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The Boyhood of Cain
'A new literary star is born . . . dazzling.' The Times
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 961 ratings, 251 reviews)
Brief Description
A new literary star is born. The Times A beautiful and profound novel about a boy's coming to consciousness as his family falls apart. Mary Costello A powerful, searing tale. André Aciman A terrific queer coming-of-age debut. Guardian Danny's father is the headmaster of his school....
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The Boyhood of Cain
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See moreA poignant debut novel about a boy on the precipice of adulthood, struggling to understand how he might give and deserve love.
A poignant debut novel about a boy on the precipice of adulthood, struggling to understand how he might give and deserve love.
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Description
A new literary star is born. The Times
A beautiful and profound novel about a boy's coming to consciousness as his family falls apart. Mary Costello
A powerful, searing tale. André Aciman
A terrific queer coming-of-age debut. Guardian
Danny's father is the headmaster of his school. Danny is sure that this gives him a special status, but every time he mentions it, his classmates turn away. Until a new boy, Philip, arrives and surprises Danny by wanting to be friends.
But then Danny's father loses his job, they have to move and he is shut off from the world he knew. Worse still, his parents can't help him as they are both sinking under their own troubles. Danny understands that he is the one who must bring everyone back together, but he gets it wrong every time he tries.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780571387618
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 12 February 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Faber & Faber
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 208
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About the Author
Michael Amherst has been published in the Guardian, New Statesman, the Spectator, The White Review and Contrappasso magazine. His book-length essay, Go the Way Your Blood Beats, won the 2019 Stonewall Nonfiction Prize. He is also the winner of the 2020 Hubert Butler Essay Prize and was shortlisted for the Observer/Anthony Burgess Prize for Arts. His short fiction has been longlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award and shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and has featured at Stroud Short Stories, the inaugural London LitCrawl and the Accidental Festival at London's Roundhouse. The Boyhood of Cain is his first novel.
Also by Michael Amherst
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The Boyhood of Cain
Terrific. Guardian A powerful, searing tale. André Aciman I read this book with my heart in my mouth and could not put it down. Mary Costello Amherst has created a young protagonist of extraordinary depth and complexity. Nathan Filer A beautiful coming-of-age story. Michael Magee A poignant debut novel about a boy on the precipice of adulthood, struggling to understand...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
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