Boys don't cry - Fona Scarlett

'I can't remember ever reading anything so moving . . . It's so beautiful.' MARIAN KEYES

They say boys don't cry.
But Finn's seen his Da do it when he thinks no one's looking, so that's not true.
And isn't it OK to be sad, when bad things happen?

They say boys don't cry, but you might . . .

'Unforgettable.' Donal Ryan

'Authentic to the bone' Kit de Waal

It will break your heart in a million different ways.' Louise O'Neill

'Powerful and poignant.' Ruth Hogan

'Hilarious and heartbreaking.' Louise Nealon

What readers are saying:


'Fiona Scarlett is certainly up there with the likes of Roddy Doyle . . . A beautifully written, authentic novel, that will make you both laugh and cry, I just want to recommend this book to everyone.'

'This is a heartbreaking and very emotional novel that is exquisitely written. Fona's writing style helps to bring such raw emotion to the text that it was impossible to not shed a tear!'

'I cried so much reading this book . . . A stunning read that I'll be thinking about for a long time.'

'There is a lot of humour to balance the heartache . . . All humanity is here, in all its shades, and that's what stays with you long after you finish reading. A brilliant debut.'

Fona Scarlett is from Dublin but now living in Co. Kildare with her husband and two children. She holds an MLitt in creative writing from the University of Glasgow as well as a masters in early childhood education. She was awarded the Denis O'Driscoll Literary Bursary through Kildare County Council in 2019 and a Literature Bursary through the National Arts Council Ireland in 2020. She works full time as a primary school teacher and Boys Don't Cry is her debut novel.

I can't remember ever reading anything so moving . . . It's so beautiful.
Marian Keyes

A lyrical, beautifully written story that explores toxic masculinity through the eyes of children. I couldn't put it down.
Christie Watson

Boys Don't Cry is such a special book. Told with compassion and empathy, it will break your heart in a million different ways. Utterly unforgettable.
Louise O'Neill

A beautifully rendered story, a thriller, a heartbreaker, with the voice of real people, authentic to the bone, characters that will live on long after you've turned the last page.
I loved it.
Kit de Waal

A magnetic book, the characters and their stories drawing you right into their lives so it feels like you're among them, listening to them and rooting for them to be okay. Tough and true and sad and hopeful, it really is an unforgettable read.
Donal Ryan

I found it totally absorbing. It is a real skill to write about the death of a child without being over- sentimental or mawkish and Fona nailed. It's a bittersweet tale - powerful and poignant, and laced with dark humour. I loved it.
Ruth Hogan

Hilarious and heartbreaking. A warm, witty story that captures the intimacy of Dublin. Finn, Joe and Sabine are not leaving my mind any time soon. Fans of Louise O'Neill and Roddy Doyle, make space on your shelf for your next favourite writer.
Louise Nealon

Boys Don't Cry is simply stunning. Finn will steal your heart and Joe will break it. A beautifully written story of brotherly love within a family ravaged by gangland crime. Scarlett's work is simply exquisite.
Anne Griffin

This moving debut novel will stop you in your tracks . . . the prose and plotting are perfectly wrought.
Martin Doyle

Stunning and emotionally devastating.
Irish Independent

Fiona Scarlett rivals Roddy Doyle and Paul Howard in capturing Dublinese . . . That readers know a tragedy is coming makes this book all the more powerful.
Irish Examiner

The debut that everyone's talking about and for good reason.
Irish Independent, Summer Reads