Touching the Void - Joe Simpson > Reviews (9)

Touching the void is perhaps the most well known and extreme tails of mountain survival around. once picked up this is a hard book to put down.

***caution plot details given - i'll try not to give too much away***
it tells the true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates on their climbing trip in the Peruvian Andes, where young and ambitious they attempt the near vertical west face of Siula Grande, previously unclimbed. After a successful assent, while traversing the ridge for an easier descent disaster strikes.

falling down an ice cliff high up on the ridge Joe Simpson breaks his leg. this forces Simon Yates to painfully lower Joe down the mountain, however, lowers him over the edge of another ice cliff where Joe is unable to take his weight off the rope to allow Simon to climb down. throughout all this weather conditions are getting worse. suffering from frostbite and slowing being pulled off the face Simon is left with a hard choice - cut the rope or die with him.

Simon makes the hardest choice and walks off the mountain, safe but guilt ridden from thinking he had killed his friend.

luckily surviving a another huge drop, climbing out of a crevasse, and an immensely long trek back to camp without food, water and a broken leg, Joe, against all odds, survives.

synopsis aside, on to the review, the quality of writing is average Simpson recalls in great detail the events of that trip. the story is more captivating than the writing, Simpson's writing style can be bland and dry in places. but that aside, the story is well told. the language used is very accessible to readers of most levels. however, there are many climbing terms used that are not explained, and this can put many people off who don't mountaineer off. Yet, you can read the book and enjoy the story without being too hindered by not understanding some of the terms used. I personally read it before understanding the ins and outs of mountaineering and still loved it.

the plot is linear, but extremely grabbing. each finished pages makes you wonder whats happening on the next. this is more the case for the middle of the book thought, the opening chapters describing the acclimatisation stages and summiting can be a little slow, but the tension of knowing the excitement and horror of whats to come keeps those pages turning. Also Joe's relaxed and easy writing style makes even the less eventful chapters fun to read. when the plot really kicks off it does with an iron fist holding your head firmly glued to the book. the other interesting plot device used in the book is multiple opinions of the other people in the story, who provide their insights and accounts to give a very well detailed and full story. in particular, reading about Simon Yates thoughts and feelings holding on to the rope waiting to die then deciding to cut it, and then of course the mental torture he goes through believing he had murdered his friend . slightly on the downside of the plot is that it is very intensive, there really is only one plot going on, and for such an emotional read, provides little respite from its sheer emotion.

but the most striking thing about this book is the sheer emotional involvement. Simpson does wonders to bring the reader in, you really do feel his fear, the horror, pain and mental strain. even though i knew the end i remember reading the pages where he returns to camp and wanting to cry. it is truly moving. Simpson also invokes inspiration in reading this tale of extreme survival. thinking about the book as i write this is bringing back all those feeling i felt while reading it.

but don't take my word for it, its not an overly long read, nor is it a hard read (bar the climbing terms). its a worthy read, one of the few books that i haven't read so much as felt. you will not be disappointed.