Should We Fall Behind - Sharon Duggal

A beautifully written novel that shows up a mirror to life in the city. 

This is my second read from BlueMoose books and must say that I am beginning to have a soft corner for their titles. Should We Fall Behind by Sharon Duggal is an injection of hope and compassion into hard lives when both seem to be in short supply.

Disclaimer: I got this proof from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Gist:

Homeless Jimmy is on a lookout for his lost friend Betwa, and takes shelter in an abandoned, neglected car on a patch of disused land in Shifnal Road. His arrival affects the residents living on Shifnal road in different ways. Ebele is convinced he is about to kidnap her daughter Tuli, while Rayya sees him as a lost soul in need of nourishment.  

Is he out to create trouble or is he the catalyst that will make the residents examine their own lives?

What works:

• Shifnal Road could be any place in any urban landscape and yet Duggal makes the setting unique with her diverse cast of characters. 

• Every chapter is introduced through a character and in doing so the reader gets to know them well and their place in the plot -  the thread that pulls them all together. 

• Duggal paints a very realistic picture of life on the streets. It is cringeworthy, real yet evokes sympathy. She does a very good job of striking a fine balance between their harsh circumstances and the compassion that they deserve.

• This is definitely a character-led story and I felt deeply invested in them, especially as their backstory explained their actions.

• What stood out for me was the diverse background of the characters.  My favourite part of the novel is the conversation between Jimmy and Daban when they meet for the first time, sizing up each other through their origins and accents. That scene formed the crux of the novel - that origins didn't matter as long as you made peace with your identity.

What doesn't work:

This is a stark story about people who often tend to fall through the cracks. It is uncomfortable at times and yet Duggal gives her characters hope and optimism, instead of letting them disappear into the quicksand of bad luck and poverty.

Beautifully written and an eyeopening read.

The title is published by Bluemoosebooks and comes out on 22nd October 2020.