DNA

Jake Hennessey is moved away from the only life and friends he has ever known. Although he initially finds comfort in his new Pakistani girlfriend, Ameerah, at school he feels isolated until he is befriended by the enigmatic Al, a key player in a nascent alt-right movement, England's Own. In too deep, Jake struggles to escape the clutches of Al and the movement's dangerous front man, Micky Gately. A family secret is uncovered and when things take a violent turn, Jake seeks redemption. Set in Birmingham England, DNA is Sophia Butler's first novel. The narrative is mainly from the point of view of its teenaged protagonist, Jake, and gives voice to many of the challenges and influences faced by young people in the 2020s.