The Boys

'Summer days and new relationships are rendered with a grace that is lyrical at times but also ironic and comic, in a tone perfectly-pitched' — Colm Tóibín

'Compelling, vibrant, and dazzling' — Brandon Taylor, Booker shortlisted author of Real Life

'Very human, very real but also, fundamentally, extremely fun to read' — Rebecca Watson, author of Little Scratch

A New Statesman 25 best books to read in 2025.

London, 2012. Johnny Voghel is stuck. He has a dead-end job at a small university and a wilting relationship and is grieving the death of his parents. When his half-brother Lawrence returns to the old family home from Chicago after a period of estrangement, Johnny decides to do everything he can to win back his affection. It's a quest he pursues with the help of Lawrence's childhood sweetheart and a pair of mysterious and seductive students adrift in the city during the height of Olympics fever.

A generational saga that takes place over a fortnight, and a comedy about confusion and loss, The Boys follows Johnny as he revisits old grievances, cultivates new friendships - and tries to take control of his fate.