REVIEW: Should We Fall Behind (Sharon Duggal)

Book: Should We Fall Behind

Author: Sharon Duggal

Premise: Jimmy Noone escapes his difficult life in a small town and finds himself living on the streets. When his friend disappears, his search brings him to Shifnal Road, a place where people from all over the world live side by side. Yet some inhabitants are so isolated they seem to have disappeared altogether. Jimmy becomes the catalyst for their lives colliding.

This story is all about invisible people: the homeless; widows and widowers; those suffering from childhood trauma; bullied children; family carers. We see how the residents' views are challenged by the arrival of Jimmy. Some are not pleasant but we learn what has made them think this way. It is a slow story, but it weaves both modern day with each character's past. An interesting book.