Benjamin Wood’s tender little novel puts the artist’s dilemma front and centre: should one chase their ambitions when they have duties and dependents? Should they dedicate time to writing music and practicing the guitar, when the shrimp need catching and debts need paying? Seascraper tackles this question with wisdom and grace. It’s a short book – I read it in one sitting – but, putting it down, I felt as if I’d reached the end of an epic, ten times its size. I’d recommend it highly to everyone.

I was very skeptical at first but just a few pages in you are already sucked into the world of Thomas and that of Longferry. The book will leave you a certain feeling of longing of what it is to dream as a young person. The possibilities it holds.I love this book!

A brilliantly crafted and beautifully written story that, despite its brevity, will stay with me for a long time. The prose is sparing yet powerfully evocative of time and place. It is a deceptively simple tale about the roles of 'imagination', 'opportunities', and 'choices' in life, both our own and those of the people around us. Special thank you to Penguin Random House UK & NetGalley for a digital advance review copy.

Seascraper is a captivating portrait of a young man constrained by his class and his family's past, while harbouring dreams of artistic fulfilment. Tom, a Shanker in the small town of Longferry, leads a slow and deliberate life, catching shrimp and caring for his mother. His ambitions seem distant, but when an American film director named Mr Acheson arrives, offering money in exchange for local knowledge of the beach, Tom begins to see a glimpse of a life beyond his small world. The first part of the book beautifully captures the monotony and routine of seaside life, evoking a timeless sense of place. As Edgar, the film director, befriends Tom, their relationship grows, and the quiet rhythm of the town is disrupted by the promise of something more. The novel is set in the 1960s, and Tom's suppressed dream of becoming a folk singer adds depth to his yearning for a different life. Seascraper doesn't rely on traditional conflict or betrayal, but instead unfolds with a gentle, almost wistful tone. It ends on a quietly hopeful note, leaving readers with a sense of what could have been. This is a unique and introspective book, showcasing Benjamin Wood’s exceptional talent in British literature. Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This is one of those books that you don’t even notice how much you’re enjoying it. Until you stop reading and find yourself craving the authors beautiful and atmospheric writing. The main character Thomas is someone who we can all relate to and whose journey we can all learn a lot from. However I must say the winning aspect of this text is the lush and moody backdrop Benjamin Wood paints for us. Reading this made me crave the gloominess of Autumn and reminisce over the cozy feeling of coming home after a rainy day. It’s also such a unique setting, a gloomy beach. Yet it is done so well. I couldn’t recommend this book more!