Book details

Book description

Stephen Thompson's brave story centres on the plight of Gabriel Powers, a man who finds himself in a hostel for addicts after the most frightening flight from Hackney and the world of crime he grew up in. For Gabriel to come to terms with his addiction, he must first confront his demons, and although his hostel worker and lover Marcia is there to help him, the journey to back to the wastelands of West London is harrowingly and brilliantly recreated. Painful, acutely honest and based on the author's own experiences, Toy Soldiers is a fine and brave debut by a brilliant new voice. Stephen Thompson was born and brought up in Hackney. He left school without any qualifications but, after several wasted years, went on to study journalism at Harlow College. He lectures in journalism and creative writing at Birkbeck.