Hame

Bristling with life and passion and wit.

The Herald

Richly textured… The emotional complexity of the writing matches the landscape of the island and its surroundings.

Philip Womack, Literary Review

A remarkable performance.

Allan Massie, Scotsman

Exploration of the idea that identity is a creative construct, not just the product of geography, but the imagination.

Claire Allfree, Daily Mail

Real historical figures interact with the fictional ones, blurring the book’s boundaries. It’s an immersive world, from smoky pubs in 1960s Edinburgh, filled with arguing poets, to the lovely descriptions of the island of Fascaray... Settle in your own home and explore.

Emerald Street

If Hame often comes over like a more cheerful version of a Sarah Moss novel, it’s also sneakily political at a time when a hard Brexit dangles the prospect of a Great British break-up… Be careful what you wish for – or at least how you wish for it – seems to be the message; but while Hame’s pivotal revelation first lands with the force of a raspberry blown in the face of nationalism, it’s typical of the novel’s generosity that it finally feels like more of a kiss.

Anthony Cummins, Observer

Ultimately, Hame is a novel about identity; both with specific regard to Scottish character and nationalism and to broader questions of how we attach ourselves to people over place, or vice versa, and of how we construct our personal life stories.

Will Gore, Evening Standard

Hame is a sweet and quaint novel, full of just-in-time revelations and obvious fondness.

Stuart Kelly, Guardian

There are joyful winks and allusions everywhere... an affectionate rebuke to Scots nationalists who pretend that questions of national identity are straightforward... 'hame' isn't so much where you're born, as where you hing yer bunnet'

Sam Kitchener, Daily Telegraph

This searching and eloquent novel muses on identity, love and belonging.

Hepzibah Anderson, Mail on Sunday

A clever patchwork blanket of narratives… It’s very convincing, despite being entirely fictional.

UK Press Syndication

Hame is an ambitious and multi-layered tome… McAfee’s attention to detail is remarkable. She covers great swathes of history and goes to enormous lengths to flesh out even minor characters… McAfee’s deadpan humour means much of the book is wryly amusing.

Dani Garavelli, The Herald

Transportive and immersive.

Jonathan McAloon, Financial Times

Hame treads a line between light-hearted satire and a discussion on notions of home and belonging… A hugely entertaining, roller-coaster of a ride through poetry and language

Liam Carson, The Irish Times

Gorgeous

Samantha Irby, Marie Claire US

Partly a gentle satire and partly a genuine celebration of Scotland written by the London-born daughter of Scottish parents, Hame is written with wit and intelligence.

Alastair Mabbott, The Herald