"Only Here, Only Now heralds the arrival of an urgent and unique new voice, as engaging and as startling as Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, Morvern Callar or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and will surely be hailed as one of the great British debut novels." - David Peace, author of Nineteen Eighty-Three "Tom Newlands is the real thing. His story will change you." - Award-winning actor Michael Sheen "This isn''t just a great first novel; it''s a great novel. And Cora, the mad, chaotic, wise, funny narrator, is one of the great characters." - Roddy Doyle, Book Prize-winning author of LOVE and Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha "It''s not every day you read a modern classic. But this feels destined to become one. A thunderous achievement.
" - Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall and This Book Will Change Your Mind About Mental Health "An astonishing debut, full of grit, humor and truth. I defy you not to fall in love with Cora Mowat." - Katherine May, New York Times bestselling author of Enchantment and Wintering "Tom Newland''s Only Here, Only Now is a piercing howl of a novel, sharp, elegant and humane. I loved it." - Karl Geary, author of Juno Loves Legs "Exuberantly memorable.So unusual and so moving - and ultimately, if my experience is anything to go by, so memorable. Cora''s neurodivergence is vividly, uniquely present in the language Newlands gives to her.Newlands casts a new light on the experience of living with ADHD.
" - The Guardian "A coming-of-age novel that takes the reader inside the brilliant, fizzing mind of a teenage girl with ADHD growing up in post-industrial Scotland. Funny and fierce." - BBC Radio World Service "A rich and vivid debut novel . Tom Newlands may make several prize lists for his stunning debut, a portrait of a teenager with undiagnosed ADHD in a working-class, post-industrial community. This sprawling coming-of-age tale explores poverty, belonging, grief and rage, and Newlands writes with such energy.But what impresses most is the author''s compassion for his flawed characters. There''s humour as well as love, hope and resilience amidst the ugliness in this accomplished novel." - The Observer (London) "Think Shuggie Bain.
Think Trainspotting. Think The Cutting Room. You can add Tom Newlands to that list. A vivid, synesthetic piece of writing . What''s thrilling is that the book goes in the directions you are not expecting. And at its heart there is the unmistakeable voice of this flawed, messy, anxious, kind of heroic teenage girl. The Scottish book of the summer." - The Herald "A funny, truthful, heartbreaking yet hopeful read.
" - Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things "A breathtaking debut from an exciting new storytelling talent. Wise, funny, tragic and hopeful. Cora and her world are heartrendingly authentic." - Christopher Brookmyre, author of Quite Ugly One Morning "Cora''s neurodivergence is both beautifully different and hilariously relatable; her arc is especially poignant as she learns how to juggle her love of home and family with her desire to escape her claustrophobic and limiting hometown. At the heart of Only Here, Only Now is a character who is a joy to listen to as she narrates her coming-of-age story in her own unique manner. Suggest this to readers of literary coming-of-age tales like Donna Tartt''s The Goldfinch and character-rich fiction like Tess Gunty''s The Rabbit Hutch.Teens looking for neurodivergence representation will find it in this darkly funny coming-of-age tale." - Booklist "Only Here, Only Now is one of the best debuts I''ve read in years.
Cora Mowat is an iconic heroine, growing up against the odds; she''s a feisty, impulse-drenched, lilt-blooded smasher of a main character and Tom Newland''s prose is fierce and tender, taking us straight to the thudding heart of Cora''s chaotic life. A wonderful, gut-wrenching, heart-soaring novel." - Victoria MacKenzie, author of For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain "Absolutely loved this. Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure." - Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain "Newlands debuts with a stirring portrait of a 14-year-old neurodivergent Scottish girl dealing with grief and restlessness.Newlands does an excellent job portraying Cora''s undiagnosed ADHD, shedding light on the ways in which the condition was overlooked in the ''90s.The result is a vibrant coming-of-age story." - Publishers Weekly (starred review).