Sayon Hughes,a young Black man from Bristol,dreams of a world far removed from the one in which he was raised. Far removed from the torn slips outside the bookie's,the burnt spoons and the crooked solutions his community embraces; most of all,removed from the Christianity of his uncaring parents and the prejudice of law-makers.
Growing up,Sayon found respite from the chaos of his environment in the love and loyalty of his brother-in-arms,Cuba; in the example of his cousin Hakim,a man once known as the most infamous drug-dealer in their neighbourhood,now a proselytising Muslim; and in the tenderness of his girl,Shona,whose own sense of purpose galvanises Sayon's.
In return,Sayon wants to give the people he loves the world: a house atop a grand hill in the most affluent area of the city,a home in which they can forever find joy and safety. But after an altercation in which a boy is killed,Sayon finds his loyalties torn and his dream of a better life in peril.
Publisher: Headline Publishing GroupISBN: 9781472283115Number of pages: 336Weight: 535 gDimensions: 236 x 158 x 34 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'What struck me most forcibly about An Olive Grove in Ends was the poetic strength and majesty of its prose - as the author himself might have it,'like clarified honey'. From an author of such tender years - he is yet but twenty-two - this consummately crafted work can only be a harbinger of a stellar and truly significant career. I urge you to read it'- Patrick McCabe,author of The Butcher Boy
'(An Olive Grove in Ends) is magnificent. Moses'talent is off the scale. I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately and it's a long time since a novel gripped me so tightly... This is a phenomenally good novel,tense and thrilling and complex,with breath-stealing moments on every page. And the language. Oh,man.'- Donal Ryan,author of The Spinning Heart
'An Olive Grove in Ends chronicles the hard graft and grit of ghetto life in a poignant coming-of-age story rendered in the crackling song of a multi-ethnic UK street. McKenzie offers a rare glimpse into the harsh realities of street life and love in luminous prose,rendered with sensitivity and without sentimentalism. An astonishing debut novel about which I'll be talking to everyone!'- Cherie Jones,author of How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House
'His engrossing first-person narrative,lyrical and slangy by turns,is the vehicle for a tough yet tender story of faith and friendship,as well as money,knife crime and the failings of the British education system'- Observer
'An Olive Grove in Ends is a remarkable debut,bristling with sharp prose and daring originality. Moses McKenzie offers us a fascinating glimpse into the vibrant world of Ends,whose colourful inhabitants - Sayon in particular - will linger with readers long after the novel comes to a close.'- Nathan Harris,bestselling author ofThe Sweetness of Water
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