As worlds collide and everything is questioned, only one thing’s for certain – that this book rocks

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that when I was a teenager, I felt a bit out of place in the world. Now, while there are many reasons why that could have been – chalk it up to undiagnosed neurodivergence or insecurities in my identity – I can at least count myself lucky that it’s not because I was literally stuck in the wrong dimension.

That’s part of the premise of The Boy From Elsewhere, the excellent second novel from Kestral Gaian. It’s about a young man named David, who finds Joshua washed up on the beach in the coastal town of Wickton-on-Sea. Joshua knows the town well – he lives here too – but everything is slightly different. Certain historical events never happened, phone numbers are changed, and everyday items go by different names. Thus begins a long journey home, and a strange mystery to unravel: how and why did Joshua get here?

All the best mystery novels, however, are about more than just the central enigma. Gaian knows this, and hooked me in immediately with an incredible sense of worldbuilding. Scenes are set with laser precision. For instance, there are some passages set in the Ashmolean in Oxford. I once visited there as a teenager, and through Gaian’s writing, I felt myself transported back there, not unlike Joshua’s journey to our world.

Similarly, while I’m not certain what town Wickton-on-Sea was based on, I could see so much of so many English seaside towns I’ve visited in the prose. From the sandswept shores to the concrete terraces, everything’s rendered in photographic detail. I felt a shared sense of disorientation with Joshua – it was at once like I’d been here, but not here.

The Boy From Elsewhere’s characters are recognisable and wonderful

The biggest strength, for me, was the characters. The central three characters – David, Joshua, and Jayce – are nothing less than wonderful. I was constantly invested in their journey, with each twist and revelation, each interaction, each moment of growth and withdrawal. As they move closer – and sometimes further – from each other, it all feels real. I saw a lot of myself in each of the trio (plus Ellie, David’s sister), and recognised so many details shared in friends I’ve known over the years. The experience of being a queer teenager in the UK was captured impeccably – minus the parallel world part, at least. As far as I’m aware, anyway.

As the story progresses, the stakes are raised drastically. Without spoiling anything, the story turns out to be about a lot more than initially meets the eye. As things spiral towards a conclusion that leaves you guessing until the last instant, the chemistry between the characters ignites in ways that feel hard-earned and rewarding. The writing throughout is deftly handled; the tension is offset well by humour, offering some much-needed relief in places. And, by the end, I was so attached to the characters. I was rooting for them, laughing with them, bracing myself in anticipation of what might happen to them.

That brings me to another beautiful thing about Elsewhere: The characters are gloriously imperfect. That imperfection is a large part of what makes them so engaging. When those flaws feel so real, how could I not root for them?

Not all of us had things completely figured out as teenagers, and Joshua, David, and Jayce are no exceptions. It’s a lovely thing to be able to look at people figuring things out and see a reflection of how you used to be. The boy may be from elsewhere, but the feelings evoked are not – they’re so close to my heart.

Excitingly, The Boy From Elsewhere doesn’t just stand alone; it’s the first in the Reality Quake saga. Bring on the future – when reality quakes, and Gaian’s characters feel its tremors, I’ll be avidly reading.

If you’re interested in the fate of The Boy From Elsewhere, you can pick it up from the publisher for £12.99. It was originally published by Reconnecting Rainbows Press on the 7th February 2026.

Recommended if you like: the beauty hidden where you least expect, your queer friends, Terry Pratchett.

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AC is the Head of Written Content at QSO Media. Read more of their articles here.

The Clare Project is a trans, non-binary, and intersex support charity in Sussex. Learn more about what they do and donate here.

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