دانلود کتاب The Boyhood of Cain 2025

“The Boyhood of Cain” is a coming-of-age novel by Michael Amherst that follows Daniel, a 12-year-old boy growing up in a small English town overshadowed by an ancient abbey. Daniel is highly intelligent but misunderstood by his parents; his father, the headmaster of the local school, loses his job, leading the family to an ill-suited rural life. Daniel forms an intense attachment to Philip, a new classmate, and both fall under the influence of Mr. Miller, a charismatic art teacher. This mentorship sets Daniel on a path fraught with desire, power dynamics, and potential betrayal.

The novel delves into Daniel’s inner life as he grapples with his mother’s depression, his father’s failures, and his emerging sexual identity. His complex friendship with Philip and the unsettling guidance of Mr. Miller force Daniel to confront themes of theology, masculinity, and storytelling. Amherst’s precise prose captures Daniel’s innocence, ambition, self-doubt, and queerness, offering a moving exploration of sensitivity amidst the harsh realities of adulthood¹.