Boy

Lindsey Collen
Bloomsbury, paperback, £7.99

Reviewed by Mandy Vere

What a beautiful story. Set in Mauritius, Krish has just failed his end of school exams and while grieving for his dead brother and alienated from his parents he sets off to visit relatives, on an errand for his mother. This turns into an epic journey of self-discovery and awakening to the world. As he relishes his newfound freedom, there is fear and potential disaster but also gentleness and love, not least from some of the characters he meets – how refreshing that strangers such as the crazy ‘Captain’ are kind and fun and not (as we fear) abusers. Lindsey Collen’s previous books have featured women as central characters and solidarity between the women has been a strong theme, but here we have a young man’s social and sexual awakening, against the backdrop of oppression in Mauritius society. Her novels are truly revolutionary and this is no exception.