Brixton Nights

LoveReading Says

Pre-order your copy from Olympia Publishers. 

A 148-page coming of age novella charting a young woman’s journey to adulthood, navigating a challenging upbringing, loss and heartbreak. ‘Brixton Nights’ by Amy Tollyfield is an honest and heartfelt story of Christina and her rebellious brother Kyle, their upbringing, adoption and the challenges they face into adulthood.

Christina has a lot of loss and trauma to deal with in this story, and the plotline jumps between childhood and adulthood, taking us through the challenges of her past alongside her dealing with the heartbreak of a breakup with her girlfriend. I liked the structure of the plot and how it switched from past to present, it provided both context and plot simultaneously.

I also enjoyed the original poems and the start and end of the book. There’s an openness to Christina’s character that I found interesting throughout the story. Even when she’s having trouble sharing her thoughts and feelings with the people she cares for, the reader is always fully aware of her struggles.

I found I was able to sympathise with Christina throughout and was urging her to take the advice of her therapist and be open with Siobhan about her past. Although Christina doesn’t always do what’s needed to move forward, the awareness she has of her past and it’s impact leaves the reader with some hope that she will find happiness eventually.

‘Brixton Nights’ is a powerful and enticing realist novella about one woman's struggles to come to terms with her past and her losses in order to find a happier ending. A great book that can be read in a single sitting for those who are looking to read a coming of age story filled with vulnerability.

Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading Ambassador

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