David McK (3791 KP) rated The Serpent Sword in Books
Jul 7, 2019
When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.
Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.
Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)
Boys: An Illustrated Field Guide
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Boys: An Illustrated Field Guide is a tender, coming-of-age gift book about the many different kinds...
The Myth of Perpetual Summer
7.0
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From the national bestselling author of Whistling Past the Graveyard comes a moving coming-of-age...
ClareR (6225 KP) rated Our Evenings in Books
Nov 2, 2025
This is a coming of age story, and follows the life of Dave Win, a half Burmese actor. It starts when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. His widowed mother, a dressmaker, would never be able to afford to send him. The world is opened up to Dave - or is it?
This is a story of class, privilege, racism and Dave growing up to understand his homosexuality in a time where it was illegal. The contrast of his old school mate/ bully’s life of affluence and privilege as an MP, and his as a struggling actor (because of the lack of parts for mixed race actors) is stark.
It really is an excellent read and I’d recommend it wholeheartedly. I couldn’t, and didn’t want to, put it down.
Boys Keep Swinging: A Memoir
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`The purpose of my life is to entertain. It's a constant feedback loop.' Before becoming lead singer...
Elyot: Four Plays
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Four plays spanning twenty years from our leading specialist in the comedy of pain. Coming Clean...
Blood Relatives
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An incredible debut novel: a coming of age tale set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire Ripper...
The Truants
7.0
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'Where do I find Crime?’ ‘Crime doesn’t have its own section,’ said the librarian without...
Swimming Between Worlds
8.0
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Taken from Goodreads: From critically acclaimed writer Elaine Neil Orr, a Southern coming-of-age...