Based on the author's own experiences of leaving home and travelling across Europe on less than a pound a day, "These Walls Were Never Really There" is a compelling true story described by publishing editors as ‘immersive and moving’ and ‘a potential prizewinner in the making’.
Initially set in the heart of Manchester's homeless community, These Walls follows twenty-year-old Cameron, who is propelled on a physical and spiritual journey which will take him far from the life he once knew.
A surprising story about mental health, friendship and redemption, this compelling debut will take you on a journey across Europe and beyond, as Cameron and his travelling companion Jacob navigate perilous border crossings, packs of wolves, and the harsh realities of life on the road.
Set against the backdrop of the emerging Arab Spring, Cameron and Jacob will have their friendship pushed to its limits as they find themselves trapped thousands of miles away from home…
Initially set in the heart of Manchester's homeless community, These Walls follows twenty-year-old Cameron, who is propelled on a physical and spiritual journey which will take him far from the life he once knew.
A surprising story about mental health, friendship and redemption, this compelling debut will take you on a journey across Europe and beyond, as Cameron and his travelling companion Jacob navigate perilous border crossings, packs of wolves, and the harsh realities of life on the road.
Set against the backdrop of the emerging Arab Spring, Cameron and Jacob will have their friendship pushed to its limits as they find themselves trapped thousands of miles away from home…
Book source ~ Tour
1 April 2022
Contemporary | Literary Fiction
286 Pages
My Rating ~ 4 bites
Cameron is 20 when one day he just packs up a backpack and leaves home. He spends about six months homeless in Manchester before a catalyst kicks him in the ass and he just…hits the road with what little money he has and the things on his back. Pretty fucking scary if you ask me. I can put up with bad weather, wet clothes, little money, sleeping outside, walking for miles…but not voluntarily. No fucking way. At the end of the day I want a hot shower, a comfy dry place to sleep, a decent meal with hot tea, and wifi. lol
This book is an eye opener for sure! It dives into the homeless and how they survive and then when Cameron sets foot out of Manchester it’s an uncertain journey with no real destination in mind. Walking and hitch hiking across Europe sounds fun until you have to deal with all of the practicalities. Cameron handles everything that is thrown at him and then some. Then he meets up with Jacob and the two of them hoof it all the way to Syria. And that’s where things disintegrate. The ending is what I’m most unhappy about. Otherwise I would have bumped my rating up at least a half bite. If you want to know what it’s like to backpack across Europe with very little money then do not pass this up. Cameron’s journey isn’t just physical though. It’s spiritual. And in the end, I think he finds, at least in part, what he’s looking for.
Bryan Blears is an author of contemporary literary fiction from Salford, Manchester. He has written for the Huffington Post, the New Statesman and the Philosophical Society of England, among others.
Focusing on social issues, mental health and overcoming personal adversity, his fiction has been compared to George Orwell, Sylvia Plath and Donna Tartt. His debut novel, These Walls Were Never Really There, has been described by critics as an 'immersive and moving true story' and 'a fantastic talent, and a potential prizewinner in the making.'
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