This was an interesting and completely outside of what I normally read. The formatting of this being a play and the story made me so intrigued and I'm happy I read it. There were things I think would have made more sense if I was watching it unfold on stage but there were some parts that I thought were very special that I was able to read it on the page. Having different acts that it switched to was actually not as confusing as I was worried it'd be. I was able to visualize it as a play in that sense but reading the interactions between the characters made me feel like I connected to the characters more than if I were watching the actors perform the dialogue.

The story itself is heartbreaking but there are some great moments that made me feel connected to the characters. Colin was very relatable - from the teenage confusion to finally embracing his identity, I felt a kinship with him even though I live in a different decade, a different country, and I'm the opposite sex. The compassion he has for others, especially James, even when it seems to be a detriment to himself was beautiful. I feel like we really got to see the highlight of the people who made a major impression on his life; his parents, his love, and some interesting friends. It's a very human story, especially for the queer community and shines a light on the humanity inside the AIDS pandemic.

Overall this was a quick read that I enjoyed. I definitely prefer novels to reading plays but this helped me see that if it's a story I'm interested in and can connect with it's a great way to "see" it.

A beautifully moving read that follows the journey from Swansea to London, navigating difficulties, love, and loss with depth and emotion.

I wished that I'd had the opportunity to see this play performed live. The regional voices lent the text a realism and, while the main aspects of the tale itself have been rehearsed many times in different formats, it was nice to hear it told in a Swansea accent. The strongest aspects of the text were the depth to the main supporting characters in the different settings and the journey that some of the background characters took. That said, there were characters like the protagonist's brother who was mentioned early in the script, but was then never heard of again. I think this would be a powerful play to watch and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have read it (and heard the voices in my head!).

I really enjoyed reading Swansea Boy. The story effectively captures feelings that many queer readers will resonate with—especially around youth and the experience of coming of age. While the play includes moments of humour, what I'll remember most are the deeply human moments of friendship and the protagonist's journey toward becoming the person they want to be.

Set during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, Swansea Boy explores themes of love and loss in a way that feels authentic and lived-in. As someone who is partial to queer coming-of-age stories, I would absolutely recommend this book to others who enjoy works like Cobalt Blue, Call Me by Your Name, Dance on My Grave, and Lie With Me.

I normally love self-discovery queer novels. I enjoyed the journey the main character went on, especially with grief. But, unfortunately I just didn’t connect to the writing style.

Unfortunately, I really didn’t enjoy this. The writing is just…subpar and I had trouble connecting with the story because the dialogue just felt so disjointed. I feel like this is very much something that needs to be seen in person vs. read…but I don’t know. I just HATED the way that Colin, James, and Shelley spoke to each other. And I found Ari to just be a…nothing character? I’m very disappointed by how much I disliked this.

Tender, gritty, and deeply human, Swansea Boy is a raw portrait of a young gay man’s journey through desire, grief, and self-discovery, told with aching vulnerability and the kind of honesty that lingers long after the curtain falls.

This book, structured in play format, is an intimate portrait of a young man coming of age in 1980s, amidst the AIDS crisis. It's a heartfelt look at love, identity, and finding your place. While there were many highlights, overall I struggled with the formatting of the book which led to the flow feeling choppy. I'd love to see this in the theatre!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Aurora Metro Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was not at all what I expected. To be honest, I was quite shocked in the beginning and it took me a while to get into the writing style, the play itself.

The story is told in three parts, in every single one we get a time-skip. I think the second one was the part that I enjoyed (if I can even say that) the most. It felt raw, sad but also hopeful. It showed Colin's growth, maturity & responsibility in the face of AIDS times.

The overall theme of AIDS is a hard one and it's great that it's being talked about more and more in different type of media, literature & art. Swansea Boy tackles the topic through the eyes of a boy, then a young adult & finally, a grown man. I do think the book is too short and the story could be much longer.

I had some issues with the language (the style, wording) itself but I also am not used to anything Welsh.

I can definitelly see myself & many others enjoying this live-action play and I'm sure this play in book format will find its audience, I'm just not it.

*3.5 stars
Why did they have to end this play with a sing-along of "All You Need Is Love" like come on...
Otherwise, this had some tense and sweet moments, and it's the first play I've read in a long time, and I'm happy to be diving back in.

Swansea Boy is a play set between the 1980's and 1990's and follows Colin, a young Welsh man who dreams of being a painter. Colin has repeated interactions with the other cast of characters, including his parents, his best friend, a man he met on holiday in Greece, and finally James, the young man he falls in love with. However, James discovers that he is now living with HIV and will eventually die from AIDS, so Colin has become his carer for his final years, with the other characters flitting in and out of their lives.

The play's themes of sex and love were overt from the very first word. It was very easy to follow the play, and there was just enough descriptions to make it easy in my head to see the scenes as though I were watching from the audience. This play is filled with reflections, humor and tragedy, and the life of Colin and those he loves makes it an emotional read.

I highly enjoyed this. The characters all felt real, and the author did an amazing job at balancing all the emotions to make sure none of them overpowered the others. I also personally enjoyed how each new act was set in a different country, and the way that different cultures interwove into the narrative. This is a play I'll definitely read again.

A beautiful, rich, and meaningful story. The characters are so fleshed out and realized. The story is emotional, And the dialogue is very realistic. Colin is a very strong lead with an amazing character arc. I would love to see a recorded version of this play someday!

I was excited about this, but the play opens with Colin talking about blood spurting out of his dick, and you know what? I'm just going to quit while I'm ahead. Not for me sorry.

This play was a moving and beautifully written journey through Colin’s young life — growing up gay in 80s Swansea, chasing art and freedom in London, and ultimately finding heartbreak in Morocco. The dialogue was sharp and emotionally rich, with a cast of characters that felt real and distinct. It hit me hard — especially Colin’s sense of isolation and ‘otherness’ as a young person. Like him, I grew up in a rural area some years ago, and his story made me remember my own longing to escape, run away, and find my place in the world. Touching and powerful, with moments of genuine human connection and comfort.