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Skin
Skin is inventive, compelling and deeply moving – a story of loss and recovery, of wild swimming and identity from a rising star of British fiction.
London, 1985. Joe, father to 11-year-old Matty, has disappeared and nobody will explain where he's gone, or why.
In the long, hot summer that follows, Matty's hunt for Joe leads to the ponds at Hampstead Heath. Beneath the water, there is a new kind of freedom. Above the water, a welcoming community of men offer refuge from an increasingly rocky home life.
Fourteen years later, a new revelation sees Matty set off alone in a campervan, driving westwards through Ireland, swimming its wild loughs and following the scant clues left behind about Joe. The trip takes a dangerous turn, and Matty is forced to rely on the kindness of strangers. But safety comes at a price, and with desire and fear running high, the journey turns into an explosive, heart-rending reckoning with the past.
'Emotive ... A sweeping coming-of-age narrative whose on-point themes of gender and sexuality are embedded in evocative descriptions of London during the 1980s, and of boomtime Ireland a decade later.'
Mail Online
'A writer of frankly alarming talent.'
Robert MacFarlane, author of Mountains of the Mind
'This evocative and sensitive tale is grounded by the authentic complexity of its characters ... Inspired.'
Daily Mail
'I felt a real sense of loss when I read the last page. I didn't want this book to end. Andrew's writing is tender, beautiful, perfectly weighted. A writer we are immensely lucky to have.'
Daisy Johnson
London, 1985. Joe, father to 11-year-old Matty, has disappeared and nobody will explain where he's gone, or why.
In the long, hot summer that follows, Matty's hunt for Joe leads to the ponds at Hampstead Heath. Beneath the water, there is a new kind of freedom. Above the water, a welcoming community of men offer refuge from an increasingly rocky home life.
Fourteen years later, a new revelation sees Matty set off alone in a campervan, driving westwards through Ireland, swimming its wild loughs and following the scant clues left behind about Joe. The trip takes a dangerous turn, and Matty is forced to rely on the kindness of strangers. But safety comes at a price, and with desire and fear running high, the journey turns into an explosive, heart-rending reckoning with the past.
'Emotive ... A sweeping coming-of-age narrative whose on-point themes of gender and sexuality are embedded in evocative descriptions of London during the 1980s, and of boomtime Ireland a decade later.'
Mail Online
'A writer of frankly alarming talent.'
Robert MacFarlane, author of Mountains of the Mind
'This evocative and sensitive tale is grounded by the authentic complexity of its characters ... Inspired.'
Daily Mail
'I felt a real sense of loss when I read the last page. I didn't want this book to end. Andrew's writing is tender, beautiful, perfectly weighted. A writer we are immensely lucky to have.'
Daisy Johnson
Audio CD
First published February 11, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 25, 2021
Originally started reading Skin because it starts out on Hampstead Heath and I long for London but what a novel... Don't at a single point think you know what's coming next because you don't (and also: that's not the way life works). A father disappears and Matty goes looking. Water is the novel's red thread (ponds and loughs and lakes), but so is the excruciating search for a sense of self, a way of being in a world that thinks in categories, that badly wants to fix things, and especially people, into place. The characters are real. The dialogues are. Andrew's staccato sentences are beautiful, and will stay with you. As Andrew puts it, at some point: "The words hung there. They felt like something that will bruise internally, over days."
July 11, 2021
When Joe Ronan sets off to work one morning in 1985, it seems just like any other day. But Joe fails to return to his London home in the evening. It seems as if he has disappeared in thin air, leaving his wife Rosa and eleven-year old Matty none the wiser. Matty believes that Joe is dead, an impression which Rosa actively encourages. Joe has last been seen at the Highgate’s Men’s Pond, and Matty starts to spend whole days there, hoping to discover a solution to the mystery of Joe’s disappearance, a solution which seems increasingly out of reach. Among the diverse community of the Pond, Matty gains new perspectives on life, and develops a taste for wild swimming, the last link to a missing dad. Fourteen years later, Matty, still living an untethered life, goes on a trip to Ireland, where Joe originally came from. What seems like a hare-brained scheme, will turn into a journey of discovery for Matty.
Kerry Andrew is a multi-talented artist. I first came across her work as a composer and vocalist in both classical and alt-folk spheres, and was then bowled over by her debut novel Swansong, a contemporary reworking of a Celtic ballad. Since then, she has been won her fourth British Composer Award and been shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award.
I was very excited to read her new novel “Skin” but, having just completed it, I must admit that I am in two minds about it. I will try to explain my reaction, even though admittedly it is a frustrating novel to review. “Skin” has a twist at the end of its first part and it would be unfair to reveal it, even though not revealing it makes it difficult to discuss the novel as whole. Suffice it to say that Andrew’s sleight of hand is particularly effective because rather than just propel the plot (as twists are wont to do), this development is central to Matty’s character and, by implication, strikes at the heart of the novel itself.
Indeed, the initial chapters of Skin are intriguing and enigmatic, and possibly the best part of the novel. When the action turns to 1999 and Matty’s Irish visit, the novel tends to become too diffuse, even though there are moments of great beauty, as in the descriptions of Matty’s swims in freezing loughs (wild swimming is an activity Kerry Andrew knows well, and served as inspiration for her chamber-opera Dart’s Love.)
Skin has the makings of an interesting and different Bildungsroman, in which Matty finally makes sense of past events and starts to live anew. However, the novel becomes embroiled in subplots which seem to have walked (swum?) in from a different book, including half-hearted stabs at romance and even elements of crime fiction. The final chapters move dangerously close to schmalz. I have my sentimental side and did not mind that at all. But that didn’t make the ending any less improbable.
In the concluding Author’s Note Kerry Andrew teases out folkloric elements in her novel, particularly the references to water myths (which inspired her folk album Keld). Certain passages in “Skin” do have echoes of magical realism, but I felt that the mythical element is much less present here than in Andrew’s debut novel.
All in all, “Skin” is worth reading, especially for its portrayal of Matty. But I must confess my reaction was less enthusiastic than for Swansong.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
Kerry Andrew is a multi-talented artist. I first came across her work as a composer and vocalist in both classical and alt-folk spheres, and was then bowled over by her debut novel Swansong, a contemporary reworking of a Celtic ballad. Since then, she has been won her fourth British Composer Award and been shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award.
I was very excited to read her new novel “Skin” but, having just completed it, I must admit that I am in two minds about it. I will try to explain my reaction, even though admittedly it is a frustrating novel to review. “Skin” has a twist at the end of its first part and it would be unfair to reveal it, even though not revealing it makes it difficult to discuss the novel as whole. Suffice it to say that Andrew’s sleight of hand is particularly effective because rather than just propel the plot (as twists are wont to do), this development is central to Matty’s character and, by implication, strikes at the heart of the novel itself.
Indeed, the initial chapters of Skin are intriguing and enigmatic, and possibly the best part of the novel. When the action turns to 1999 and Matty’s Irish visit, the novel tends to become too diffuse, even though there are moments of great beauty, as in the descriptions of Matty’s swims in freezing loughs (wild swimming is an activity Kerry Andrew knows well, and served as inspiration for her chamber-opera Dart’s Love.)
Skin has the makings of an interesting and different Bildungsroman, in which Matty finally makes sense of past events and starts to live anew. However, the novel becomes embroiled in subplots which seem to have walked (swum?) in from a different book, including half-hearted stabs at romance and even elements of crime fiction. The final chapters move dangerously close to schmalz. I have my sentimental side and did not mind that at all. But that didn’t make the ending any less improbable.
In the concluding Author’s Note Kerry Andrew teases out folkloric elements in her novel, particularly the references to water myths (which inspired her folk album Keld). Certain passages in “Skin” do have echoes of magical realism, but I felt that the mythical element is much less present here than in Andrew’s debut novel.
All in all, “Skin” is worth reading, especially for its portrayal of Matty. But I must confess my reaction was less enthusiastic than for Swansong.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
September 6, 2022
A great work if fiction about dysfunctional family where the father goes missing and mother erases him from existence so the child thinks he's dead. A battle with history, perception, upbringing and gender whilst travelling Ireland, and finding love for wild swimming to reconnect to one's roots.
January 2, 2021
I really didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did, which makes it my favourite kind of novel. There were some reveals I guessed, others I didn’t, and a really brilliantly written protagonist in Matty. I don’t want to give anything away but I think the exploration of identity and loss is a far subtler and better crafted take than the majority of novels about ‘identity’.
The pacing is a little off by the end which I think others might not enjoy but I loooooved because I’m a sucker for resolution even if it is not a happy one.
And finally, genuine kudos to the writer for making wild swimming interesting and intriguing again after three million think pieces from media outlets in recent years.
The pacing is a little off by the end which I think others might not enjoy but I loooooved because I’m a sucker for resolution even if it is not a happy one.
And finally, genuine kudos to the writer for making wild swimming interesting and intriguing again after three million think pieces from media outlets in recent years.
February 19, 2021
There’s a lot I liked in this novel: the identity theme, the wild swimming, the travelling by camper van, the twist at the end of the first part. I found the second part, situated in Ireland, too diffuse and somewhat unbelievable though. 3,5 stars rounded down.
Thank you Jonathan Cape and Netgalley for the ARC.
Thank you Jonathan Cape and Netgalley for the ARC.
January 9, 2024
Well, another review disappeared probably due to my misbehaving iMac.
Oh well.
Joe and Rosa are Matty's parents. Joe disappears and Rosa tells Matty that he is dead. Matty spends the next 14 years looking for him.
This outline is the basis for a beautiful, heartbreaking novel about family, love, and loss. It is about our identity, how we see ourselves and how others see us. It is about gender. It is about homophobia. It is about forgiveness.
The writing is lovely, the descriptions of the Irish countryside, of swimming are stunning.
I wanted to comfort all of the characters, good and bad. Perhaps there were some pacing issues, at least for me, but nevertheless, a wonderful novel.
4.25
Oh well.
Joe and Rosa are Matty's parents. Joe disappears and Rosa tells Matty that he is dead. Matty spends the next 14 years looking for him.
This outline is the basis for a beautiful, heartbreaking novel about family, love, and loss. It is about our identity, how we see ourselves and how others see us. It is about gender. It is about homophobia. It is about forgiveness.
The writing is lovely, the descriptions of the Irish countryside, of swimming are stunning.
I wanted to comfort all of the characters, good and bad. Perhaps there were some pacing issues, at least for me, but nevertheless, a wonderful novel.
4.25
November 21, 2020
Skin is a multi-layered novel about a hunt for a lost father, set in the ponds at Hampstead Heath and in Irish loughs. In London in 1985, Matty's father Joe disappears, and nobody will explain what happened. Over the summer, Matty searches for Joe at the Men's Pond, where Joe may have been last seen, and discovers the freedom of the water. Fourteen years later, Matty travels around Ireland in a campervan, wild swimming in loughs and trying to follow up a lead that might unravel the secrets of the past.
I didn't really know what to expect from Skin, but picked it up as I'd read Andrew's previous novel, Swansong, and I found myself enjoying this one more. Matty is a compelling character (with a few too relatable elements that were well-written, but going into would be giving away too much about the book's twists, which at least some readers won't expect) with a believable lack of direction and compulsion to find out what happened to Joe. The motif around wild swimming, identity, and body was nicely done, and as someone who has never had an urgent to swim outdoors before, it did make me almost want to give it a go (despite the endless drowning imagery). The narrative has some twists and turns, with elements of other genres coming in at times, and it was woven together well to make a complex story. I was glad the ending wasn't as bleak as it could've been, perhaps due to connecting with Matty as a character, and I felt the novel balances the literary, folklore elements with the character-driven narrative well.
Skin turned out to be a book I didn't know I needed but I did, one which combines loss, journeys, gender, sexuality, and water in inventive ways. I'm not usually a fan of books where a character goes off into the Irish wilderness to look for something, but in this case I'll make an exception, and I found the scenes at the Hampstead Heath ponds really evocative. Matty is likely to stay with me for a while.
I didn't really know what to expect from Skin, but picked it up as I'd read Andrew's previous novel, Swansong, and I found myself enjoying this one more. Matty is a compelling character (with a few too relatable elements that were well-written, but going into would be giving away too much about the book's twists, which at least some readers won't expect) with a believable lack of direction and compulsion to find out what happened to Joe. The motif around wild swimming, identity, and body was nicely done, and as someone who has never had an urgent to swim outdoors before, it did make me almost want to give it a go (despite the endless drowning imagery). The narrative has some twists and turns, with elements of other genres coming in at times, and it was woven together well to make a complex story. I was glad the ending wasn't as bleak as it could've been, perhaps due to connecting with Matty as a character, and I felt the novel balances the literary, folklore elements with the character-driven narrative well.
Skin turned out to be a book I didn't know I needed but I did, one which combines loss, journeys, gender, sexuality, and water in inventive ways. I'm not usually a fan of books where a character goes off into the Irish wilderness to look for something, but in this case I'll make an exception, and I found the scenes at the Hampstead Heath ponds really evocative. Matty is likely to stay with me for a while.
November 27, 2023
4.5 💫
I was really pleasantly surprised by the gender diverse representation in this book, it struck such a personal chord with me. The reveals and twists make this a novel I'd like to have on my bookshelf for a future reread.
The tone meandered a little, I wasn't sure if it was heading into magic realism and found the ending a little too, neat or clean?, after the passages of gritty realness, but I also won't fault it for that as I liked the bittersweet ending.
There were a few strange faux pas especially in the first third, however overall this was an immensely engrossing and enjoyable read.
I was really pleasantly surprised by the gender diverse representation in this book, it struck such a personal chord with me. The reveals and twists make this a novel I'd like to have on my bookshelf for a future reread.
The tone meandered a little, I wasn't sure if it was heading into magic realism and found the ending a little too, neat or clean?, after the passages of gritty realness, but I also won't fault it for that as I liked the bittersweet ending.
There were a few strange faux pas especially in the first third, however overall this was an immensely engrossing and enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2023
Matty's dad goes missing, so he starts looking for him; firstly in the Hampstead Heath ponds which he frequented, then, later on, throughout Ireland in a campervan. Lush descriptions of water and swimming which made me wanna sploosh in a big Lough! Clever blurring of 'gender' too. Just found the second half of the plot a bit random.
February 23, 2021
I had eagerly awaited the publication of this book, having thoroughly enjoyed Kerry Andrew’s previous novel, Swansong. At first, I thought my high expectations had been more than satisfied. The first part of the book follows the experiences of Matty, who, as the story opens, has just finished his last day at primary school in London’s Golders Green in the summer of 1985. Ms Andrew captures the feel of London at that time marvellously – by the time the story starts, I had lived in Muswell Hill (just a couple of miles from Golders Green) for about ten months, and I recognised her depiction with great nostalgia.
His last day of primary school also turns out to be the last day that Matty saw his father. When Matty returns home, there is no sign of Joe. At first Matty imagines all sorts of reasons to explain his father’s absence, but it gradually become clear that he is not going to return. Matty’s mother calls the police, and two officers come to the house and interview Matty, but offer little optimism that the errant parent will reappear. Throughout the rest of the summer, Matty spends much of his time at the Men’s Pool on Hampstead Heath, where he meets some interesting characters, and become obsessed with swimming. The book then moves on fourteen years, and follows an adult Matty who is roaming around Ireland, swimming in every lough he comes across.
Sadly, having loved the first hundred pages or so, I found myself overwhelmed with utter apathy about the rest of the book. Kerry Andrew is marvellous at descriptions – she has an acute observation, and is particularly adept at capturing nature (that was one of the joys of Swansong). Sadly, I found that that skill was not enough to sustain this book, once the story had lost my attention, which it never regained.
His last day of primary school also turns out to be the last day that Matty saw his father. When Matty returns home, there is no sign of Joe. At first Matty imagines all sorts of reasons to explain his father’s absence, but it gradually become clear that he is not going to return. Matty’s mother calls the police, and two officers come to the house and interview Matty, but offer little optimism that the errant parent will reappear. Throughout the rest of the summer, Matty spends much of his time at the Men’s Pool on Hampstead Heath, where he meets some interesting characters, and become obsessed with swimming. The book then moves on fourteen years, and follows an adult Matty who is roaming around Ireland, swimming in every lough he comes across.
Sadly, having loved the first hundred pages or so, I found myself overwhelmed with utter apathy about the rest of the book. Kerry Andrew is marvellous at descriptions – she has an acute observation, and is particularly adept at capturing nature (that was one of the joys of Swansong). Sadly, I found that that skill was not enough to sustain this book, once the story had lost my attention, which it never regained.
May 8, 2021
I dove into Skin knowing very little, and at first, it felt like swimming underwater in a cold lake – much like the Irish loughs which Matty feels strangely attracted to in the book. It's a bracing experience that requires acclimation. It’s murky down there and filled with mysterious shapes that are hard to discern. It's also beautiful and slightly unreal.
Like the shock of icy cold water, the experience of reading Kerry Andrew's second novel is exhilarating. The writer’s confidence is clear, easy to trust, and if you surrender to it, you find you’re already near the middle of the lake and a range of destinations are possible.
At its heart is a fascinating character – Matty as an eleven year-old in 1985 England, Matty as a young adult in 1999 Ireland – on a quest for identity, validation and a disappeared father. Revelations propel the narrative forward and inward, taking wild risks with the reader which ultimately pay off. They are both miraculously obvious and difficult to guess, and the resulting journey is consistently engaging and emotional.
The final act is a little too intent on resolution, with plot taking over from mood and character, and I yearned for a little more ambiguity (though others may get a kick out of the elegant way the mystery unravels). Still, Kerry Andrew is a gifted writer, the destination is less important than the voyage itself, and I was incredibly grateful to have met Matty and have spent a bit of time on their intimate and revealing journey.
Like the shock of icy cold water, the experience of reading Kerry Andrew's second novel is exhilarating. The writer’s confidence is clear, easy to trust, and if you surrender to it, you find you’re already near the middle of the lake and a range of destinations are possible.
At its heart is a fascinating character – Matty as an eleven year-old in 1985 England, Matty as a young adult in 1999 Ireland – on a quest for identity, validation and a disappeared father. Revelations propel the narrative forward and inward, taking wild risks with the reader which ultimately pay off. They are both miraculously obvious and difficult to guess, and the resulting journey is consistently engaging and emotional.
The final act is a little too intent on resolution, with plot taking over from mood and character, and I yearned for a little more ambiguity (though others may get a kick out of the elegant way the mystery unravels). Still, Kerry Andrew is a gifted writer, the destination is less important than the voyage itself, and I was incredibly grateful to have met Matty and have spent a bit of time on their intimate and revealing journey.
Read
August 16, 2023the way Kerry Andrew's can write is honestly mind blowing. everything in this book is so subtle it makes it almost haunting.
it also felt like I was reading 5 different books at once. A family drama, a murder mystery, a coming of age story, a story of a wild swimmer and a love story. some of this worked and blended together... other parts didn't.
the first part was detailed in the writing, a deep look at a child's depression and grief after physical loosing a father and the loss of a caring mother. we begin to see what 'saves' them, the swimming and another boy who I still don't know if he's part ghost (and to be honest I don't want to know).
some elements seemed a tad bit unbelievable while other elements flourished in the writing style. but seeing as I tore through this book in one day I have to say that it held my full attention the entire time.
it had one of the best representations of a non binary character I think I have ever read and the narrator for the audiobook (also none binary) was one of the best narrators I think I have ever heard. it was as if they were the actual character living and breathing. mind blowing and I will be reading Andrew's other novels :)
edit: apparently I've already listened to a CD project that this author was apart of at some point. not sure how that happened
it also felt like I was reading 5 different books at once. A family drama, a murder mystery, a coming of age story, a story of a wild swimmer and a love story. some of this worked and blended together... other parts didn't.
the first part was detailed in the writing, a deep look at a child's depression and grief after physical loosing a father and the loss of a caring mother. we begin to see what 'saves' them, the swimming and another boy who I still don't know if he's part ghost (and to be honest I don't want to know).
some elements seemed a tad bit unbelievable while other elements flourished in the writing style. but seeing as I tore through this book in one day I have to say that it held my full attention the entire time.
it had one of the best representations of a non binary character I think I have ever read and the narrator for the audiobook (also none binary) was one of the best narrators I think I have ever heard. it was as if they were the actual character living and breathing. mind blowing and I will be reading Andrew's other novels :)
edit: apparently I've already listened to a CD project that this author was apart of at some point. not sure how that happened
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2021
Loved this book, an intricate exploration of loss, queer and ethnic identity, parenting and wild swimming. Matty's dad Joe, leaves one day unexpectedly thus starting a quest to find out what happened and where he went. First clue takes Matty to the Men's pond on Hampstead Heath where the gay men are gentle and kind and take care of this lost child searching for their father. There are reveals that I won't spoil, some of which I guessed but all propel the plot along as well as the exploration into all the layers that go into making us human beings. I enjoyed that process of investigating what makes us who we are. I also really loved the connection to Ireland especially when Matty is in the camper van driving from lough to lough searching for Joe whilst swimming in all the blue. There is some wonderful prose about both the beauty of Ireland and the water including the rain. I found this book to be original in the way that it presented and explored the key themes and it was an exciting and at times relatable read.
With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2022
I enjoyed this a lot. Yes, it got a bit lost in the middle, and in the end I wasn't sure the plot all totally hung together if you thought about it too much, but the writing and mood lifted it above that. Matty's loneliness, uncertainty and yearning were so well captured, and I thought the wild swimming elements of the story worked very well, both as metaphors and just good writing about swimming. Several layers of the story unfold gradually, so it's hard to say more without giving too much away.
For those who have read it, my more spoilery thoughts are:
For those who have read it, my more spoilery thoughts are:
July 14, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
I really enjoyed this book and desperately want to check out Andrew again as I believe they’re a potential 5 star author. This was great and I’d totally recommend giving it a read.
Skin is split into two parts (and an epilogue, not really three like the blurb suggests), the first in 1985 where we meet Matty, our mc, just after their (I will use this pronoun throughout) dad Joe has gone missing. They live in Golders Green and Joe was known to frequent the local swimming ponds in Hampstead Heath so Matty visits trying to find answers. It’s here they forge a love for the water and swimming which continues throughout the book - the beauty and freedom but also the danger and power of it. Matty also meets Nicks and they begin a kind of friendship, accompanied by other swimmers and they start to learn more about who/what Joe might’ve been, the world and what the future is set out to have in store as the summer ends and Matty will start secondary school. The relationship with their Italian mother is explored and the way she delves into a breakdown of sorts with lots of tensions at home. I really enjoyed this section for the fact I know many of the places mentioned and the geography so I could see where things were taking place easily in my mind.
The second section is in 1999 with Matty travelling through Ireland looking for new information in their father’s homeland. They go swimming in many lochs documenting them and the love of nature is very much apparent. Soon though a snap decision places them in a dire situation and the way this exploration of ‘wrong place, wrong time’ fallout is done was so great. It’s the quickness and how it all could’ve happened different I found Andrew portrayed amazingly. A little before, the (non direct given I read the audiobook but I think it’s kinda word-for-word) quote from Matty ‘they always want to talk’ made me instantly know something was going to happen. What ensues I won’t mention but it just involves the afterwords of this encounter.
I found the writing to be really nice, not only is it well written but there’s a craft too in the way nature and conservations are told that I loved. The book can be a little confusing at times too but as you go along, things click into place and you’re like ‘ohh I get it now’ which I found very clever. I also really liked how the exploration of Matty’s gender and sexuality are there but it’s in no way the focus. I did feel things could’ve been more cemented for the reader and the way some things fitted into place were a little questionable but on the whole a very decent read.
I really enjoyed this book and desperately want to check out Andrew again as I believe they’re a potential 5 star author. This was great and I’d totally recommend giving it a read.
Skin is split into two parts (and an epilogue, not really three like the blurb suggests), the first in 1985 where we meet Matty, our mc, just after their (I will use this pronoun throughout) dad Joe has gone missing. They live in Golders Green and Joe was known to frequent the local swimming ponds in Hampstead Heath so Matty visits trying to find answers. It’s here they forge a love for the water and swimming which continues throughout the book - the beauty and freedom but also the danger and power of it. Matty also meets Nicks and they begin a kind of friendship, accompanied by other swimmers and they start to learn more about who/what Joe might’ve been, the world and what the future is set out to have in store as the summer ends and Matty will start secondary school. The relationship with their Italian mother is explored and the way she delves into a breakdown of sorts with lots of tensions at home. I really enjoyed this section for the fact I know many of the places mentioned and the geography so I could see where things were taking place easily in my mind.
The second section is in 1999 with Matty travelling through Ireland looking for new information in their father’s homeland. They go swimming in many lochs documenting them and the love of nature is very much apparent. Soon though a snap decision places them in a dire situation and the way this exploration of ‘wrong place, wrong time’ fallout is done was so great. It’s the quickness and how it all could’ve happened different I found Andrew portrayed amazingly. A little before, the (non direct given I read the audiobook but I think it’s kinda word-for-word) quote from Matty ‘they always want to talk’ made me instantly know something was going to happen. What ensues I won’t mention but it just involves the afterwords of this encounter.
I found the writing to be really nice, not only is it well written but there’s a craft too in the way nature and conservations are told that I loved. The book can be a little confusing at times too but as you go along, things click into place and you’re like ‘ohh I get it now’ which I found very clever. I also really liked how the exploration of Matty’s gender and sexuality are there but it’s in no way the focus. I did feel things could’ve been more cemented for the reader and the way some things fitted into place were a little questionable but on the whole a very decent read.
March 14, 2022
I was so so pleased to have had Skin sent to me by the wonderful Vintage books ahead of the paperback publication; so thank you so much!
When Matty’s father, Joe, disappears from London without trace in 1985, Matty spends the summer that follows seeking out answers and trying not to let the trail go cold. DIscovering that the last place Joe was seen was the ponds at Hampstead Heath, Matty goes looking for answers. His mother, Rosa, is content to let him believe that Joe is long dead; however Matty can’t reconcile this. Slipping quietly into the group of regular swimmers at the ponds, Matty gains perspective and understanding of a whole and diverse community that was entirely unbeknownst to him previously. Fourteen years later, still without answers and unable to move on, Matty sets out in search of his father; however the hurdles he encounters en route are enough to almost throw him off course forever.
I thought there was so much of this novel which spoke to my soul; it focuses heavily on identity, the trials of selecting and navigation of the spaces we occupy, and it also revolves around some truly beautiful and enigmatic nature writing; there is particular focus on water and wild swimming - first in the Hampstead ponds, and later in the freezing loughs of Ireland (a theme which I do believe is inspired by the author’s own love of wild and cold water swimming) .
For me, the best and weightiest part of this novel came in the first third of the book. I found Matty to be an intriguing protagonist; carrying an aloofness that remains endearing without edging into disinterest - the undercurrents of isolation and belonging take root early and continue to grow throughout the rest of the book - however, as we move to the later sections and the landscape opens, so does the focus of the novel, and this to me threw it off piste somehow. The plot itself is dynamic (there is a ‘twist’ towards the end of the first section, which I would probably call more of a clever slight of narrative but is very effective - but makes it very hard to write about the book as a whole without giving it away!) and in theory should flow well.. However I honestly found this losing steam around the halfway point and unfortunately never quite regaining it!
I am finding it very hard to pin down or articulate why I wasn’t in love with this book, but I think ultimately it comes down to it having tried to incorporate too many elements which never quite came together coherently enough to feel supported and satisfying. The ending, whilst undoubtedly answering a question which had been hanging in my mind for the previous 85% of the book felt too convenient and suddenly resolved; but then I know that might be a ‘me’ thing!
I have great respect for Andrew as a writer and I want to convey the joy I found in seeing such complex themes explored in such a nuanced and elegant way. I think Skin has a lot of elements that make a truly fantastic novel and there is no doubt that the author’s writing style is stunning - but it just didn’t hit the top spot for me. Whilst I wish I could absolutely rave about it, I still enjoyed, and would definitely still recommend.
When Matty’s father, Joe, disappears from London without trace in 1985, Matty spends the summer that follows seeking out answers and trying not to let the trail go cold. DIscovering that the last place Joe was seen was the ponds at Hampstead Heath, Matty goes looking for answers. His mother, Rosa, is content to let him believe that Joe is long dead; however Matty can’t reconcile this. Slipping quietly into the group of regular swimmers at the ponds, Matty gains perspective and understanding of a whole and diverse community that was entirely unbeknownst to him previously. Fourteen years later, still without answers and unable to move on, Matty sets out in search of his father; however the hurdles he encounters en route are enough to almost throw him off course forever.
I thought there was so much of this novel which spoke to my soul; it focuses heavily on identity, the trials of selecting and navigation of the spaces we occupy, and it also revolves around some truly beautiful and enigmatic nature writing; there is particular focus on water and wild swimming - first in the Hampstead ponds, and later in the freezing loughs of Ireland (a theme which I do believe is inspired by the author’s own love of wild and cold water swimming) .
For me, the best and weightiest part of this novel came in the first third of the book. I found Matty to be an intriguing protagonist; carrying an aloofness that remains endearing without edging into disinterest - the undercurrents of isolation and belonging take root early and continue to grow throughout the rest of the book - however, as we move to the later sections and the landscape opens, so does the focus of the novel, and this to me threw it off piste somehow. The plot itself is dynamic (there is a ‘twist’ towards the end of the first section, which I would probably call more of a clever slight of narrative but is very effective - but makes it very hard to write about the book as a whole without giving it away!) and in theory should flow well.. However I honestly found this losing steam around the halfway point and unfortunately never quite regaining it!
I am finding it very hard to pin down or articulate why I wasn’t in love with this book, but I think ultimately it comes down to it having tried to incorporate too many elements which never quite came together coherently enough to feel supported and satisfying. The ending, whilst undoubtedly answering a question which had been hanging in my mind for the previous 85% of the book felt too convenient and suddenly resolved; but then I know that might be a ‘me’ thing!
I have great respect for Andrew as a writer and I want to convey the joy I found in seeing such complex themes explored in such a nuanced and elegant way. I think Skin has a lot of elements that make a truly fantastic novel and there is no doubt that the author’s writing style is stunning - but it just didn’t hit the top spot for me. Whilst I wish I could absolutely rave about it, I still enjoyed, and would definitely still recommend.
August 13, 2023
Picked this one up as a new addition to my library's audiobook collection. Went in with no expectations and found a moving work.
It's told in three parts. In the first part, we meet Matty as a child. His dad has disappeared. Matty thinks his dad has drowned at the local men's pools; readers are left with enough clues to join the dots and figure out that Matty's dad has done a runner. There's a twist at the end of the first part; a sleight of hand that made me feel guilty I hadn't seen it coming (and the assumptions I'd therefore been making).
The second part is trauma-filled and the final part is about reconciliation and family.
I'm giving three stars because I found it a little hard to invest in Matty (he's not entirely likeable) or the other characters (particularly Sheanna whose dialogue was painful in the audiobook), and I wasn't totally convinced about the pacing (there was a solid 45 minutes or so in the audiobook that felt like a lot of repetitive swimming scenes, and I kept getting confused about if I was accidentally restarting the chapter).
It's told in three parts. In the first part, we meet Matty as a child. His dad has disappeared. Matty thinks his dad has drowned at the local men's pools; readers are left with enough clues to join the dots and figure out that Matty's dad has done a runner. There's a twist at the end of the first part; a sleight of hand that made me feel guilty I hadn't seen it coming (and the assumptions I'd therefore been making).
The second part is trauma-filled and the final part is about reconciliation and family.
I'm giving three stars because I found it a little hard to invest in Matty (he's not entirely likeable) or the other characters (particularly Sheanna whose dialogue was painful in the audiobook), and I wasn't totally convinced about the pacing (there was a solid 45 minutes or so in the audiobook that felt like a lot of repetitive swimming scenes, and I kept getting confused about if I was accidentally restarting the chapter).
October 14, 2023
I absolutely loved the first third of this book. Really great setting (love a story in my own city) with a lot of intrigue and a protagonist to root for. However, as the book progressed too many interconnected plotlines were introduced. There was already mystery enough but then thing after thing kept happening and having them all be connected only made it less believable. It took me out of the story and I even felt a bit bored at times.
As the story climaxed Andrew also started using more short sharp sentences - introducing time jumps and describing scenes through bullet point lists (I listened to the audio book so idk if they were actually bulletpointed. probably not.). I didn't enjoy this technique so much.
I would still definitely recommend this book though, as my gripes are likely not gripes to all... and the writing was pretty poetic. The main theme of 'identity' was also portrayed beautifully and I enjoyed the 'water' thread.
As the story climaxed Andrew also started using more short sharp sentences - introducing time jumps and describing scenes through bullet point lists (I listened to the audio book so idk if they were actually bulletpointed. probably not.). I didn't enjoy this technique so much.
I would still definitely recommend this book though, as my gripes are likely not gripes to all... and the writing was pretty poetic. The main theme of 'identity' was also portrayed beautifully and I enjoyed the 'water' thread.
July 5, 2025
Commingled Fae and Queeredness
This year I read a book by Sasha Coward and listened to him at an open talk at the university of York. His book was called Queer as Folklore (a nod to Russell T Davies' TV series?) and was a researcher's take on how myth and LGBTQ+ people coexisted down through the ages with Queer people finding sanctuary and commonality moreso with the mythical monsters than with the 90% or so of the 'normal' folk.
It feels like Kerry Andrew sat next to me and listened to Sacha speak. This magical work of fiction slithers in and out of the liminal spaces beneath the water. Is Nick a thought in Matty's head and does Sheanna exist? My husband is the open water swimmer, I am the armchair swimmer, enjoying tea and cake and tales of spell binding lochs and hills and ice breaking in the dead of winter. The story moves as smoothly between the myth and a malleable identity as any well executed breast stroke on a chilly lakeland morning.
This year I read a book by Sasha Coward and listened to him at an open talk at the university of York. His book was called Queer as Folklore (a nod to Russell T Davies' TV series?) and was a researcher's take on how myth and LGBTQ+ people coexisted down through the ages with Queer people finding sanctuary and commonality moreso with the mythical monsters than with the 90% or so of the 'normal' folk.
It feels like Kerry Andrew sat next to me and listened to Sacha speak. This magical work of fiction slithers in and out of the liminal spaces beneath the water. Is Nick a thought in Matty's head and does Sheanna exist? My husband is the open water swimmer, I am the armchair swimmer, enjoying tea and cake and tales of spell binding lochs and hills and ice breaking in the dead of winter. The story moves as smoothly between the myth and a malleable identity as any well executed breast stroke on a chilly lakeland morning.
February 20, 2021
I’m a big fan of Kerry Andrew’s writing, music, and general all-round creative genius and having loved Swansong I was really looking forward to this. I am pleased to report that I was not disappointed, this was a proper five-star read. Matty is a complex, nuanced, entirely believable character and I lived with them through the beautiful prose. The folklore woven through the characters felt less obvious than in Swansong but it subtly imbued every strand of the narrative and made this so much more than a(nother?) wild swimming novel. Twisting and turning through themes of identity, existence, inner versus outer-world, it left me wholly satisfied yet believing that Matty lives on beyond the pages of the book. Thanks Kerry, I loved it...
February 20, 2025
A really satisfying read. The first part, set in 1985, introduces us to a young Matty whose father has just disappeared. We spend enough time there to get to know the impact it has so that when we rejoin Matty in 1999 we understand the ongoing search for the missing father. Additional incidents and relationships are introduced which complicate and enrich the story but never eclipse the central threads. There was one plot twist towards the end that felt unbelievable but this didn’t undermine a novel that deals with some really big issues without ever losing warmth and attention to the small things that make up the life of a person.
May 15, 2022
You know when you just grab a book because it looks interesting….? That’s was Skin for me, picked it up knowing so very little. I wasn’t at all disappointed. The story centers on Matty, who’s dad disappears when he was 11. The book describes a sense of longing and searching in so many different ways, and not giving anything away the description of drowning is intense and vivid.
The second half of the book taking place in Ireland years later is as captivating as the first half, yet feels a little convenient and the characters strength diminished in response to the more focus on plot.
The second half of the book taking place in Ireland years later is as captivating as the first half, yet feels a little convenient and the characters strength diminished in response to the more focus on plot.
February 19, 2024
I just don’t know with this one. A tale of a youngster who wakes one day to find their dad has disappeared (left home? Dead?) There is quite a twist at the end of the first part that I’m sure some will say they predicted but I didn’t. I found this engaging in places and patches although the style grated a little after a while. It’s the sort of story I’d usually expect to enjoy but none of the storyline or setting really resonated with me. Instead, I was left with a pleasant read that I don’t think will linger long.
December 25, 2024
Beautifully written. Completely engulfing. I absolutely fell in love with Matty and really felt scared for him. The only reason i didn't give it 5 stars was because it lacked some layers to the story, i didn't really understand why matty didn't ask for medical assistance after the attack and why he didn't report it, it was very obvious that it was self defense especially with all the evidence on his body. I also felt that the moment of matty meeting joe after all this time to be a bit too easy a bit anticlimactic. Didn't stop me from falling in love with it. 3.8 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2023
3.5 stars - I was unsure what to write about this. On the plus side I loved the imagery and the setting of Hampstead Heath ponds which is a place I absolutely love. By the end I was crying quite a lot. But I found the writing style a bit hard to understand, it seemed to jump around in time period and perspective from sentence to sentence. I also didn't find Matty a particularly interesting character, although I related to their love of swimming I found them hard to relate to.
April 25, 2024
4.5 stars. Kerry Andrew tries to fit a LOT into one book - including sorta a genre shift halfway - but I think it works. Trans literature!!!! Mystery! London! Fantasy kinda? Chaotic bisexual behavior! Ireland! Non-traditional families! Familial trauma! This sucked me in dramatically. I love the way Matty is written with skill and intentionality… trying not to spoil a very cool part of this book… very impressive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2025
Got so into this, I felt like I was living in rural Ireland with Matty and Brigid and Conrad and didn't want to leave. Water and fluidity everywhere. Includes perhaps the best fictional representation of a non-binary character I've ever read. Lots of plot twists that sent me reeling. Very close to a 5, just wasn't as convinced by the ending. I think this'll imprint in me though, so may upgrade later.
April 7, 2021
4.5. Content note for homophobic violence and parental death. Beautifully written and heartbreaking story, had some slight pacing issues in the latter half of the book. Even so was really compelling, and Andrew created amazing, flawed and real characters and brought a really rich sense of place. Left me in tears.
February 10, 2022
This was an interesting read!
London, 1985. Joe, the father to eleven-year-old Matty, has disappeared, and nobody will explain where he's gone, or why.
In the long, hot summer that follows, Matty's hunt for Joe leads to the ponds at Hampstead Heath. Beneath the water, there is a new kind of freedom. Above the water, a welcoming community of men offer refuge from an increasingly rocky home life.
London, 1985. Joe, the father to eleven-year-old Matty, has disappeared, and nobody will explain where he's gone, or why.
In the long, hot summer that follows, Matty's hunt for Joe leads to the ponds at Hampstead Heath. Beneath the water, there is a new kind of freedom. Above the water, a welcoming community of men offer refuge from an increasingly rocky home life.
Read
October 10, 2023Audiobook review
Narrator dreadful, character is Italian but narrator uses a French accent
Boring story. Listened to first two hours then skipped to last hour. Dad disappears, son tracks him to Highgate pond, then years later finds him in Ireland but he’s dying of cancer, living with a man and has a daughter by surrogacy
Narrator dreadful, character is Italian but narrator uses a French accent
Boring story. Listened to first two hours then skipped to last hour. Dad disappears, son tracks him to Highgate pond, then years later finds him in Ireland but he’s dying of cancer, living with a man and has a daughter by surrogacy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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