Review of Fill The Gaps

[Prince Sachin]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Fill The Gaps" by Andrew Johnston.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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I recently got my hands on Fill the Gaps by Andrew Johnston. Straightaway it had a powerful impact on me because it aligned with many aspects of my personal experience. The story begins in winter 2010 with Isaac sitting at a flat party in Edinburgh. The room in front of him contained "small circles of people drinking and talking" as he stared at them yet remained detached from everything around him. The solitary experience resonated deeply since I’ve gone through similar moments of studying UPSC at night while pondering whether to remain inside or socialize with friends.

The author is successful in creating a vivid portrait of Isaac’s thoughts. The urge for a drink from Isaac mirrored exactly how I wish to break free from stress to relax. Later, after an awkward conversation, Isaac mutters, “I deserve better. I deserve more than you all.” During this moment I experienced a familiar pre-exam anxiety because I believed I deserved the outcome but doubted my ability to achieve it.

The journey from the dimly lit party into the cold kitchen is vivid. Isaac opens a tub of hummus, “still holding the hummus with his right hand, still in the cold of the fridge,” and the small detail makes the scene real. I felt the chill on my own skin as I read it.

In Isaac’s world, the secondary characters Will and Lyle create added layers of significance. The peaceful care from Will and Lyle reminded me of how my close friends support me through unspoken ways. Lyle approaches Isaac with “What happened today, Isaac, with her?” Friends often possess this shared understanding between them, which seemed to exist between all characters throughout this scene.

There is nothing to dislike in this book. The book was professionally edited, and I did not find any errors. The narrative adopts a direct writing style, which appears natural and unrestrained. Narrative conversations flow naturally between pages, and Isaac’s internal assessment about feeling trapped like “a wild animal caught in the eyeline of an ethereal predator” will stay with readers.

What I liked the most in this book is its strong resemblance to several aspects of my personal experiences. The story delivers an impactful depiction of loneliness as well as friendship alongside the tiny gestures that tie human beings together. Reading this book allowed me to feel understood as well as less isolated. For the above-mentioned reasons, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

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Fill The Gaps
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