Mayflies

“A beautiful ode to lost youth and male friendship written by one of our sharpest observers of modern masculinity.” —Douglas Stuart, author of Shuggie Bain

“Mayflies is one of those novels to press into the hands of friends. Beautifully written—wise, funny, poetic, alert to time, place and the ordinary human . . . I adored this book.” —Carol Ann Duffy

“Tender, heartfelt” —The New York Times, New & Noteworthy

“Mayflies is entirely unexpected; a joyful, warm and heart-filling tribute to the million-petalled flower of male friendship. This book will last beyond these feverish times: it’s not just a reminder that culture makes the worst things bearable, but a beautiful example of it in action.” —The Times

“A rare thing: a life-enhancing novel about death. It will stay with you and you will want to read it again.” —Scotsman

“Life-loving and elegiac.” ―Observer

“A delightful nostalgia trip of enduring teenage friendship . . . an affecting and evocative picture of an era and a relationship.” ―Daily Telegraph

“O’Hagan has written a tight, delicate and soulful novel . . . about the power of enduring friendship.” ―Sunday Times

“An assured and self-contained piece of theatre, in which love of many kinds is tested, Mayflies is rich in allusions, gracefully written, yet vigorous. . . . This is a book of high artistic ambition, and a reminder, were it needed, of the seriousness that fiction can address . . . O’Hagan’s achievement is not to flinch from reality, nor to wallow in misery, but to fill the pages with roaring life, right up to the last kick of the ball.” ―The Herald

“Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone and read Andrew O’Hagan’s new novel. Mayflies is a lifetime book.” ―The Australian