Winner of the ALAN Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal I've always loved when the light finds the broken spots in the world and makes them beautiful . . . Cash's life in his small Tennessee town is hard. He lost his mom to an opioid addiction and his grandfather's illness is getting worse. His smart but troubled best friend, Delaney, is his only salvation. But Delaney is meant for greater things, and she finds a way for Cash to leave with her. Will abandoning his old life be the thing that finally breaks Cash, or will it be the making of him? From the award-winning author of The Serpent King comes a beautiful story of grief, found family, and young love.

About the Author
Jeff Zentner was a singer-songwriter and guitarist who released five albums and appeared on recordings with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, and Debbie Harry. He is now an appellate attorney for the State of Tennessee and lives in Nashville with his wife and son. He wrote his debut novel The Serpent King in a month, writing on his mobile phone on his commute and at night, weekends and lunchtimes between court cases.

Reviews
"Zenter's writing always smashes our hearts into a thousand pieces but in the most eloquent and beautiful way" * Buzzfeed *
"A brilliant treasure of a book that holds up a mirror to the best parts of our humanity" -- starred review * Kirkus *
"Notable is the warmth, physical affection, and gentleness between Cash and those he loves, while well-crafted poems throughout, written by Cash as he finds his voice, are evocative and moving, highlighting Zentner's impressive skill with both poetry and prose" -- Best Books of 2021 * Publishers Weekly *
"Lyrical and heartbreaking ... A wise, gorgeous exploration of loss and survival that will make readers cry" -- starred review * School Library Journal *
"This book is a deeply felt exploration into how friendships are sustained and fought for. In a way, it vitally redefines friendship as a privilege beyond convenient pleasure and excitement, but something more potent and true: that it must be protected, sacrificed for, and tended to with wisdom, patience, and love - and, to our luck, rendered in Zentner's ever dependable, gem-like sentences" -- Ocean Vuong


Awards
Winner of ALAN Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award (UK). Short-listed for Renaissance Learning Quiz Writers' Choice Award (UK). Long-listed for CILIP Carnegie Medal 2022 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781839130847
Author Jeff Zentner
Format Paperback
Page Count 432
Imprint Andersen Press Ltd
Publisher Andersen Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 342g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 26mm