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The Fall
When Thuli reveals her secret - that she can see up to seven days into the future - to seasoned local journalist Helen, the latter is highly sceptical of the student's claims. But as Thuli truly believes that #FeesMustFall protest leader, Hector, will be assassinated by a sinister force, Helen starts to look into the matter.
And what she finds is some very odd behaviour by the police sent to “keep the peace” on campus. Police sent by Noné, South Africa's President and Most Impressive Leader, who wants no trouble from pesky students while she plans the launch of her zoo of creatures with extraordinary abilities.
One thing is certain: If what Thuli has seen is true, they have only seven days to change the future …
And what she finds is some very odd behaviour by the police sent to “keep the peace” on campus. Police sent by Noné, South Africa's President and Most Impressive Leader, who wants no trouble from pesky students while she plans the launch of her zoo of creatures with extraordinary abilities.
One thing is certain: If what Thuli has seen is true, they have only seven days to change the future …
300 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2020
48 people want to read
About the author
Jen Thorpe
9 books21 followersJen Thorpe is a feminist writer and researcher based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Her latest book, Adulting 101: How to Survive the Real World, was published by Kwela in 2022.
Her first novel, The Peculiars (2016), was long listed for the Etisalat Prize for Literature (2016) and the Sunday Times Fiction Prize (2017). Her second novel, The Fall, was published in July 2020.
Thorpe has edited three collections of feminist essays – My First Time: Stories of Sex and Sexuality from Women Like You (2012); Feminism Is: South Africans Speak Their Truth (2018) and Living While Feminist (2020).
Her latest book, Adulting 101: How to Survive the Real World, was published by Kwela in 2022.
Her first novel, The Peculiars (2016), was long listed for the Etisalat Prize for Literature (2016) and the Sunday Times Fiction Prize (2017). Her second novel, The Fall, was published in July 2020.
Thorpe has edited three collections of feminist essays – My First Time: Stories of Sex and Sexuality from Women Like You (2012); Feminism Is: South Africans Speak Their Truth (2018) and Living While Feminist (2020).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 14, 2020
What a conundrum. I have never felt so conflicted about a book... I mean I nearly didn’t finish this book, but I’m so glad that I powered on - anyway here we go!
Set in an alternative South Africa against the #FeesMustFall movement. The Fall is a tale filled with fantastical creatures, high suspense and social and political commentary.
Jen Thorpe sets the scene by introducing us to 6 characters comprised of students, a journalist and government workers, and we get a glimpse of their feelings towards the ongoing #FeesMustFall - and this is where she lost me. It literally felt like a bunch of twitter threads sprinkled across the pages. I firmly believe that it wasn’t the authors place to write about #FeesMustFall especially while using black characters. In doing so I felt that she did the rest of her book a disservice I would cringe every time she adopted “protest speak” for her characters and instead of drawing me in as reader I was repelled. Instead of offering social and political commentary I feel like she did the opposite, as it came off as inauthentic. If this was set against any made up civil unrest I think I would have been more at ease.
With that being said, I quite enjoyed the speculative side of this novel, from the magical creatures, the running prophecy throughout the book, and characters with special abilities and that’s what kept me invested and had me wishing that the first 100 pages were different. In fact after I reached the 130 page mark I couldn’t put down the book and I suspect it’s because it moved away from the #FeesMustFall space. I mean I was hooked, I read the last couple of pages with my flashlight because not even loadshedding would have stopped me.
Set in an alternative South Africa against the #FeesMustFall movement. The Fall is a tale filled with fantastical creatures, high suspense and social and political commentary.
Jen Thorpe sets the scene by introducing us to 6 characters comprised of students, a journalist and government workers, and we get a glimpse of their feelings towards the ongoing #FeesMustFall - and this is where she lost me. It literally felt like a bunch of twitter threads sprinkled across the pages. I firmly believe that it wasn’t the authors place to write about #FeesMustFall especially while using black characters. In doing so I felt that she did the rest of her book a disservice I would cringe every time she adopted “protest speak” for her characters and instead of drawing me in as reader I was repelled. Instead of offering social and political commentary I feel like she did the opposite, as it came off as inauthentic. If this was set against any made up civil unrest I think I would have been more at ease.
With that being said, I quite enjoyed the speculative side of this novel, from the magical creatures, the running prophecy throughout the book, and characters with special abilities and that’s what kept me invested and had me wishing that the first 100 pages were different. In fact after I reached the 130 page mark I couldn’t put down the book and I suspect it’s because it moved away from the #FeesMustFall space. I mean I was hooked, I read the last couple of pages with my flashlight because not even loadshedding would have stopped me.
September 6, 2020
A fantastical rollercoaster ride through an alternate reality South Africa circa 2016, the book tackles the Fees Must Fall protests, ruling party infighting and other themes still very much relevant today. With a diverse cast of characters and multiple narrative threads all seamlessly interwoven, I could not put this one down!
September 7, 2020
Fast-paced, powerful and cinematic. I devoured it!
August 19, 2020
Here is my full review of The Fall along with an interview with author, Jen Thorpe. https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/the-fal...
February 17, 2023
One of the best books I have read in a long time. Told from different perspectives this book is highly political while at the same time deliberating on the personal motivation on people to get involved in protest and the wider goal of changing systems that over time have become corrupt. Important read for everyone who wants to better understand South African society (as well as the Namibian) and its currently ongoing generational conflicts and would like it packed into a gripping plot! For fans of dystopian realism.
October 26, 2021
I picked up this book with a little feeling of trepidation - the subject matter (from what I could see of the cover) looked pretty heavy... but this was a delight. Set in an alternative Cape Town, this book uses the lens of #feesmustfall coupled with a bit of sci-fi, (and some satire) to take us on a bit of a narrative wild ride that isn't too heavy on the politics of it all. I enjoyed it a lot.
March 17, 2024
Not only the cover is beautiful, but the story around it. I've read in a speed that I wouldn't thought I could. Great and necessary book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews