Evan Keogh is a talented footballer with a promising future. That is until he is accused of accessory to rape. Running from his life on an island off the coast of Ireland, Evan initially dreams of being a painter before reality brings him back to his fate as a footballer. However, when his team mate is accused of Robbie raping a woman after a night out, the two men’s lives and careers are in jeopardy. I love John Boyne’s work and Earth is no exception. Having an advanced proof, I was initially surprised by the length. However, the concise number of pages does not impact the complexity of the plot or the nature of the characters. Switching between the trial and Evan’s past, it is brilliantly written and discusses some dark and shocking themes.

Another wonderful novel from John Boyne. I loved the connection to Water, the previous novel in this quartet, where we left Evan leaving the island that he refers to in this book. The metaphorical references to the earth gave me a sense of what this meant to Evan, and this imagery was powerful at the end of the book when Evan made the decision that he did. I found the story sad, disturbing and Evan's hopes, dreams, disappointments and relationships in his life were strongly present. Along with this, there is a page page-turning plot with all the pace of a thriller. I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait to read Fire and Air.

Thank you to the publishers for this review copy of Earth - I absolutely loved it! This quartet of books is shaping up to be something very special, I also loved Water - so I am now desperate to get my hands on Fire & Air. So beautifully written, great plotting and loving the characters. Earth adds a new dimension to Water making me want to re read. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Set in the world of professional football, Earth is the second in John Boyne’s linked series of novellas. It’s narrated by Evan who is accused of being an accessory to his fellow teammate’s rape of a young woman. An extraordinarily talented footballer, Evan ran away from his small Irish island, escaping his bullying father and heading for London, his heart set on an artistic career. When his money ran out, he stumbled into lucrative work as a rent boy, ‘auditioned’ by a wealthy, well-connected man, turning to football when a powerful client’s penchant for humiliation and violence gets out of hand. He’s taken on by a Championship team where he and Robbie become friends of a sort. Evan’s desire for the arrogant self-absorbed Robbie is tacit but known and exploited. After a party in Robbie’s flat, Evan is accused of filming his friend raping a young woman. Boyne explores an impressive number of themes for such a short piece of fiction – class entitlement and privilege, the leeway given to talented young footballers thrust into immense wealth with no moral compass, the way in which the legal profession handles sexual offences, corruption, moral and otherwise - to name but a few. Several bombshells are dropped into Evan's narrative, bringing readers up short as we learn more of his brief life. I found it gripping – complex and thought provoking. Although I was a little unconvinced by the ending, I finished Earth without the reservations I’d felt about Water, the first in the series. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Evan Keogh should have the world at his feet, a talented footballer who has represented his country. However, Even has spent his time running away. Away from an aggressive father, a small island that he's grown to hate, from his sexuality and from his past. Now Evan is in the dock, accused of being an accessory to rape, a pariah and a closeted gay man in an intolerant sport. This is a masterful book. Boyne takes the idea of a tabloid sensation story, a footballer accused of rape and develops it in ways that drag the reader in. Evan is a sympathetic lead character, manipulated and tied into a story not of his making, mediocre at what he loves, talented at what he doesn't. It's superficially a story of prejudice but becomes so much more.