Michael Amherst's debut novel paints a vivid picture of a quintessential English town, focusing on 12-year-old Daniel, the son of a preparatory school headteacher. As flooding threatens the town, this coming-of-age story intricately explores Daniel's psyche, portraying him as a multifaceted character grappling with themes of innocence, identity, and the vast expanse of existence. Daniel's humorous musings and existential ponderings bring depth to his young character, revealing both his naivety and profound insights, heightened by Amherst's precise narrative style that captures the nuances of childhood during this transformative period.
The novel's enigmatic title carries with it a sense of innocence before experience, and, indeed, young Daniel is rather green.
Amherst makes him so much more than this. Daniel is contrary: in ruminations about theology, masculinity, and the nature of storytelling, he is preternaturally attuned to complexity.
At one point he wonders, quite po-faced, if he might be Jesus. Elsewhere he berates himself for having not yet finished his first musical score.
Amherst's unusual, crisp and finely calibrated style elevates Daniel's childhood experiences.
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