Wounded from a troubled childhood and struggling to find his place in the world, Marcus is young and in love . . . again. And when his latest crush, Gifty, starts showing him true affection, he is ready to reconsider his lifestyle – the drugs, the casual encounters. At least for a little while.
Borderline Fiction is a deeply affecting contemporary tale written with an intensity of emotion and vulnerability. The novel is a close-up, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes funny examination of what it means to be a young black man navigating today's world.
Tortured, beautiful, anxious and poetic, Borderline Fiction is a memorable glimpse into the inner world of a young man searching for an authentic way to love and be loved.
"The evolution of modern British literature as it lives and breathes belongs to Derek Owusu . . . With this novel, Owusu doubles down on everything that makes his fiction so exemplary. There are passages that took my breath away. The world, the dialect, the ideas, are all glaringly fresh and true"
COURTTIA NEWLAND
"A rare and compulsive read. Through precise and fearless prose, Owusu's characters draw you in while keeping you both close, and at arm's length, in a world so intimate you feel like you're intruding. Unforgettable"
CANDICE-CARTY WILLIAMS
"Borderline Fiction is that rare thing - a novel which is simultaneously melancholic, wise, tender and funny. A lyrically poignant gift from one of the most exciting young writers working today"
