In 173 pages Michael Amherst produces a sensitive, evocative and convincing coming-of-age story. His first novels centres on Daniel, referred to in this third person narrative as “the boy” and his experience of school, his relationship with his family and his awareness of adolescence creeping up on him and classmates.
The boy is something of an outsider. His father had been headmaster at the school but had struggled to cope, the boy feels that his father’s role at the school should give him some status but it doesn’t. He continually measures himself against his peers. Who is the brightest? Who has read more? Who should be the teachers’ favourites? His brittle sensitivity means he often misses school through illness, real or imagined, keeping him at home with a devoted mother who demonstrates bipolar tendencies and a father who increasingly wants to be down the pub.
The story feels very emotionally aware. We know what the boy is feeling even when those feelings may do him little favour and for me it feels a little strange when there is such acute sensitivity and openness that we are distanced from the main characters – the boy, the mother, the father, the sister by the use of these impersonal pronouns. There’s also a timelessness to it, occasionally a reference will come in which dates things to around the early 1990s, but each time it did it surprised me as it doesn’t feel rooted in time and also the age of the boy felt a bit slippery- at times he seems so young, at others far less so, but I can certainly put the down to the nature of adolescence. I do feel that I’m just missing out on something around the significance of the symbolic title. I know who Cain is but cannot relate it to the events or characterisation. This feeling of missing out unsettles me a tad.
The writing is of high quality. At times it reminded me of Alan Hollinghurst and (especially) “Our Evenings” (2024) which was such a great return to form for him and anyone who wants to lose themselves in rich prose with a memorable main character would certainly find this debut worthwhile. It is a short novel but I found myself reading quite slowly to savour the richness of this work.

“The Boyhood Of Cain” is published by Faber and Faber on 11th February 2025 as an e-book and 13th February in hardback. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.
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The Boyhood of Cain is a difficult read partly because the writer used very little dialogue. I understand he was aiming to show what was going on inside the boy's head but instead I felt distanced from him. I also disliked that Daniel was called 'the boy' rather than by his name, which may have been intentional to illustrate Daniel's unworthiness and lack of identity, but it grated on me. It also was very telling rather than showing which irritated me too.

Daniel's story is that of a boy on the cusp of adolescence. There are hints that he is unsure of his sexuality but I didn't feel that this came over strongly enough. His family consists of his father, a headmaster who loses his job and their home and is borderline alcoholic; his mother who Daniel adores, suffers from depression and is absent much of the time; and his sister, who does not appear to suffer from the pangs of adolescence and lack of friendships that Daniel does. Eventually Daniel makes a friend of a new boy at school, Philip, and both are given extra art tuition by Mr Miller who has favourites among his pupils. It's not too difficult to see where the relationship between the teacher and favoured pupils is heading.

While Daniel's character is finely drawn the other characters are less so, with the exception of his mother. I can't say I enjoyed The Boyhood of Cain and although I tried to have sympathy for Daniel he was very self absorbed and rather unlikeable. I accept that young adolescents are self absorbed but in this case I found it unrealistic. I couldn't see how he changed during the course of the story at all. Not sure why the title of the book is about Cain either. If it is autobiographical then I feel sorry for Michael Amherst.

Thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A coming of age novel that differentiate itself from a million others by portraying one of the most unlikable characters I have ever encountered in literature! Daniel is suppose to be a bit of a prodigy, well above his age due his privilege of having a well to do family that also values education. He is suppose to be a bit of an oddball too, a loner because he is misunderstood by his peers. But unfortunately, he just cannot snap out of a thick sense of self-entitlement, ethnocentrism even; the the point that every rub with reality must the the fault of his father, or mother, or the world ...

I must admit, I have struggled throughout, as there was nothing to endear the character or the story to me! Sorry ....

Hmmm…can‘t decide if this is a 2 star or 3 star book. It wasn‘t what I expected and, indeed the chronology within the book was quite different to the blurb.

Daniel, referred to as ‘the boy‘ throughout, attends a school where his father used to be headmaster so feels above everyone else. Then he makes a new friend and a popular teacher shows interest in him, but his mother and father are behaving oddly.

Daniel was very unlikeable, his sister was almost invisible (so superfluous to the plot) and it felt very old-fashioned, almost 60s, despite being set in the late 1990s. By the end, though, I did appreciate Daniel‘s inner voice and understood the way his mind was working, hence the 3 stars.

It was the cover of The Boyhood of Cain that first drew me in when I saw it on Netgalley, and the fact that it was published by Faber, whose output rarely lets me down. This is Michael Amherst's debut novel, and it's a gorgeous coming of age story set mostly in rural England.

I fell in love with the protagonist Daniel. I've read some reviews that described him as precocious and irritating - I found him to be a curious, steadfast little guy, so courageous in his convictions and staying true to himself, despite the pressure to be like everyone else that is part of life in those tricky preteen and teenage years.

Daniel attends a prestigious school where his father is headmaster but things change rapidly for the family when his father loses his job and their home, and Daniel's mother goes through a bout of depression. Daniel becomes close to a school friend and is taken under the wing of his art teacher Mr Miller but as Daniel begins to assert himself, find his place in the world and consider his faith and his sexuality, he discovers that all is not as it seems at school or in life.

The sparse prose and third person narrative allows for enough distance to lure you into thinking you're reading the story as a detached observer, but Daniel's innermost thoughts and fears are slowly revealed to the reader, leading to what was for me an unexpectedly intimate and emotional reading experience. It reminded me of They Came Like Swallows by William Maxwell, or Stoner by John Williams, in the sense that it's a book that creeps under your skin and has the feel of a modern classic. I get the Claire Keegan comparison too, another Faber stalwart.

4 stars, recommend, especially if you enjoyed the above books.

Many thanks to Faber Books for the arc via @netgalley. The Boyhood of Cain will be published next week 13 February 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I don't know if there is something deep about this book and I just missed it but I don't really know what to make of it. I am not entirely sure why it is called The Boyhood of Cain either.

It is interesting enough as a character study but really, Daniel is not a very nice child. and the book does not hold out much hope for any improvement Daniel has delusions of grandeur, an unwarranted sense of entitlement and a terrible need for attention and validation, although given his home life I suppose that is not surprising. He seems to be extremely over-sensitivity and sees slights everywhere and I am not entirely convinced that a child of his age would have the insights and thoughts that Daniel has. I found the ending to be just odd.

The other characters are fairly thinly drawn although I assume this is to emphasise Daniel's self absorption.

The best bit of the book is the advice given by Daniel's mother when she tells him that it is not what you get that is important but what you do with it that matters.

I remember reading a tongue in cheek review of The Catcher in the Rye where the reviewer said "What Holden Caulfield needs is a spell in the army". I almost have the same feeling about Daniel.

I feel like going with a 2 star because I have given a 3 to books I have liked more but on the chance that I have entirely missed the point of the book I will give it 3.

The story of Daniel or ‘the boy’ and his life as he comes of age. This book is a slow burn that would appeal to readers who prefer character studies to storyline. Unfortunately for me, it just did not have that something to pull me in and engage me. The characters, especially Daniel, were unlikable and really had nothing to redeem them as the store meandered never really reaching a conclusion. Sadly for me on this occasion this novel was not for me, but the author demonstrated some excellent writing within the novel and I would be interested to see what they do next. Many thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the A.R.C of the novel in return for an honest review.

There is so little we know about what goes on for people. What their formative years appears like to what it actually is or what it feels like for the young person. I found it interesting simply in the nature of reading "another humans" possible story of life as a youngster. It wasn't gripping. But sometimes stories are just told to be read and are good for being just that. This was a little less warmed to. For no great reason other than I don't quite think the boy situations led him to being the character he was. His ego seemed to grow from nowhere. And weren't let's say the seemingly symptomatic consequences of his troubled home life.
Though I did feel for him. As things seemed to at points conspire to make that already torrential period of times worse!
It was a book I read and I'm still glad I did. And I like it for just being that,actually.

A coming of age story following Daniel, whose father is the headmaster of a private school. Daniel seems to feel that his father’s position makes him special and consequently he puts the backs up of his fellow pupils and is not popular. Until Philip joins the school and seems to want to be friends with Daniel. Then the art teacher singles him out for extra tuition. The story is told from Daniel’s perspective.

Briefly, Daniel’s father loses his job and with it their home. In their new home Daniel’s father starts drinking heavily and whilst he sees himself as a farmer he’s a bit of a laughing stock. His mother goes from being a little unusual to mentally ill, leaving Daniel more of a loner than ever. Then the art teacher seems to turns on him…

This is a difficult one for me to review. I found it slow and the main character a rather difficult and frustrating one, I did wonder if he was supposed to be on the spectrum. Daniel is desperate to be liked but seems oblivious to his own self. Whilst it wasn’t one for me I do see the attraction of the book, it is well written and Daniel’s story is emotional if not a bit melancholy. An interesting read

My strongest reaction to this book is that so often the main character is referred to as 'the boy' for much of the novel - giving him little identity. He is rarely referred to by his given name - Daniel. He is desperate to be able to relate to someone - first the art teacher who does call him by name but at first encourages him and then knocks him back and makes him feel worthless. His only friend seems to be Philip who is not to be relied on at all times.
Daniel is a young boy who does not fit in ... his father is much older than his mother who has her own issues. Daniel questions rather than accepts what he has been told - the questions he poses have him accused of being precocious but they are indicative of an enquiring mind beyond his years. Much food for thought in this tale and the author left me with much sympathy for this young boy.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Michael Amherst/Faber & Faber for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5

I found this book quite difficult to engage with simply because neither Daniel nor anyone he comes into contact with is particularly likeable. At the start Daniel is a precocious snob because his father is a headmaster of a private school and he lives in a big house. He is afforded privileges that other children are not and he lords it over them. It does not endear him to anyone.

As the book continues Daniel's family undergoes several reversals and, as the family's fortunes wane, Daniel's disdain for his father grows. A change of school brings him into contact with teachers and boys he admires but Daniel struggles with his own shortcomings and inability to accept his failures.

I did enjoy this book to a certain extent but it did seem to wander around a bit at times without really saying much. As I said, Daniel isn't particularly likeable nor does his egotism make him a sympathetic character. So, for me, whilst it was interesting, I didn't really enjoy the story.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the advance review copy.

A pleasant coming of age story written in a rather engaging style which helps to encapsulate the trials and tribulation of young Daniel. He is on the cusp of manhood and has to face the disgrace of his father, the overpowering love of his mother, and his increasing interest in a boy called Philip. The question of sexual orientation, the need for spiritual guidance (or not as Daniel comes to realise) is dealt with understanding, sympathy if not a little humour.

The pains of growing up. This book gives the reader a glimpse into Rites of Passage, frustration, despair - every emotion felt by our main character, as he tries to work out life and his place in it. Everything made worse for him by the results of first his father’s actions and then his mother’s.
It’s so evocative of that time in a young person’s life when everything that happens is magnified and made worse and there’s a struggle to cope. For the boy in this story, there was also a vulnerability about him which felt sad.
I found the ending gave me a choice. It left me wondering whether it was the true account of what happened and that he could go on with life and eventually put this painful time behind him; or had he followed in his mother’s footsteps and this was an image of that? Maybe a way of letting the reader choose the ending they wanted? Well worth reading. Even the title seems food for thought.

I’m not sure what I was expecting but I found this was very dreary, bordering on mood lowering. A story when the main characters were all unlikeable.

I really struggled with The Boyhood of Cain by Michael Amherst. The main character, referred to as “the boy,” was cringe-worthy and deeply unpleasant, making it nearly impossible to connect with or empathize with him. His actions and thoughts felt grating and self-absorbed, which made reading the book a chore.

Tthe narrative itself felt aimless. I kept waiting for some kind of insight, development, or even a clear purpose, but it never came. Instead, the story dragged on, leaving me more frustrated with every page. Ultimately, I found this book tedious and unenjoyable—definitely not one I’d recommend.

sigh. this was one of my most anticipated releases for early 2025, and i definitely did not enjoy it. while the writing was pretty solid, i found myself struggling with both the main character and his “struggles” (re: being unable to connect with his classmates due to being a prick, and whining about religion the whole damn time). i rolled my eyes every single time his bipolar-esque mother was brought up (no real explanation of her condition was ever offered, of course; she only exists to further paint the main character as this poor little boy with a crazy mother), and his sister was just sort of There, never really engaging in the main character’s life or existing beyond being his annoying little sister. i don’t even think she ever got a proper name, honestly?

so yeah. i had really high hopes for this one, but it was more of a “meh” read in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this debut novel in advance.

This essentially a story of a boy and his perceptions of the world and how he fits into this.
It is emotional and very atmospheric this author writes so well and brings the details of boyhood to the surface.

Recommended read.

The Boy, named Daniel, is the central character in this first novel by Michael Amherst. Daniel may or may not be cursed but he struggles from early years with how to cope emotionally while placed in a miserable school, with a failure of a father and a mentally ill mother, all set against the background of a dour farming community.

The boy is bright and intelligent but his questions about life are thwarted at every turn. His father is a retired headmaster who now imagines himself to be a farmer but is simply the butt of jokes as he drinks too much in the local pub. His loving mother, unable to cope with life, wavers between offering too much love and crying. It’s not good!

Add to that the boy’s own uncertainty about what kind of person he is, viewing himself as fodder for bullies, childishly underdeveloped and unable to say the right thing in almost any context. When he tries to do things properly, they fall apart and older children, as well as adults, are a mystery to him, as he struggles to learn not only to express his feelings but also how to feel and what he should feel.

He might be autistic, he might be verging on gay but very little makes him happy except the moments when his mother is happy. It’s very sad and there is little indication that his life beyond adolescence is set to improve. In some ways, his life is ruined already!

The other thing about this boy is that he is every boy. Michael Amherst elegantly explores the fears and uncertainties embodied in masculinity and the precariousness of ever becoming a successful man, knowing yourself and your emotions.

I’m not sure how autobiographical it is but it’s a book to make you think, and an excellent read.

Amherst’s debut novel follows Daniel as he moves from childhood to adolescence. He is haunted by a sense of inadequacy, something which only intensifies once his father loses his job and his best friend overtakes him as their art teacher’s favourite.

The characterisation is sensitive and sets out a moving portrayal of both the difficulties of intersubjectivity and the struggles of growing up. In this vein, the third person narratorial stance is interesting, linked as it is to Daniel’s own blinkered perspective. He is, in a way both wonderful and terrible, the centre of his own universe. This works effectively in drawing the reader in, as they must engage in conscious acts of interpretation and perspective-taking.

Slow-paced but coloured throughout by deep flushes of shame, Amherst focuses in on the details of pre-adolescent life. In a quiet but insistent manner ‘The Boyhood of Cain’ reminds us that, for children, love is a matter of survival.

Quite a remarkable debut. Beautifully written, the narrative flows and as it’s a short book, it’s easily devoured in a couple of sessions. It’s partly about Danny’s coming of age as he moves into adulthood. His world is out of kilter. His father is head at a smart school, but he has problems and loses his job. His mother has health issues and suddenly Danny’s secure and comfortable existence is ripped apart. As he tries to navigate his way through the turmoil, he’s faced with the further challenge of disrupted friendships. It’s not a particularly uplifting read, but the observations are sharp and I did feel quite emotionally involved with Danny’s journey.