LONGLISTED for the Guardian‘s Not the Booker Prize
A beautifully written, darkly funny, mesmerisingly emotive and deliciously told debut novel with echoes of Armistead Maupin…
‘From its opening gambit to its final line, Attend demands and rewards attention’ Foreword Reviews
’With its blend of dark, gritty themes and gorgeous imagery, this is a book to make you believe there’s still magic in the world’ Heat Magazine
‘I’ve fallen in love with this absolutely glorious, spell-binding tale’ LoveReading
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As the threads of their lives unravel … they find magic under their feet…
When Sam falls in love with South London thug Derek, and Anne’s best friend Kathleen takes her own life, they discover they are linked not just by a world of drugs and revenge; they also share the friendship of the uncanny and enigmatic Deborah.
Seamstress, sailor, story-teller and self-proclaimed centenarian immortal, Deborah slowly reveals to Anne and Sam her improbable, fantastical life, the mysterious world that lies beneath their feet and, ultimately, the solution to their crises.
With echoes of Armistead Maupin and a hint of magic realism, Attend is a beautifully written, darkly funny, mesmerisingly emotive and deliciously told debut novel, rich in finely wrought characters that you will never forget.
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‘It’s a genuinely pleasurable experience to encounter something couched in such alert and transparent language as West Camel’s Attend … In three hundred finely judged pages, West Camel leaves the reader eager for more from his pen’ Barry Forshaw, CrimeTime
‘Lyrical and intense, the spellbinding prose is full of carefully chosen words which create an emotive and flowing’ Crime Review
‘Rich, lively and intelligent, Attend is a novel of mystery, morality and meaning, but so delicately sewn together, you never notice the seams…’ Rosie Goldsmith
'There is such a joy to the language. West Camel is a truly gifted wordsmith, and a beautiful storyteller’ Louise Beech
‘Skilfully weaves a tapestry of multi-layered threads … delicate, evocative prose tells an intriguing story with contemporary relevance, insight and compassion’ Live & Deadly
‘A book of past and present, grief and tragedy, forgiveness and redemption, and hopes and dreams … a great debut novel’ Off-the-Shelf Books
‘A singular and distinctive read … Within the city grime and gritty plotlines, glitters an arresting tale’ Books, Life and Everything
Wow, this book is breathtaking, the words on the pages transpire into a beautiful and authentic storyline. One which will stay with you long after you have finished the book. West Camel where have you been! This debut is mesmerising.
The story follows Anne, a recovering drug addict who lost everything and Sam, a gay man who moved to Deptford for the flashy bars and men. The mysterious Deborah links them all, turns up unexpectedly and always seems surprised, all the while telling her story to them both and the story behind her fabric.
That is all I will say about the plot because to say anymore could potentially ruin it for you. What I will say, it is a page-turner as you become addicted to the three characters wanting to learn more, you have a need to find out more. As I said I was mesmerised, as slowly each chapter revealed something new, as we live the day-to-day with Anne and Sam and the “magical” one with Deborah.
When I picked up this book I was not sure what to expect, but what I got was something unexpected. The emotions I felt, watching Anne rebuild her life and Sam learning what it is to truly be alive.
The writing is quite simply stunning. The story is magical. I felt I was really seeing Deptford, picturing the idyllic houses on the estates, smelling the smells, hearing the sounds. All the while reinforcing that connection between people is strong and we all need it no matter what level sometimes we receive it, but it makes us truly alive
