Thomas Brown has spent the best part of his life reading and
studying fiction of all kinds, but his heart beats for Horror and
Fantasy.
In 2010, he won the University of Southampton's Flash Fiction
Competition for his short story, 'Crowman'. In 2014, he won the
Almond Press Short Story Competition, 'Broken Worlds'. In the same
year, his first novel, LYNNWOOD, was a finalist for The People's
Book Prize. In 2018, he completed a doctoral degree at the
University of Southampton examining the limitations of language and
how to navigate them to better communicate meaning through
fiction.
He lives and works in a small market town bordering the Cotswolds,
where he still writes every day.
“...a unique story and I appreciated that, along with the beautiful
writing. Very thought provoking novel.” - Ana Carter, Reviewer,
Canada
“Featherbones ... is beautifully written, with almost lyrical
prose. It’s the kind of book that sets the mood early and it can be
a bit overwhelming in its greyness. Stay with it and you will be
rewarded by a well plotted story that twists and wanders so many
places. If you like Magical Realism with a touch of Psychological
Suspense, this book will delight you. I think it would make an
interesting book discussion selection.” - Janet Kinsella, Tacoma
Public Library, USA
"Featherbones is an ethereal love song to a city by the sea. Thomas
Brown's beautiful novel depicts a liminal world of statues,
drownings and winged creatures. It's also a real page turner. I
love this book."- Rebecca Smith, author of The Bluebird Cafe
"This is an exquisitely written novel; deft, poised, and with a
writer's ear for the rhythms of the world around us.Featherbones
does the always-difficult job of making the strange familiar, while
asking us to attend again to the things we think we know." -
William May, author and lecturer
"I loved the use of language, I loved the story and above all I
loved the constant sensation that I was walking on the top of the
dividing wall between reality and dream and imagination and past
and present and future. I want to live on that wall for the rest of
my life." Bookrazy blog
"What to call this experience? Magical realism doesn't quite fit
right. Magical-psychological-philosophical-realism. Maybe. This is
a book that will be unlike any other that you have read.
"There are some very well crafted passages in this book, and some
amazing uses of language. It is really the beautiful language, in
my opinion, that makes this a book worth the time to read and share
with others. I liked the characters ... the way the story developed
and the way the reader is never quite sure if what is happening is
actual reality or just the imaginings of a confused mind.
"If you enjoy reading books that make you think, and make you
wonder at the author's ability to turn every day ordinary into
something else, something a bit more extraordinary, then I
recommend this book to you." - Ionia Martin, Readful things
blog
“In Southampton, England, a grey, rain-filled place, the story of
Felix, and Michael’s set. Repeating patterns, like grey days, the
same walk through the city every morning and evening, and the sight
of birds, characterize the book. What if birds were human, or
humans became birds? Remember the classic on Icarus and his father
Daedalus, the creator of the labyrinth?
“It’s exactly this fate and circumstance that Thomas Brown as
author throws his readers in while reading Featherbones. There
seems no way out of this storyline. Dream and reality converge.
It’s difficult to stay concentrated. Is the reference to the
Titanic a clue? Will one of the main characters commit suicide, or
turn into a bird at full moon?
“...I’m impressed by the psychologically laden plot and the way a
small world becomes even smaller throughout Featherbones.” -
Henk-Jan van der Klis, Reviewer, Netherlands
"'Featherbones' is the second of Thomas Brown's novels that I have
read and I think that I enjoyed this more than "Lynnwood", which I
loved. Having made this statement, however, the book is going to be
hard to review without telling readers too much about the plot.
"Felix, the main character, is a young graduate, living his rather
mundane life in Southampton. The highlight of his week is his
Friday night drinking binge with his workmate and long-time friend,
Michael. All seems fairly commonplace, until an event acts as a
trigger for Felix to fall, swoop, descend into unreality.
"The novel looks back to Felix's traumatic childhood - so many
events that could lead to an uncertain future for Felix's mental
health. Looking into the past, we meet Felix's father, his teacher,
his very best friend, Harriet and a man who was supposed to be
helping Felix overcome his disturbed childhood.
"What I love about this novel is that it works on several levels
and is open to different interpretations. For me, it is about
guilt, repression, sexuality and the need for each of us to know
ourselves. It is about acceptance, love and trust.
"Thomas Brown writes such beautiful prose; 'Featherbones' is worth
reading for this alone. However there is much more to appreciate -
a fine, thought-provoking novel." - Angela Thomas, Reviewer, UK
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