The Old Haunts

Well, this one took me by surprise. Jamie is spending a week away in rural Scotland with his boyfriend, Alex. After recently losing his parents, he starts to reflect on memories, and the narrative takes on a past and present structure that worked so well. The whole aching feeling of this book just resonated with me. I couldn't pick one fault with it. It's very well done, and just really lovely, too. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Big thanks to Fairlight Books for the gifted netgalley arc😊

The Old Haunts tells its story in bits and pieces. We follow Jamie, who has recently lost both of his parents, as he spends a week in Scotland with his boyfriend, Alex. However, boiling the book down to this very small plot point does not do it justice. The real heart of the book comes from Jamie's memories of his parents, from his childhood to his young adult life to the very near past. It feels somehow like both a coming of age story and a story of grief and mourning at the same time.

This is a very short novel, but Radcliffe's prose is beautiful and pulls no punches. There are so many small yet poignant moments tucked into this one for the reader to really sit with.

Thank you to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for the arc!

In The Old Haunts, Allan Radcliffe skillfully delves into the realms of grief, love, family, and romantic relationships. The storytelling is intimate and reflective, conveyed through spare yet powerful prose. The insights offered are profound, and the narrative's warmth creates a strong connection with readers, making it a highly relatable and touching experience.

This story focuses on Jamie and his boyfriend Alex amongst a beautiful Scottish backdrop. Jamie has recently lost both his parents and he is not dealing with his grief and loss well. He reminisces through previous interactions from his childhood to his university life and how he was not completely honest with them regarding his feelings and sexuality and now it is too late to be his authentic self around them.

This story was really well written, moving almost seamlessly between past and present to bring us a storyline present day as well as poignant memories and the emptiness of loss that Jamie wasn’t ready to deal with.

The only negative I could find with this story is that it is only 91 pages and I could have swallowed a lot more of Jamie and Alex.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fairlight Moderns for an advanced copy of this story in exchange for an open and honest review.

A compact, but absolutely gorgeous book. Radcliffe's prose is beautiful, and he’s created such real, vivid characters I felt as if they could step off the page and into the room. The novel completely immerses you, sweeping you along in the ebb and flow feelings Jamie experiences as we move back and forth through present day and memory. I related to so many elements of this book - how it feels to grieve a parent, growing up as a working class queer person, trying to hide, feeling lost after moving to London, watching your parents age, and the ephemera of memory - Radcliffe explores all these topics with exquisite honesty. Threaded through is Jamie’s relationship with his boyfriend, Alex which is just beautifully, achingly tender, and again felt so real. The novel is short, and perfectly formed - my only critique would be that I could happily have lived in this world, stayed with these characters for longer! I adored this - I would highly recommend it and will certainly be following Radcliffe’s career with interest.

Sometimes, when parents pass away, it can feel like your childhood has died along with them. For queer adults, whose childhoods, even when raised by loving parents, were often marked by secrets and shame, this double passing, the death of the chance to be a full and complete person in your parents’ eyes, can be a greater loss, a heavier burden, than expected. That is where this delightful novella starts, where childhood love, happiness, and regret become overwhelmed by a grief that is difficult to express. There isn’t a lot of plot, per se, its exactly what is promised in the blurb…. Our protagonist’s parents have died, his boyfriend arranges a holiday in the countryside to help take time to process his loss, and he tries to do just that, even as his boyfriend is called back to the city for work. But plot isn’t the point, nor is some revelatory, instantaneous catharsis. The novella has a real sense of place, the isolation of the country is reflected in the language and the tone, and it all fits together really well. There is a bit of a dreamlike quality, as we move back and forth between the present and memories of the past as well as stories of the past without clear delineation, not in an intentionally confusing way but in the way that a mind sunk in grief is living in more than one place at once. This novella is a portrait of grief and love, which is to say of life, with the twinge of that special melancholy of those looking at middle-age on the horizon while still tasting the lingering sweetness of youth. Real transformations are often the quiet ones, the ones that sneak up on us without announcing themselves, and this story shares what one of those may feel like.

All the secondary characters had enough details to let them feel grounded, like more than placeholders, and our protagonist felt rounded and complete, even though we experienced his whole life in snippets, which in some ways made him more of a mirror for the audience than a real person. It is hard to draw a reader in when presenting a subdued setting with uncomplicated prose without any strong plot to drive the narrative, when the central conflict has already happened and the story is all denouement, and yet this novella mostly succeeds. I was left wanting a little more, finishing the story and being satisfied but also feeling like I had heartstrings that were anticipating being plucked yet remained stilled and quiet. It is hard to say what or where I would have wanted more though, as this story is really well-balanced, felt compelling while I was in the middle of it, and feels complete. If you are in the mood for some light introspection and grappling with ideas of self and happiness through the lens of grief and loss there is a lot of comfort, though not necessarily answers, to be found in this cozy story.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Fairlight Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"The Old Haunts" by Allan Radcliffe is a beautifully crafted novel that delves into the complexities of grief, love, identity, and memory. With spare yet evocative prose, Radcliffe weaves a poignant coming-of-age tale that tugs at the heartstrings and invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of loss and longing.

At the heart of the story is Jamie, who is grappling with the recent loss of both his parents. During a stay at a rural steading in Scotland with his boyfriend Alex, Jamie's grief becomes a focal point as he confronts memories of his past. The narrative is interwoven with Jamie's recollections of his upbringing in Edinburgh and his experiences in London during his formative years. The exploration of Jamie's sexuality is seamlessly integrated into the narrative, providing an added layer of complexity to his journey of self-discovery.

The novel navigates between past and present, offering glimpses into Jamie's relationships, aspirations, and the poignant moments that have shaped his life. Radcliffe's prose is both delicate and powerful, capturing the emotional nuances of Jamie's experiences with sensitivity and authenticity.

The characters are well-drawn and relatable, particularly Jamie, whose introspective nature and emotional depth make him a compelling protagonist. The supporting cast, including Alex and Jamie's parents, contribute to the richness of the narrative, each with their own distinct presence and impact on Jamie's life.

"The Old Haunts" is not only a story of personal growth and acceptance but also a meditation on the passage of time and the weight of memory. Radcliffe's exploration of grief is raw and unflinching, allowing readers to connect with Jamie's pain and healing process on a profound level.

This debut novel is a testament to Radcliffe's skill as a storyteller, with its elegant prose, nuanced characters, and exploration of universal themes. "The Old Haunts" is a touching and introspective read that lingers in the mind, inviting readers to contemplate the enduring impact of the past on the present and the beauty of finding solace in shared experiences of love and loss.

Genuinely surprised at how much heart has been filled into a sparse 91 pages. The interplay between past and present, set against the Scottish highlands, was hauntingly tender yet bleakly poignant. It's a story that will stay with me long after I've put it down.