Orange: A candid portrayal of first love and self-discovery

A candid portrayal of first love and self-discovery, from the author of the 'instant queer classic', Isaac.

Cornwall, 2018. In the quiet fishing village of Portscatho, sixteen-year-old Daniel and seventeen-year-old Jago form an unexpected connection - something neither of them can name. What unfolds is transformative, particularly for Daniel, who for the first time feels truly seen.

East London, 2023. Daniel has rewritten himself: sharper, louder, queer in a way the city understands. But a visit from Jago stirs up a reckoning with his former life, forcing them both to question how much change their bond can withstand.

Reminiscent of Edouard Louis and Douglas Stuart's writing, Orange examines how we reconcile our past selves with the people we become, those we bring with us and those we leave behind.

PRAISE FOR CURTIS GARNER

'So vivid and real, it brought a thousand memories rushing back' - Russell T Davies, writer of It's A Sin and Queer As Folk

'An instant queer classic' - Jon Ransom, author of The Gallopers

'Garner writes like a queer, twenty-first-century Richard Yates: honest, uncompromising, fearless, and completely engrossing' - Alex Pheby, author of Playthings

'The dating scenes crackle with energy' - Financial Times

'Garner captures the complexities of coming of age as a young, queer person... delivered with wit, honesty and tenderness' - Attitude

'Garner's novel, bold and unflinching, asks how we project different identities onto those whom we love - or think we do' - Telegraph

'Fast-paced, raw and emotionally intelligent; brilliant on the vulnerability inherent in so many first relationships'- Daily Mail

'A significant new voice in queer literature' - Scene Magazine

'One of 2024's most captivating and evocative debut novels' - AnOther

This novel contains depictions of domestic abuse, sex, and alcohol/drug use.

© 2026 Verve Books (E-bog): 9780857309419

Udgivelsesdato

E-bog: 5. februar 2026