‘Max Porter is one of my favourite writers in the world.’ George Saunders
‘Beautiful and haunting.’ Kevin Barry
‘The strangest, most beguiling and affecting of all his books.’ Ian Rankin
‘A miracle of language.’ Irish Times

This is the story of a few strange hours in the life of a teenage boy.

He is wandering into the night listening to the voices in his head: his teachers, his parents, the people he has hurt and the people who are trying to love him.

He is feeling a little sorry for himself.

Shy is a novel about imagination, guilt and boyhood. It is about being lost in the dark, and realising you are not alone.

‘Contemporary fiction’s bard of ugly beauty and exultant despair.’ New Yorker
‘An act of humanity and grace, heightened by its distinctive form and artistry.’ Telegraph