My Name Isn't Joe

''The charm of the story resided in the fact that every single word was so well written that even the simplest things rised the highest interested, creating and keeping the pleasure of reading through the whole book. I enjoyed every single word of the story, and I think it was masterfully told. I loved the irony that left space for joy and hope even in the gloomiest moments.' - Chantel Hall Reid I enjoyed the way you worked the narrative to help speed up or slow down the pacing. The details you do have in this narrative are beautiful! I loved the way you described emotions, and I also thought the way you described ethnicity without stereotyping characters was a brilliant move-I wish other authors would write skin tones out that way. Joseph is such a deep, complex character and I loved learning about him. Beautiful job on that ending! Maddy D. I think that what made your writing stand out for me is that you demonstrate such a clear and deep understanding of the human condition and are able to convey that through some very elegant writing. Although much of what you write is quite introspective, you never allow the narrative to become ponderous or self-indulgent but maintain a pace which is easy to read but also never hurried. Your writing doesn't merely describe a sequence of events, it is much deeper than that, and it is that which I think really sets it apart from that of so many writers. I feel that you write with honesty, freedom and without fear, as you so clearly depict a young man dealing with his innermost struggles - I really found it extremely moving. Bill Goodall - Bill Goodall Literary Agency I have read this fantastic novel over the past few days, having downloaded it onto my Kindle as soon as it was published, having picked up the news via Social Media. I couldn't put it down! It is an amazing piece of work, and is so accomplished that it really makes one excited to seek out more debut novels - if only they were all of the quality of My Name Isn't Joe. I seem to have gone through every possible emotion whilst reading this novel I found the story so compelling from the outset, and I think the story resonates so powerfully, maybe because we have all known (or have been) a Joe at some time in our life. In turns I felt happy, sad, frustrated, amused, and definitely reflective and hopeful when reading this story. This is one of those books that stays with you, and leaves you wanting to know more about the main characters even after the final page. Each character is written with such a light touch, allowing the reader to make their own conclusions and judgements, which I found so refreshing. For me, this book is up there with Girl Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo (Booker prize winner 2019) in the way it tackles issues from different angles. I am taking this book to my book club to share my discovery of such a breath-taking new talent - it deserves to be read far and wide.