This is a very prescient novel exploring an accusation of rape against too top footballers. It's told mainly from the perspective of one of the two men who watched the alleged rape and also filmed it on his phone. That phone is now missing and both men are on trial. The way this story is explored was really gripping and it makes you think about consent and how different parties view consent - it's scary. I felt for the woman and how she was treated. The story gradually unfolds until you find out the truth and even though I could sense where the novel was going it's still somehow shocking. This is a story that will stay with me and I recommend it.

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

Happy to be reviewing this exquisite, deeply affecting novella by #JohnBoyne on #EarthDay 🌏!

Thanks NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Doubleday, for the opportunity/invite to read this.

Synopsis -

Popular and highly talented footballers, Evan Keogh and his friend Robbie Wolverton are charged with sexual assault. While the trial is ongoing, the events of Evan’s life that led to this point start unravelling. He has always wanted to be an artist, but thanks to innate football skills, his career has been chosen for him. Right from the time he leaves his little island near Galway, Evan has been forced to do unspeakable things to survive. Now, with his freedom and career at stake, Evan has a choice. Will he do the right thing?

Review -

Just in 168 pages, there’s just so much to unpack and examine with Evan’s life. His narrative alternates between the present – where he is under trial and his past – leaving home, trying his hand as an artist and becoming a football player. There are also some significant flashbacks from his life on the island.

It was very discomfiting to watch Evan go through what he did after he leaves his island. I flinched, sympathized and felt my heart break for this young man who was forced to use his body and sexuality to get by. Beware of trigger warnings.

Boyne masterfully interlinks every phase of Evan’s life to the next and throws several curveballs at us, which were impossible to see coming. Sometimes, I had to stop reading, close my eyes, exhale deeply and digest it all. The court room scenes were especially riveting.

While Evan yearned for his hands to have artistic talent, it’s his feet that are actually gifted. Rooted firmly in the earth, they have carried him from the depths of unimaginable, inhumane exploitation and humiliation to his current glory, fame and opulence. Despite his sins, the same earth, has now given him an opportunity for absolution.

In “Earth”, Boyne explores the grey areas in our morality, redemption and the human capacity to make righteous decisions, with his usual stroke of masterful writing.

Highly recommend! I am already looking forward to the next quartet in this brilliant element series.

Evan Keogh never wanted to be a professional footballer, he had no interest in the game, even though he had a great talent for it, no, he loved painting - abstract art was his passion, however, after showing his paintings to various galleries and being told he wasn’t good enough, he finally accepted the truth - art was not going to be a part of his future, but his God given talent for football was!

Right now though, he’s about to face trial alongside his teammate Robbie, on a charge of sexual assault, and we follow the trial and Evan’s life up to that point, as he reflects on events that led him to where he is now.

This is a powerful, sad, harrowing and emotional journey, with a headline that could have been ripped straight from the news headlines. Each character plays their role to perfection, flaws and all, which of course John Boyne excels at.

John Boyne has a way of writing that captures you in no matter what he writes.
I wasn't aware this book was part of a series, very short story but captivating nonetheless.

Sadly, a not unfamiliar scenario: two high-profile footballers are in court, one charged with rape and the other for being an accessory. As the trial proceeds, our protagonist Evan Keogh reflects on what has brought him to this present crisis. Raised on a small island off the coast of Ireland, he wanted to be an artist, but when this didn’t work out he became a footballer, even though, in spite of his immense talent, he doesn’t actually like the game. The book has a lot going for it, not least in the court scenes, where the young woman is grilled mercilessly, again something we have become familiar with. Victim shaming at its worst. Whatever the verdict, Evan will be forced to reassess his life and actions, and this is well handled. However, there were flaws in the plot that prevent me joining in with the universal praise for the novel. One glaring one is the way Evan embarks on his career. This stretched my credulity to breaking point. A useful device to get him into professional football, but so unlikely. His co-accused Robbie is so unpleasant that he becomes a caricature, as does his father, whose snobbery and sense of entitlement is one cliché too far, especially when we realise what part he has already played in Evan’s past. The young woman aroused my sympathy, and it is she who is probably the character I most related to. So only partially successful as a novel for me, and although I enjoyed reading it, and it raises some important issues, it didn’t really work for me overall.

The second of John Boyne's elemental series, Earth focuses on Evan, a talented young footballer who would prefer to paint, but who is caught up in a web of lies and dishonesty when facing trial as accessory to rape for a fellow team mate.

An absorbing and touching read, Evan is caught in a hard place and can confront the truth finally after much damage is already done. Lots of issues about family, influences and pressures, Evan is forced to grow up and confront his own mixed past and his own actions, whihc makes for a difficult but worthwhile read.

Earth is a second book in John Boyne's Elements series, and it's definitely as good as his first series, Water.

Evan and Robbie, both of them are football player, and now are facing a trial for rape and accessory to rape. Evan starts his life as football player at the age of nineteen, as a complete unknown who managed to pushed himself for a trial to show that he has a talent.
Evan has his dark life before his football life, when he threw himself to be a sex worker to survive after flee from his father overbearing presence and humiliation from his so-called best friend.

Another page turner from this author which I read in one sitting which brought up strong topic re acceptance, rejection, misogyny, homophobia, and past trauma. That ending is so powerful and I just couldn't wait what Boyne will give us in part three of the series.
**This book can be read as stand alone.

Earth is the second in Boyne’s interlinked quartet of ‘The Elements’, and like the first book, Water, it’s under 200 pages long. But what it lacks in size, Earth makes up for in forthright pacing and intensity, deftly packing a powerful punch.

In Earth, we focus on Evan Keogh, a rather troubled young man who is very talented at football but would prefer to be an artist.

Of course, we‘re after meeting him and several other characters from “the island” off the West Coast of Ireland, before in Water, but Earth is Evan’s story.

In Earth, we find Evan in London after fleeing an abusive father, but as a young, vulnerable teen, things start taking a very dark turn. Eventually, he embraces the life he never wanted as a Championship footballer. Now, he finds himself embroiled in a scandal and facing criminal proceedings.

Evan and fellow star football player Robbie are in the dock, charged with sexual assault, with a series of vile text messages pointing towards their guilt. Whilst this is Evan’s story, Boyne handles the alleged victim’s case well, covering abuse of power, toxic masculinity and the terrible way victims of sexual abuse are often treated in a court of law.

As the case unfolds, Evan reflects on his past actions, motivations and what happened on the fateful night.

It’s a challenging read - there’s no glossing over his trials and tribulations here. Despite the allegations against him, it is hard not to feel sympathy for Evan: he desperately wants to be loved and accepted but is manipulated and abused to the point of losing his self-worth.

“I became a different boy than the one I was supposed to be. I wanted to be a painter. I wanted to be good. I wanted to love someone, and to be loved in return. But none of these ambitions came to be.”.

Woven through the story is the symbolism of earth - its physical presence on the football pitch, the smothering sensation Evan experiences, the loamy smell of fear, the staining of conscience, and a pervading sense of grubbiness. 4⭐

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy via NetGalley; as always, this is an honest review.

Earth is the second one in John Boyne's Elemental series, the first being Water.

In this instalment we catch up with Evan Keogh, who we first met in Water, a teenager from a small island off Ireland who wanted to be a painter. But in trying to escape the island he feels stuck on, and his overbearing father, he realises that his natural talent for football is what he needs to do to survive. Especially after his attempts to become an artist prove unfruitful and at times dangerous. We now find him playing top-level football in London, but is also at the centre of a sexual assault investigation along with one of his team mates. But is his fame enough for his story to be believed?

This was another difficult read, content-wise, but so well-written. Covering the court case and showing Evans life up to this point, it gives a reasonable hefty story for such a short book.

Looking forward to the next one!

With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This novella is the second in a planned quartet. The first, Water, was the story of a woman coming to terms with the life choices she has made, grappling with guilt and complicity. This second broadly follows the same theme, this time from the point of view of Evan Keogh, a secondary character we met as a teenager in Water.

Evan has made his escape from the small island he grew up on, and from the bullying father he was never good enough for. Not quite talented enough to become an artist, he has chosen to use the talent he does have to make serious money playing football. At the start of the novel he is 22 years old and is one of two star footballers about to stand trial for respectively committing (his team mate) and colluding in (Evan) the rape of a young woman. As the story of the recent years of his life unfolds, in tandem with the trial, we learn more about what happened on the fateful night, Evan's part in it, and the choices he will make as he comes to terms with his guilt, complicity and complex motivations.

Compared to Water, I felt that perhaps Earth didn't quite have the same emotional depth or clout, but it is still a masterclass in concision. Where Water deconstructed the processes of grief, guilt and loss in an older woman, Earth is a snapshot of a moment in a young man's growth to personal responsibility. Highly recommended.

Earth is the second instalment in the Elements Quartet from John Boyne and follows on after the events covered in Water but could be read as a standalone. Once again Boyne tackles a hard topic and this time it's sexual assault with two young footballers on trial for allegedly raping a young woman and filming the attack at a house party.

The main character in Earth, Evan Keogh is the young man who leaves the island at the end of Water. We now meet him as a successful football player on trial and as the court case unfolds he reflects on his life and the decisions he has made that have lead him to this place.

Evan, escaped from the island to pursue his dream of becoming an artist but it quickly becomes evident that he doesn’t have the skill it takes. In London, as a young vulnerable teen things start taking a very dark turn so he finally decides to give football a go where he and Robbie become friends and eventually both end up on trial for the rape of a young woman.

Earth is symbolic and weaved cleverly into the story -it’s the island he escapes from, it’s the turf on the football pitch and it’s where he hides his darkest secrets. I had sympathy for Evan, all he wants is to be loved and accepted but he gets manipulated and abused to the point he loses his self of worth and moral compass.

Boyne explores an impressive number of themes in such a short piece of fiction – abuse of power, male toxicity and the terrible way victims of sexual abuse are treated in a court of law. When reading it, you can’t but imagine Boyne got his inspiration from an infamous trial in the Belfast rugby world.

I read this in one sitting as it’s a short, propulsive story which covers a lot of ground with a fantastic twist at the end!

Huge thanks to @netgalley and @transworld for this ARC in return for an honest review.

A football star on trial. Evan Keogh is Irish, gay and a successful football player. He lives in a smart London apartment. He and his team-mate Evan have been accused of a serious crime. While the trial runs its course, we hear his life story and how he came to become involved in this crime. A strong story with a redemptive ending.

I really loved "Water" and this is a worthy second element. An unflinching story about a young man's life taking him in unexpected and unwanted directions, it is certainly a tough read. However, such is the skill and beauty of the author's writing that it kept me gripped and I can't wait for the next in the series.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

This is the second part of Irish author John Boyne’s “The Elements” Quartet. The first part “Water” made it into my Top 10 Books of 2023 and had me tearing up the rule book as it certainly shifted my feelings about short novels/novellas as it was a near-perfect example of the form, contained very nicely within its 176 pages. It’s done well commercially for the author in hardback which is a testament to his commercial power as faced with a table of new hardback books in a shop I’d be tempted to go with something thicker to get more for my money, but wherever I see it displayed it shines out at me and is obviously being chosen by many readers.
But could he do it again? There’s a bit of a niggling inside me to consider it a 5* book before even starting it as I’ve awarded this author the top rating 6 times from the 9 books of his I’ve read. He’s already at the top of my 5* rating league but even as I’m writing this I’m not 100% positive of which way I’m going to go.
We’ve met main character Evan Keogh before. In “Water” he is the teenage boy on the unspecified island off the West Coast of Ireland who is very talented at football but would prefer to be an artist. Here we find him in London, a Champions League footballer embroiled in a scandal and facing criminal proceedings. His entry into professional football is unusual and he doesn’t fit into that world. We switch, in this first-person narrative, between his present and past. A major theme of the novel is consent, a topic which has already seen me giving 5* to Ela Lee’s “Jaded” (2024) this year and a book I can never get out of my mind is Kia Abdullah’s legal thriller “Truth Be Told” (2020) yet here John Boyne certainly offers fresh perspectives.
I couldn’t put this down, which you might thing is not saying a great deal as it is only 176 pages (the same length as “Water”) but, on reflection, I don’t think it is as perfectly formed as its predecessor, which felt so complete. Here, I found myself yearning for another 200 or so pages so that scenes which felt a little skimmed over could really breathe and that would have made this something really extraordinary. I have to balance that feeling with the fact that the author has certainly left me wanting more- which shifts him back up into my five star criteria.
My only niggle concerns something I mentioned in my review of “Water” where I felt that the crafting of it “belies one of my issues with novellas in that despite their brevity they can feel drawn out”. Here, there’s a character who comes back into Evan’s life in a scene which didn’t blend in so well and felt like a hint of padding within its limited pages. Maybe this character had a significance I didn’t pick up on or may reappear in one of the later works.
And what of the element itself? Earth is perhaps harder to pin down than water which was everywhere in the island setting of its novel but here it is used very well as the pull of Ireland, the home soil, its physical presence on the football pitch, the smothering sensation Evan experiences at times, as in being buried alive and in its grubbiness which dominates the whole piece, as it is a slightly queasy read throughout.
It may not be as well crafted as “Water” but, boy, is it compelling and offers a high-quality reading experience. Is it up there with the very best of John Boyne’s five star works? No, but “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” is one of my favourite novels ever so it’s probably not going to be, but it does compare with the other novels I’ve awarded 5* to this year and the answer become suddenly clear to me.
Half-way through The Element Quartet and I don’t know whether the intention is to publish the four in one volume at some point. If it is, what a work this would potentially be! But, however tempting a prospect this would be I wouldn’t suggest holding out. If I was John Boyne I’d be tempted to write a really long last instalment to stop that happening! You do need to read these now. The third volume “Fire” will be out towards the end of the year.
Earth is published by Doubleday on 18th April. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Earth
Evan Keogh is a famous footballer with a life that many would envy. He tried to escape his father’s ambitions for him by running away from the small island off the Irish mainland where he grew up to follow his true love – painting. But after realising that ‘he’s good but not an artist’ he fell into dangerous company before taking up the skill he didn’t want. He owns the trappings of a successful player; top of the range Audi, expensive apartment which his football club uses as a backdrop for interviews and publicity and his life is all laid out for him. He’s worth £5 million and his teammate and friend Robbie is worth £10 million. But Evan is gay and wants Robbie who doesn’t want him in that way.
Evan is always reminded of the earth, the island and the farm that he will one day inherit. But he ran away after an incident with a local lad who betrayed him. And it’s the earth that hides his secret about what happened on one night in Robbie’s apartment.
They are both about to go on trial in a rape case involving a young woman. Robbie is the main defendant and Evan is an accessory as he filmed it. Robbie would like Evan to take the blame but the evidence, the film on the phone, has gone missing. Already people are taking sides as it’s so high profile. Some old friends of Evan’s have turned their backs on him and his past as a rent boy in London has already caught up with him as he recognises an ex-customer.
The trail gets underway with the victim being publicly vilified at every turn but which way will the verdict go? In its aftermath, Evan makes a decision that may destroy everything.
This is the second book in the Elements quartet and is told in the first person. I enjoyed the first one ‘Water’ even though it was by no means an easy read. It was a novella as was ‘Earth’ and they both felt the right length. I thought that Evan was living someone else’s life and that it was beginning to fit like a straitjacket. He’s achieved his bullying, violent father’s dreams but he knows that he will never become the artist he desperately wants to be. He’s also gay in a sport that isn’t known for diversity. The club arranges ‘girlfriends’ to pose with him so that he projects the right image.
It’s not an easy read by any means and the people portrayed are not very likeable although I did feel sympathy for Evan. The book is largely concerned with the court case and how social media and misogynistic culture put people on trial without knowing the facts. Evan’s memories of the earth of the past when life was simpler are also a large part of the book and it’s the earth that will give back his secrets.
At the end I was left wondering about Evan’s motives which was intriguing. I won’t say too much more due to spoilers but it was a real cliffhanger.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

This is book two of the "Elements" tetralogy, Water being the first. Don't worry if you haven't already read that book as it is more a quartet of linked books rather than a series to be read in order. Each story being inspired by one of the four main elements. Although, if you haven't already read it, I would recommend you do!
In this book, we follow a couple of well-known footballers who are just about to stand trial for the assault of a young woman. One doing the deed, the other videoing it. The main focus is on the latter, Evan Keogh, and, as the story continues in the present, we also travel back in time, to his past, to the events which led him to where he stands today; in the dock.
I'm not going to expand on this further but I will say that the book is quite dark in places. Evan's young life is not a bed of roses, and circumstances lead to him make harsh decisions along the way to get to where he wants to be. Sacrificing a lot to get there. It's a bit harrowing at times.
And the trial is a bit of an eye-opener. But is also as you would expect from a he-said/she-said scenario. Made worse by the fact that there are two "hes" and they are famous and richer than the lone "she".
But it is more than just the verdict that the jury delivers. As we go on, as we learn more about Evan, we see him also learning more about himself. To the end that he actually starts to pass judgement on himself...
This is a novella, sub 200 pages. But it's a complete story. I've always believed that a book should be exactly the length to tell the story contained therein. No more, no less. No waffle or padding, no skimming over. And this book epitomises this. With a well planned and executed story, played out by wonderful authentic characters, the author weaves his already proven skills to provide a book that sucked me in right from the start, held me captive throughout, spitting me out at the end knackered but also wholly satisfied.
It also left me with food for thought...
And a real hankering for the next in the series. Hopefully soon. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Novella that’s as powerful as its tangentially-connected predecessor. Power, corruption and fame cocktail.

Evan shows us very quickly what his story is about: “the flash of the cameras and the shouting of reporters overwhelming me, like I’m arriving for a film premiere and not a rape trial.”

Wow, quite the opening pages. Connected tangentially to Water, it’s also a stand-alone (and I’m already looking forward to Fire) about an island boy who’s escaped his abusive father and trapped mother, wanting a dream for himself but finding he’s trapped in a life and lifestyle he never wanted.

But to get there he also passed through fire himself. And now he’s there, his own honour and morals are in question: did he and another star football player rape/record a girl? Does his own past excuse/explain his present? And is he guilty?

Readers will form their own opinions of Evan and his actions, and won’t fail to be moved by his story. There are surprises and revelations along the way that help us understand Evan and how his present state of affairs came to be. We get to be participants and jurors at his trial, hearing key information and knowing more than they do.

It’s a tragic story really, of innocence and dreams lost, of harsh reality and the corruption of fame.

Very well spun, and at times very graphic. Love Boyne anyway but these novellas are really showing his abilities in a range of narratives and voices.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Reading a John Boyne book is an absolute pleasure. He writes so beautifully you become immediately immersed. While the concepts of abuse, neglect, love, relationships, rape are all covered in Earth and make for heart wrenching reading,they are nevertheless engaging for the reader.I just wanted to hug Evan so many times throughout this story.

🌱 REVIEW 🌱

Earth by John Boyne
Publishing Date: 18th April

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

📝 - It’s the tabloid sensation of the year: two well-known footballers standing in the dock, charged with s*xual ass*ult, a series of vile text messages pointing towards their guilt. As the trial unfolds, Evan Keogh reflects on the events that have led him to this moment. Since leaving his island home, his life has been a lie on many levels. He’s a talented footballer who wanted to be an artist. A gay man in a sport that rejects diversity. A defendant whose knowledge of what took place on that fateful night threatens more than just his freedom or career.

💭 - This book has one of my least favourite main characters that I can remember. I’m all for a flawed protagonist, don’t get me wrong, but my god this guy was so self-absorbed and naive (he is young but come onnnn) even while standing trial. I cannot argue that John Boyne is not a good writer especially as The Heart’s Invisible Furies is one of my favourites of all time, but this one didn’t blow me away. I found some of the storyline quite strange and unnecessary in its portrayal of a gay man (bear in mind Boyne has been staunchly against sensitivity checks) and the ending slightly rushed. Overall a good, but not great read.
Before reading this please check content warnings as there are some graphic scenes / distressing themes throughout.

#literaryfiction #johnboyne #books #newrelease #bookreview

This second book in the Elements quartet, takes up Evan Keogh’s story, who we saw leave the island in the first book, Water. Searching for escape and for the life he wants for himself, Evan finds himself once again plunged to the depths of despair and turns to the only sure way he believes he possesses of finding his way through the labyrinth of life to his ultimate dream, football. In a world of homophobia, scandals, sex and lies, can Evan find his way through to becoming that person he left the island to become? John Boyne’s writing is truly remarkable: every single word is so meaningful and powerful; he shies away from nothing, tackling highly emotive topics head on; and takes you on a journey through this compact, meaty novella that leaves you feeling like you’ve been on quite the emotional rollercoaster. I can’t wait for the next book, Fire.
Huge thanks to the publisher, Random House UK, Transworld and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for a review.