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Sugar People
Kestrel has a lot to be worried about. His best friend Tala has been struck by a severe mental illness, attempting suicide over the winter break. She has developed an obsession with making little sculptures she will not let anyone touch.
Meanwhile, Kestrel is struggling at university. His artwork has his teachers concerned, and he can't explain any of it. But it's not just him - all his friends are feeling strange this term, although none of them can place why.
After a chance meeting with the university's charismatic religious counsellor, Daran Bailey, Kestrel becomes drawn back in to a world he had once left behind. As the term marches on, his dreams grow more uncomfortable, and he feels like he's going crazy, until at long last, Tala lets Kestrel in on her secret...
A coming of age novel about the nature of trauma and the destruction of trust, and the lengths some people would go to right a cataclysmic wrong.
This book contains depictions of abuse. Read at your own discretion.
Meanwhile, Kestrel is struggling at university. His artwork has his teachers concerned, and he can't explain any of it. But it's not just him - all his friends are feeling strange this term, although none of them can place why.
After a chance meeting with the university's charismatic religious counsellor, Daran Bailey, Kestrel becomes drawn back in to a world he had once left behind. As the term marches on, his dreams grow more uncomfortable, and he feels like he's going crazy, until at long last, Tala lets Kestrel in on her secret...
A coming of age novel about the nature of trauma and the destruction of trust, and the lengths some people would go to right a cataclysmic wrong.
This book contains depictions of abuse. Read at your own discretion.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2023
6 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Oliver Ferrie
3 books5 followersAuthor of Sugar People
British writer living in Norway. Geologist. Also very gay.
British writer living in Norway. Geologist. Also very gay.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 3, 2023
There was such a comfort in having an invisible, unknowable god. When the connection was inscrutable enough, you didn't need to fret over whether it was there or not.
Wowww, how does someone review this one? How does someone explain this one? I think it's best to go in the way I did, more or less blind, and let it carry, confuse, and scare you. It's a little about religion, a little about queer identity, a little about trauma & memory & revenge, and a lot about friendship and vital connections between people.
(Very fun to see D&D integrated into the plot, too! That was so creative.)
Also, "depictions of abuse" is selling that warning pretty short.
July 19, 2023
I loved this book from the very first page! The prose is wonderful and much is said with few words.The story is darkly intriguing with that perfect blend of heartbreaking reality versus dreamy fantasy that many authors attempt, but few pull off so brilliantly. The characters were very relatable and three dimensional. I'm very much looking forward to reading more from this author!
November 5, 2023
A story which touched on the familiar, the fantastical in addition to dealing with both sensitive and disturbing incidents in a manner that left me feeling anger, disgust, intrigue, excitement and a whole host of other emotions, as the author drew me further into a story I simply could not put down .... nor begin to imagine where it would lead me or how it would end.
July 30, 2023
This is a slow-paced horror book with some magical elements in it. The main character, Kestrel has been struggling in his art class in college. After his friend, Tala, attempts suicide, he meets a strange religious counselor. With themes of religion, trauma, and sexuality, Kestrel is trying to find out why Tala has distanced herself from her friends and if it is related to their religious counselor. I originally read this book for the mental health and gay representation. This book explores an important topic, abuse within the Church. Overall, this is a dark tale of how trauma effects people's mental health.
July 19, 2023
"Sugar People" is Oliver Ferrie's debut novel, but reading it you could easily belive it's his 10th. I was impressed with the way the narrative effortlessly flows between reality and fantasy, often making you question what's real and what's delusion.
The story deals with some dark and traumatic subject matters, which would no doubt be off-putting in a less skilled writer's hands, but the triumphant resolution is satisfying and bitter-sweet.
My only problem with the book was the fact that I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of Catholicism so certain passages were a little confusing to me, but that's clearly a me-problem and the story works nonetheless.
If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, Kurt Vonnegut, tabletop roleplaying games, or just good, well-written stories, I highly recommend Sugar People.
The story deals with some dark and traumatic subject matters, which would no doubt be off-putting in a less skilled writer's hands, but the triumphant resolution is satisfying and bitter-sweet.
My only problem with the book was the fact that I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of Catholicism so certain passages were a little confusing to me, but that's clearly a me-problem and the story works nonetheless.
If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, Kurt Vonnegut, tabletop roleplaying games, or just good, well-written stories, I highly recommend Sugar People.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews