The Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr

An Observer Best Debut of 2025An ordinary town. An extraordinary boy. The heart-warming, life-affirming debut story of a baby found on a beach and the fisherman who adopts him.

'Compassionate, lyrical and full of devilment' - Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses1973. In a close-knit community on Ireland’s west coast, a baby is found abandoned on the beach. Named Brendan by Ambrose Bonnar, the fisherman who adopts him, the boy will become a source of fascination and hope for a town caught in the storm of a rapidly changing world.

Ambrose, a man more comfortable at sea than on land, brings Brendan into his home out of love. But it is a decision that will fracture his family and force this man – more comfortable at sea than on land – to try to understand himself and those he cares for.

Set over twenty years, Garrett Carr’s The Boy From the Sea is a novel about a restless boy trying to find his place in the world. It is an exploration of the ties that make us and bind us, as a family and community move irresistibly into the future.

'Beautifully written - gorgeous modern folklore' - Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater'A novel of heart-bumping power . . . breathtaking' - Joseph O'Connor, author of Star of the Sea'I was gripped' - Emma Donoghue, author of Room

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Binding: Hardback,
Pagination: 336 pages