'A powerful, searing tale told by a boy facing the plenitude of life but hemmed in by a world so dull and ordinary that he can’t wait either to flee it or be drowned in it.' André Aciman

'With this exceptional debut, Michael Amherst takes his place alongside the very best authors of adolescence—J.M. Coetzee, Denton Welch, Edmund White, Arthur Rimbaud.' Diarmuid Hester

'A beautiful and profound novel about a boy’s coming to consciousness as his family falls apart. Utterly compelling and quietly devastating.' Mary Costello

'A novel about what it means to be a boy, a son and a man, what is allowed and what is forbidden, all examined in a way I've never seen before. Beautifully written, with unwavering empathy and precise, perfect details, Amherst is a true talent; this is just the start of a marvelous career. I loved it.' Anna Hogeland

'Told in a voice that is both bracing and embracing, The Boyhood of Cain is a masterful evocation of the vertiginous tipping point between childhood and adolescence. Deeply felt and finely crafted, Amherst delivers Danny's spellbinding story with rare sharpness, profundity and heart.' Michael Donkor