Author: Les Zig
ISBN: 978-1-925700-03-9
RRP: $29.99
Publication Date: 1st September 2018
Publisher: Pantera Press
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
August Falling is a story of choices, acceptance and learning to be ourselves.
My media release says Les Zig’s writing is sharp, honest and incisive, so real in parts it will make you flinch. Zig has the unique ability to pull real, human truths from the ordinary and everyday.
August is trying to piece his life back together after a bad relationship. It’s not perfect but do any of us really have the perfect life? He lives in a small flat, works in a call centre, is struggling to finish the book he’s working on and he’s socially challenged around women.
Enter Julie, everything that August isn’t. Confident, composed and purposeful even after a troubled childhood. And finally August feels he can be himself.
Except that Julie has a past and it’s one that is going to test August and his ability to love unconditionally.
I don’t know what I expected when I picked up this book, before reading the synopsis, but I’m not sure this is it. It sounds like it could be quite an engaging read and I look forward to picking it up.
In the meantime 25 of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading August Falling thanks to Pantera Press and I look forward to hearing what they think. Please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
August Falling is Australian author Les Zig’s second novel, following his debut, Just Another Week in Suburbia, which was shortlisted for the Hachette Manuscript Development Program. Les Zig’s latest novel is a strong composition, marked by well defined characters and thought provoking themes. August Falling would be an ideal book club choice, as there are a plethora of themes and ideas to discuss. There is a great set of accompanying book club notes at the close of the book, which would support book club discussions.
When I read a book I always like to absorb the acknowledgements section. I noted in August Falling that the author of this novel Les Zig, sites the influence of an Australian author I absolutely love, Kim Lock, in the building process of August Falling. It sent a sense of excitement through me and I was definitely very enthusiastic about delving into this one. I also love to discover new Australian authors, so August Falling had great initial appeal.
I got a strong feeling of Graeme Simsion as I read August Falling, if you are a fan of his work (I am) I’m sure this novel which sit well with you. Zig’s lead protagonist August has shades of Don Tillman, Simsion’s lead and the humour lines are markedly similar. August has a complicated and sad back story. He has been cut badly in the past and he now carries around a lot of baggage. August is quite flawed, he has trouble interacting and socialising with others. He also has a self defeatist attitude. It is good to see August blossom as the book progresses and step outside his comfort zone. Sometimes it is hard not to want to shake August in the decisions he makes. His single minded nature at times did get under my skin, but he has his endearing moments too. I particularly liked his relationship with his dear and caring sister Gen. I also enjoyed the narrative thread that revolves around August’s writing and his hopes for his book, it was an interesting touch.
Supporting August are some memorable side characters and of course Julie, August’s love interest. When Julie enters to picture the book has a markedly changed outlook, which I liked. Julie is outlined well by Zig and her secret, which delivered a whopping plot twist, was quite unexpected on my behalf! The scenario Les Zig presents definitely makes the reader think once or twice about what they would do if they were placed in the same bind as August!
As we are warned in the hooking first line of August Falling, this is no straightforward romance and walk in the park style love story. It opens up the wounds of love, lust and relationships. There are scabs, nasty ones, but there is also hope and opportunities for change. The dialogue and sense of realism, an almost no holds back style of exploring modern relationships from a refreshing male point of view, was very much welcomed by this reader. I think there needs to be more of this style of modern life drama out in the book world. So kudos to Les Zig for carving out a niche in the publishing world. I also appreciated the conclusion to this novel, it isn’t predictable and it is very much suited to the overall direction of this novel.
A word of warning, unfortunately a couple of aspects in this novel didn’t quite work for me. August Falling contains some graphic sex scenes, but I was able to see that these sequences were in keeping with the direction of the novel. I also had some trouble with placement of explicit language in places, particularly the use of the c-word. Although this isn’t to my personal taste, some readers will be able to overlook this issue.
My final verdict? August Falling is an introspective tale and it offers a very contemporary glance at a man reconciling his past, present, future and belief system. The writing is fresh and sharp. I look forward to exploring more books from Les Zig in the near future.
*I wish to thank Beauty & Lace Book Club/Pantera Press for a copy of this book for review.
August Falling is an engaging read about life’s ups and downs and dealing with your own personal demons.
After suffering a nasty breakup, August is left heartbroken and at odds with the rest of the world and most importantly, himself. He meets Julie who is confident, amazing and just what he needs to help him piece his life back together, but Julie has a secret from her past that threatens their future.
The author, Les Zig has written this story beautifully. His words are truthful and very much in touch with humanistic behaviour. I haven’t read many books with a male protagonist but I was drawn into August’s character and I was very much surprised with Julie’s secret. Les expertly explores the issues of depression, self-acceptance as well as the issue of judging others. There were a few sexual scenes and use of obscene language that some readers may find offensive, but I think Les did very well exploring a modern relationship from a male perspective.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Pantera Press for the opportunity to read August Falling. This is a novel I enjoyed and recommend to other readers.
August Falling. This book was a surprise, August is a painfully shy guy who has found himself reeling from a bad break up, plodding along in his hum-drum job until he meets Julie. Life turns around for him.
August starts to find hope and a bit of happiness, he gets his mojo back for writing and starts working on his novel again. Things are looking up.
Until secrets of Julie’s past surface derailing August. It’s an easy read I would recommed this book as it will get you to think about how people react to the roller coaster of life’s highs and lows.
I really enjoyed Las Zig’s August Falling. August is a quirky but loveable character and after learning about his past the reader begins to understand some of his anxiety and state of mind. Julie however is my favourite, having had a tragically sad start to life she just keeps going, doing what she has to to get by, rising from the ashes time and again like the phoenix emblazoned on her back. I must admit I did not pick her secret at all, but after the surprise and learning the back story it made more sense. I admire her grit and determination and I do hope that August and Julie may meet again in the future.
Thanks Beauty and Lace for the chance to read and review this thought provoking book.
August is stuck in small unit, stuck in job he really doesn’t enjoy and stuck in the middle of writing and finishing his novel. He has been this way since his wife left him with what he thought was his son, later to find out through a paternity test that he isn’t, after 4 years of marriage.
He then meets Julie, confident and beautiful and totally taken by him. But Julie has a secret that throws August for a six when he finds out…..
A fantastic easy read that I thouroughly enjoyed and reccomend and had me wanting more when it ended. . Thanks Beauty and Lace for letting me read August Falling by Les Zig
August Falling by Les Zig is an honest yet raw account of a man’s struggle with himself and his thoughts when life throws him into darkness.
August Falling allows us to see into the minds eye of a young man whos insecurities weigh heavily after a marriage break up, and finally deciding to give love a chance, a shocking discovery sends him spinning back into the darkness.
I was a bit apprehensive at first, not really sure if it was my kind of book but ultimately I could not put it down and thoroughly enjoyed the read. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace for selecting me to review this book.
Well, this was a love story mixed in with insecurities, bad luck , misery and a touch of feeling sorry for myself.
I can see how this book can appeal to some but not my type of read. There was too much repetition of the same sex scene and the book was not getting anywhere.
A fiction book that can be so relatable to real life in many ways, people dealing with depression, wanting to find love and dealing with their past in order to move forward. Not a love story in sense many take a love story to be but a love story of a more realistic nature of this time. Julie’s secret was not what I was expecting and following the journey of August was enthralling a book hard to put down especially when it so relatable. I wouldn’t of picked this book normally but since Beauty and Lace I’m branching out and expanding my borders to what I read and I would recommend this book.
August Falling is a story that gives a glance of August the main male character working on his past, future and all that comes with. The author delivers a strong story of one finding himself, This is not a love story for those after hearts and roses but a story of one man finding himself , meeting someone new and overcoming obsticles and two strangers starting a new adventure . They start off hot and fast full speed ahead and for some who are offended by graphic sexual nature and language this may not be for you . But for me it seems to entwine well with the flow of the story and atmosphere created by the author.
Deep within the story is a darker side for August and Julia. Overcoming secrets and pasts . An ending that was not predictable but satisfying . I found this read enjoyable and some what very realistic .
Unfortunately, I did find this novel a little hard to read. While it was an interesting novel with some thought provoking topics, it sadly wasn’t a novel I found myself finding it easy to read. It did lose me a few times, and found it hard to finish. This is in no way a reflection to how it was or how well it was written, but merely a preference problem. This just wasn’t a novel that I found I could read, and keep my interest.