Play

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Content advice: drug-taking and trafficking, drinking, strong language, implied sexual assault, death, misogyny, homophobia, toxic masculinity, neglect.

Multi-layered, original and compelling, ‘Play’ follows the friendship of four boys – Mark, Matt, Luc and Johnny. We see them develop from building and destroying dens in the woods to navigating the challenges they face with relationships, societal expectations around their masculinity, drugs and ultimately making their own choices and discovering how each of these play out.

Short chapters and plain language lend the book an immediacy and help keep the pacing fast. Dialogue throughout is real and convincing. Themes of boyhood, male friendship, modern-day masculinity and the loss of innocence are expertly intertwined. It cleverly delves into how the boys cope with their environment and the pressures they face. There’s a skilful exploration of the inner dynamics of friendship. Each boy has a unique character, voice and motivation making them feel authentic. Tough, timely and truthful, this is a hard-hitting story of characters sometimes having to make hard choices and facing even harder consequences.