The Boy from the Sea

An Observer Best Debut of 2025 An ordinary town. An extraordinary boy. The heart-warming, life-affirming debut story of a baby found on a beach and the fisherman who adopts him. 'Compassionate, lyrical and full of devilment' - Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses 1973. In a close-knit community on Irelands west coast, a baby is found abandoned on the beach. Named Brendan by Ambrose Bonnar, the fisherman who adopts him, the boy will become a source of fascination and hope for a town caught in the storm of a rapidly changing world. Ambrose, a man more comfortable at sea than on land, brings Brendan into his home out of love. But it is a decision that will fracture his family and force this man more comfortable at sea than on land to try to understand himself and those he cares for. Set over twenty years, Garrett Carrs The Boy From the Sea is a novel about a restless boy trying to find his place in the world. It is an exploration of the ties that make us and bind us, as a family and community move irresistibly into the future. 'Beautifully written - gorgeous modern folklore' - Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater 'A novel of heart-bumping power . . . breathtaking' - Joseph O'Connor, author of Star of the Sea 'I was gripped' - Emma Donoghue, author of Room