BEARMOUTH

Newt has been eking out a living as an unskilled laborer in the bleak Bearmouth coal mine since the age of 4.

Forced to work in appalling underground conditions in an alternate Britain for meager pay, Newt—also called “YouNuck” (eunuch) by others as a malicious nod to their perceived undefined gender—must split their earnings between essential purchases from the company store and wages sent to their family back home. Life in the mine is brutal, and each day seems to bring new injuries, assaults, or deaths. Newt is able to focus on the bright spots in the darkness: loving friendships, moments of joy, and caring fellow miners who treat Newt like family. Newt is encouraged to keep their head down and follow the rules so as to not upset the fine balance in the mines between exploited workers and those in power, but everything changes when a dangerous newcomer joins the team and begins asking provocative questions. When tragedy strikes, Newt begins to question their religious faith in the Mayker and yearns for change. Newt is taught their letters by Thomas, a fellow worker in the mines, and the story is told in Newt’s own words through phonetically written prose. Thomas has brown skin; all other characters seem to be White.

This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark.