Kirjahaku

*** ONE OF THE OBSERVER'S 10 MUST-READ DEBUT NOVELISTS OF 2022 *** 'A rare glimpse into the harsh realities of street life and love in luminous prose, rendered with sensitivity and without sentimentalism. An astonishing debut' Cherie Jones, author of HOW THE ONE-ARMED SISTER SWEEPS HER HOUSE Sayon Hughes, a young Black man from Bristol, dreams of a world far removed from the one in which he was raised. Far removed from the torn slips outside the bookie's, the burnt spoons and the crooked solutions his community embraces; most of all, removed from the Christianity of his uncaring parents and the prejudice of law-makers. Growing up, Sayon found respite from the chaos of his environment in the love and loyalty of his brother-in-arms, Cuba; in the example of his cousin Hakim, a man once known as the most infamous drug-dealer in their neighbourhood, now a proselytising Muslim; and in the tenderness of his girl, Shona, whose own sense of purpose galvanises Sayon's. In return, Sayon wants to give the people he loves the world: a house atop a grand hill in the most affluent area of the city, a home in which they can forever find joy and safety. But after an altercation in which a boy is killed, Sayon finds his loyalties torn and his dream of a better life in peril. MORE PRAISE FOR AN OLIVE GROVE IN ENDS: 'A phenomenally good novel, tense and thrilling and complex, with breath-stealing moments on every page' Donal Ryan, author of STRANGE FLOWERS 'This consummately crafted work can only be a harbinger of a stellar and truly significant career. I urge you to read it' Patrick McCabe, author of THE BUTCHER BOY 'Engrossing . . . A tough yet tender story of faith and friendship' OBSERVER

THE DAZZLING DEBUT NOVEL ABOUT LOVE, FAITH AND COMMUNITY - BY AN EXCITING NEW LITERARY VOICE

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES CHARLOTTE AITKEN YOUNG WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD'With the sharp and delectable music of its dialect, the book grabs you by its teeth from the first page and never quite lets go . . . This is an urgent novel of ideas, constantly propelled by the narrator's wildfire voice' SAFIYA SINCLAIR, GUARDIANFrom the Hawthornden Prize-winning author of An Olive Grove in Ends, a powerful story of broken dreams and divided loyaltiesBristol, 1980. In the tight-knit neighbourhood of St. Pauls, 14-year-old Jabari is proud of his position as the only son of revered community leader Ras Levi. Raised in a world of sus laws and council neglect, Jabari finds hope in his Rastafari faith, which offers the comforting vision that one day he and his fellow believers will repatriate to the motherland, where they will at last be free from oppression and prejudice.But in St Pauls a local firebrand activist has been arrested, and violence soon overflows, pulling both father and son into its maelstrom. As Jabari rages against the iniquity, a chance encounter with a young Black child gifts him an opportunity for justice - or is it revenge?Praise for An Olive Grove in Ends:'Tough yet tender' Observer - 10 Best Debut Novelists of 2022''Luminous' Cherie Jones'Moses' talent is off the scale' Donal Ryan'Remarkable' Nathan Harris'Consummately crafted' Patrick McCabe

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES CHARLOTTE AITKEN YOUNG WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD'With the sharp and delectable music of its dialect, the book grabs you by its teeth from the first page and never quite lets go . . . This is an urgent novel of ideas, constantly propelled by the narrator's wildfire voice' SAFIYA SINCLAIR, GUARDIAN'Raw, witty and exuberant' - THE BEST PAPERBACK BOOKS OF 2025 - JANUARY'S PICKS, The TimesFrom the Hawthornden Prize-winning author of An Olive Grove in Ends, a powerful story of broken dreams and divided loyaltiesBristol, 1980. In the tight-knit neighbourhood of St. Pauls, 14-year-old Jabari is proud of his position as the only son of revered community leader Ras Levi. Raised in a world of sus laws and council neglect, Jabari finds hope in his Rastafari faith, which offers the comforting vision that one day he and his fellow believers will repatriate to the motherland, where they will at last be free from oppression and prejudice.But in St Pauls a local firebrand activist has been arrested, and violence soon overflows, pulling both father and son into its maelstrom. As Jabari rages against the iniquity, a chance encounter with a young Black child gifts him an opportunity for justice - or is it revenge?Praise for An Olive Grove in Ends:'Tough yet tender' Observer - 10 Best Debut Novelists of 2022''Luminous' Cherie Jones'Moses' talent is off the scale' Donal Ryan'Remarkable' Nathan Harris'Consummately crafted' Patrick McCabe