LONGLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE 2025

'Shows us how to love one another and hold on to what matters most' Tice Cin, author of Keeping the House

'Striking, moving, subtly radical' Guardian

'Confirms Goddard as one of the best writers of our time' Lucia Osborne-Crowley, author of The Lasting Harm

Patrick, Shiv, Rian, Oli and Conor grew up together. They played together, skipped school together, and dreamt of everything they'd do with their lives.

Now they are thirty, and only Rian has made it out of the estate and moved away to another city, but his money doesn't stop him clinging to a vision of the past that is quickly slipping away. Oli is fading by the day, drinking and snorting his way through the endless boredom, while Conor has a baby on the way and a business plan he hopes will change everything. Patrick and Shiv are as in love as ever, but even they are rocked when an old secret opens up new wounds ...

"Extraordinary writing about ordinary people" - Kirkus

"Tender, violent, affecting ... this book takes real pleasure in language" - ipaper