Fantastically written
Love it when someone writes about the 70's and 80's - makes me feel nostalgic
This is about 3 generations living and working in a mining community
Even though it was short, it really packed a punch

Thank you netgalley, Andrew Mcmillian and Canongate

4.5 stars rounded up

This is a quiet, subtle examination of post-industrial cultural identity and northern working class queerness and masculinity, told through a variety of mediums including CCTV recordings and academic reports. I devoured it in a single day. A lot of this novella's impact is buried is between the gaps, in the things left unsaid or left with bare details, and much of the time we’re left to draw out own conclusions. This is particularly powerful in the narrative threads of a character whose queerness is unspoken and acknowledged as much to himself as to other people.

It’s a novella that has improved in my memory as I’ve let the experience settle. Fro example, the snippets set in the past, as the miners rise, collect, troop off to the mine and back again, were quite repetitive while I was reading, but in retrospect I think it’s an effective portrayal of the relentlessness and monotony of life down the mines. I will definitely return to this book again in the future, to see what else emerges from between the gaps.

A short novel but one of the most thought provoking and moving I've ever read.
Middle aged brothers Alex and Brian live in a northern town decimated by the mine closures in the 1980s.. The loss of a key industry, and what has replaced it, is one of the key themes. Alex's son Simon works three jobs, one in a call centre, plus sex work and drag queen in local clubs.
Another key theme is an exploration of how much social disaster and poverty affects future perceptions of a town. Does the past live in the present? Does a sense of community still exist? This is probed by a team of academics who pompously interview locals including Brian in return for sandwiches.
Where the story excels is in its portrayal of the work carried out by miners, a mile beneath our feet. Several times McMillan, also a poet, uses repetition to show the utter grind of the miners' daily routine. The dust, the dust, and the dark, figure large in the visceral descriptions of back breaking, filthy work in extreme heat. There is a very evocative description, used several tines, of doors opening and men emerging to walk to the mine, before light. Some of them stop to pause, needing to catch their breath. No-one waits.
While Brian is processing his thoughts around his home town, Alex is finding the courage to move on after the collapse of his marriage.
Extraordinary writing.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This is quite an unusual book, highly structured and very matter-of-fact but moving and thought provoking at the same time. It is cleverly written, short and powerful, using a language that is precise and poetic.

Set in the Yorkshire town of Barnsley, it is a homage to the people living there and ever so subtly it identifies the stigma that comes with living in such a deprived area, where tragedy and violence make headlines and good news never seems to. – This story can be read as an attempt to reconcile this imbalance.

The themes of sense of place, class, sexuality and masculinity are explored through the individual stories of Alex and -lesser so- Brian, two brothers coming from a long line of miners and also through Alex’ son Simon, who is more than ready to break with tradition and convention whilst at the same time appreciating the comfort they bring.

The second angle of exploration comes from a team of researchers who look into the history and social trauma related to place – in this case Barnsley. Alex is one of their interviewees and working with the research team turns out to be as beneficial for him as it is to them.

Mining history and what it meant for those men to go and work under ground is woven into the narrative and so is the devastating effect of the mining disasters of the past that still shape the collective memory of the town and its people. Alex’ son who works as a performing drag queen is a refreshing contrast to all this and also provides a glimmer of hope and encouragement in living a life that is true to himself.

This book has much to offer. At its end I had the feeling that it is a great deal more that the sum of its short chapters – and this is due to the narration that creates meaning and atmosphere in between words and lines. It is really difficult to describe – I encourage you to experience it yourself.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Canongate for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

It's a small book which makes a big impression on most people who read it.
As I used to live in Barnsley for few months I was amazed how well the author captured the atmosphere of  old mining town.  Its not a light read. Its definitely better being savoured rather than devoured.

adored this novel, which was a Poetic ode to Barnsley and British gay life. I have not previously read any of this previous works. He is known as a poet, and this comes across strongly in this novel, which is written with such beautiful poetic language that it was a pure joy to consume. I had to stop on multiple occasions to relish sentences, which were so perfect in context and language.
Looks at the effects of the pleasure of the coal mines in the 1980s of Fizz Britain and its long-term legacy on the minus themselves and their children
One of the sections of the novel looks at a visiting group of academics who are arranging to capture the experiences or the population, and I wondered whether the author themselves had a background in this area as these scenes seemed almost documentary in their nature
The novel itself is not long, but it is a thing of perfect proportion, and a beautifully crafted novel. I really loved it.
I particularly liked the repetitive scene of the miners, going down the road to work first thing in the morning its poetry and rhythm were fabulous. Reading, it felt like experiencing a real time, Lowry painting.
The book is full of cast of entirely real, particularly British, people with the male characters, making the biggest impression me.
I would strongly recommend this novel for those who like literary novels, in particular those of a poetic nature, if you like Cuddy, by Benjamin Myers or Prophet Song by Paul Lynch, the winner of the 2023 Booker prize then you would enjoy this novel
I originally copy of the novel on NetGalley UK, the book is published on the 8th of February 2024 by Cannongate
This review will appear on NetGalley, UK, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com

The experiences of three generations living and working in a small northern town. The writing it precise and evocative. The scenes are very easy to imagine, they are well described and the speech feels realistic. Plenty to think about. Definitely a good read.

An interesting and eye opening book. The late 70’s into 80’s must have been a really hard time to grow up in and be gay and work in the filth and heat of the mines. This book shows us the difficulties of this, the troubles going on in Ireland and the coal miners fight to stay open. The government of the day in opposition.
It’s actually quite a complex book in places as it goes between one subject and another, so requires a little concentration.
It has a particularly sad scenario towards the end but this really puts the feeling into why life was so hard at that time.
Very well worth reading.

Interesting novel from a poet that has used fragmented prose, narrative and non-fiction blended together which mirrors the three generations evolving throughout the novel. Themes of manhood, change and acceptance mixed with how society views a man or person over time. I would have liked to see a bit more narrative and characterisation but think this is a great debut novel and wonder what will come next.

Pity is marketed as a novel about The Miner’s Strike and when it’s published the media will be analysing its fortieth anniversary. There’s more too to it than that, it’s more of a post-industrial novel. See also its references to being a gay teenager in the 1980’s, then Clause 28, being a closeted gay man in 21st century England, amongst the ruins of Thatcherism/neo-liberalism.

It’s definitely a Yorkshire novel too, with ginnels and snap. However, I would draw attention to its tone and style with multiple POV’s, plus the overriding concept of fantasy versus reality. It’s also an incredibly short book. On reflection though, there is enough here to both intrigue and inspire the left-leaning reader; with a small act of defiance magnified and giving a greater resolution. And as we slide in into election year, that’s important.

It’s published by Canongate on February 8th and my thanks go to them for a preview copy.

Much as I wanted to love this debut novel by the poet, Andrew McMillan, of whom I have long been a fan, I'm afraid I could not. It's definitely not a book for the fainthearted, being a rather disjointed ranging from one character or setting to another in short, episodic bursts, which I found quite alienating to read and difficult to engage with or be interested in. The poetry of the writing, which I hoped might be an uplifting feature of the book, felt a little self conscious or forced at times. However, there were some lovely atmospheric sections around the mining community which really worked for me. I'm sure this book will appeal to many readers but it was not for me at this time, I'm sad to say.

I'm always drawn to a novel by a poet, expecting precise and atmospheric writing, and this did not disappoint. Although the layering of different narrative voices takes a moment to become familiar, this is exactly why I loved Pity: that interweaving of distinct voices at different historical moments, each given weight, respect, attention and care, to create an overall impression of both change and a kind of resilient endurance. My favourite sections were the historical ones, capturing the miner's daily life. These felt most poetic in style. But I also loved the detail and honesty of the contemporary voices. Brian's deep knowledge of the town and how it has changed really spoke to me, as someone who has lived for decades in the town I grew up in: the way the past haunts the present and the ghosts of buildings or people long gone constantly seeps into present awareness. There's real tenderness too, in the different connections between the men. For me the detail and physicality of the sexual scenes felt part of that thread of precision and frankness and attention and care which runs through the whole. Comic relief comes in the clunky academic tone of the researchers who want to capture and pin down a lived experience they will never fully understand. The conclusion points to hope, connection and possibility, even after all that has been lost. Wonderful!

I was drawn to this book for three reasons; the stellar cover, the fact it’s set in a mining village (I grew up in South Wales), and that it deals with homosexuality in such a community.

The structure scared me a bit, the grandfather’s story italicised, the fieldwork notes of the academics studying the town, the surveillance cameras, all had the potential to make the book feel disjointed. It didn’t because the characters were real, relatable and there was a fascinating story going on across their lives.

Brian attends the workshops run by the academics with a brilliant mix of the scepticism and helpfulness of his generation. His brother Alex stays in the shadows for much of the book, yet his journey is pivotal. Alex’s son Simon takes centre stage – metaphorically and physically. The memory of Simon’s grandfather, the daily tramp and grind of life in the mines, brought out through beautiful prose.

A short book. A different book. It will probably win awards and I hope it does.

A beautifully written, evocative novel, but I found it took a while to work out who was who and how they were connected. Once I'd done that, I did enjoy it, especially the way it all came together at the end.

I loved the descriptions of the miners and coal mines - so poetic and atmospheric. Truly beautifully written and very impactful. As.a debut novel from a very well regarded poet these were the stand out sections of this book for me. The prose sections were adequately written but not as inspiring. You do need to concentrate very hard, especially in the first few sections to work out the relationship between the main characters, I feel this could have been made a little clearer for the benefit of the reader..
Overall this was an excellent depiction of life at the height of the mines and Thatcherism, and changing lifestyles and attitudes in that part of the country over the years. I did feel that the description of oral sex was not really necessary to the story

I can't remember ever starting a book review by rating its cover 5 stars. But the cover of Pity summarises the content so perfectly that rating it thus is definitely justified.
McMillan's novel traces three generations and their experience/memories of living in a town where mining once dominated everyone's life. Each dimension of the novel receives a different font which guides the reader effortlessly through it's overlapping elements. There are memories of working down the pits, memories revived in recalling, for the media, how the town was before the mines were closed and the area redeveloped and, finally, memories of how gay men desperately hid their sexuality for fear of being called out and ostracised.
The quality of writing is both wonderfully descriptive yet succinct as befits a poet. The sections describing the miners early morning trek to the pit will linger long in the mind.
The relationships between the male characters, be it within their families or with their partners, are beautifully drawn and leave the reader with some confidence that both the town and the post mining generation face a brighter future, albeit what lies buried must never be forgotten. Exceptional.

Definitely one of my top five favorite reads of 2023. A short yet very powerful novel set around a present day Barnsley (Yorkshire, Northern England) still haunted by the echoes of its mining past . It truly is a "short and magnificent ..... lament for a lost way of a life as well as a celebration of resilience and the possibility for change". The writing is matter-of-fact and earthy yet simultaneously soaringly elegant and poetic. Highly recommended. Special thank you to Canongate Books and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

I fell under its spell. This short interwoven piece is hard to put down once you’ve started it. Fantastic debut

This is a short book, perhaps a novella. It is set in South Yorkshire but equally could be set in almost any mining or ex-mining community. Therein lies one of the main themes; how a town, a community, manages when the economy is devastated. Not easily at all is the obvious conclusion. This nigh-on existential threat to a community is mirrored in the relationships of the people living in it through several generations (theme two). Some families are torn asunder and others reveal hidden stories about their kith and kin. Theme three explores how sexual relationships have developed over time and what secrets lurk in family backgrounds. For me, the descriptions of sex acts mar the overall story - probably just me; I prefer a lack of detail in this regard. The descriptions of mining life and of communal belonging - and of loss - are poetic, as to be expected from such an author. Overall, a very strong recommendation to all readers of literary works.
I received a copy through NetGalley but my review is given as an independent reader.

There are several narrative threads to this novel, and what I loved about it was that it springs from very basic premise. The lives of characters, Simon, Ryan, Alex, and Brian and their various connections and relationships link to the sense of place and industry. What McMillan does incredibly well is link place with people - and I don't mean in an obvious way. Simon's academic interest in cultural history and the mines that still lurk (and collapse) connect with the characters, and Ryan's link (don't ask) to watching men in toilets are areas that could easily be analysed in a philosophical Deleuzian way. Or not. That's the clever thing about this novel. It's definitely one I'll return to. Highly recommended. Grateful thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.