good local author
they were right

[Kesta Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever wondered what life is like for paramedics, this is the book to read. Let me say up front that Rachael was a school friend of mine and 'The Application of Pressure' is her debut novel. Rachael however, is not a new writer. She is an accomplished poet who happens to be married to a paramedic, so this first novel of hers is compassionately and beautifully written, as well as very true to life. As it says on the back cover, there is no sugar coating here. For me, as a long time friend of both Rachael and Andrew, reading this book was like going to a string of dinner parties with the pair, and being treated to everything! (I can always count on a good story or two when we catch up.)

[Corinne Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, though at times I only felt it was a novel because the cover says 'a novel'!! Each chapter relays a different job for paramedics Tash and Joel, occasionally another, over the course of 20 years. At times I felt I was reading a promotional text for the SA Ambulance service, but their lives are certainly interesting. The stress and post-traumatic stress that paramedics can suffer is clearly spelled out. With each chapter being a different story this is a good book to dip into, I didn't feel I had to rush through to finish it, though having said that I read it in 2 days. I'll be interested to get feedback from my Adelaide friend who has a paramedic son.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was enjoyable when you got into it but the structure of each paragraph being a different accident (usually left unfinished) made it very difficult for me to remain into it.
I felt like I was eating a little appetizer for each chapter and all I want is the big juicy meal.
I do love the characters of Joel and Tash. They live fascinating lives - but please just give me some patient outcomes!

[Kristin Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachael Mead is a brilliant poet, and her beautiful way with words transfers smoothly to her novel. The descriptions of the gore-and there is gore!- are captured in eloquent prose, along with insight and empathy towards the characters- paramedics and patients alike. I am squeamish, but I didn’t have to set this book down once. I couldn’t put it down. It’s compelling reading.

[Michelle Keyatta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Not only the job stories (which made me squeamish-even as a long time nurse), but also the human component of the two characters. Seeing them evolve over the course of the years and life challenges and the toll a job like this takes on someone made it personal. Well written-I hope there’s more to come from this author!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life on the frontline as a paramedic must be incredibly difficult. They have different ways of coping and their friendships often seem to be what gets them through it all. I have huge respect for these people, not only saving lives, but living with the trauma that some of these situations cause. Very apt title.

[Pip Snort · Rating 4 out of 5]

This hit all the right notes. While there was no distinct narrative or denouement, the authenticity and characterisation made this so readable and engaging. I loved the people and the stories and the descent from glib to overwhelmed was effectively constructed so that it flowed gently from one moment to the next.

[Pippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read in a long time. I was surprised by how much I laughed and how moved I was. Rachael Mead has managed to capture what it is to be human, one medical emergency at a time. Highly recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so "me"! Great medical stories, Adelaide setting and enough comedy to make it not too depressing!
I didn't like the chapters jumping from different time frames, it seemed really unnecessary and reduced some of the natural flow of the book

[Chloe-Rose Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a paramedic student I found that this book was a really interesting take on working in the medical field. It was a good read and definitely made me think about some of things that I need to consider for the future and some of the jobs that I may face. Happy that I got to read this book.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just meh. I was hoping for more medical scenes. Wouldn’t read again.

[Rowena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the structure of this novel and Mead is a great story teller

[marlin1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this, listened to the audiobook.
Great narration and very familiar with the city its set in, picturing the locations seemed to have even more impact. Sad, funny, tender and insightful.

[Andrea Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extra likeable everyday-people characters, highly interesting subject matter, fabulous writing and plot development, not too heavy not too light, my best fiction read 2020.

[Em__Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Frances Warwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. The book I needed as a break from the reality of 2020. Funny, heartwarming, real. Do yourself a favour and read it on your summer holidays.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. Ripped through it, loved reading all the South Aussie districts, a rarity in my reading!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5