I couldn’t believe how much I loved this book. The dual narrative between Jamie and Fiona was excellently done, with each complex character having their own well-written flaws. Despite the dark path the story goes down, it never felt ridiculous - always horribly plausible. I will be eagerly awaiting whatever Chris McQueer writes next. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC! I finished it in 2 days flat.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The subject matter was tough but relevant to current times and a fascinating look into how young men could be recruited into incel groups. I liked that there was a split perspective between Jamie and his mother, showing not only the impact on the young men but also how their loved ones are affected. It was incredibly well written and I couldn’t put it down. I have followed the author on instagram as I’d love to read more from him.

Wow! This book took me by surprise in all the best ways! At its heart, this is the story of Fiona and her son Jamie, both struggling through difficult lives. It explores themes of mental health, generational trauma, incel culture, and isolation, painting a raw and unflinching portrait of their experiences. Despite their hardships, both characters are simply trying to navigate life as best they can, and I was completely invested in their journey. The plot is full of unexpected twists that genuinely shocked me. I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved the dual narration. Both narrators fit their roles perfectly, bringing Fiona and Jamie to life in a way that felt incredibly authentic. And as a Scot living outside of Scotland, I found my own accent slipping back into full force while listening! I have no doubt this will be one of the best debuts I read this year. Chris McQueer is now firmly on my must-read list for future releases!

My metric for good book is "how long do you spend thinking about it after you finish it?" Well, I finished Hermit over 2 months ago and I think about it pretty much every day. When picking up a book that focuses on a young man's descent into incel communities and culture, you don't imagine that your heart will bleed with empathy for the central character. But here we are. We follow Jamie as his increased isolation, detachment from his emotionally distant (and in his Father's case) abusive parents pushes him more and more into a reclusive life, finding validation and attachment in the form of an online friend. Together they seek out like-minded others and start the descent into a horrendous set of circumstances. Chapters alternate between Jamie's POV and that of his Mum giving weight to both of their stories and experiences and going a long way to explain the growing fracture between the two. A challenging, tense, emotional yet, at times, darkly humorous read - I'd recommend Hermit to anyone looking for something fresh or a unique voice. Genuinely excellent.

An amazing debut novel from Chris McQueer. Absolutely chilling story about a troubled lonely teen who gets sucked into incel culture and his struggling mother told from both perspectives. Heavily recommended.