I couldn’t put the bloody thing down. It would be fair to say I became obsessed with the role and the book

Did you love The Hunger Games? Partial to an episode of Game of Thrones? Then you’re going to want to dive straight in to this new fantasy . . . brilliantly imagined and captivatingly written

An assured and confident debut . . . featuring a strong female lead and a well-realised far-future post-apocalyptic world

Like Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games meets Pulp Fiction

Destined to be a fantasy classic. Johansen’s writing is assured, confident and thrilling. I can’t wait for the next book.

Enjoyable, fast-paced read. Kelsea is a strong female lead...and she heads a list of well-drawn characters who feature in some haunting, tear-jerking moments that leave you desperate to read the next instalment...A top summer read.

This book worked on me with all the subtle power of an addiction: by the time I realized I was hooked, it was far too late to stop.

Erika Johansen does not disappoint. Hers is a debut that shines bright like the magic in her book . . . exciting and fuelled by adventure – this is what all fantasy novels should be like

The Queen of the Tearling is a gripping read with an enchanting heroine. Erika Johansen has created a wonderful world and I can’t wait to read more.

A fast-paced and original fantasy, written with a confident and accomplished style, with plenty of intrigue and mystery.

A page-turner full of adventure, sorcery, swords, and politics - not to mention a clever heroine with guts and conviction to spare. The Queen of the Tearling kept me up way past my bedtime and left me wanting more!

There is absolutely no aspect of desire that McMillan does not articulate in phrases and images that have stayed with me ever since I first read it. Some of these poems, I suspect, will be in anthologies hundreds of years from now.

An elegantly poised and intimae collection of poems.

McMillan’s writing floored me. It is funny, frank and addictive.

A highly accomplished collection that presages a bright future for this young poet.

A collection of homoerotic poems that are febrile, tender, and written with an unwavering apprehension of beauty.

Physical is a stunning, raw and direct look at what it is to be male. It celebrates the male physique in all its forms as much as it celebrates the foibles of the male species […] I cannot wait to see what Andrew McMillan creates next.

My favourite book this year… A meditation on masculinity both frail and robust. McMillan’s book was the standout on a strong shortlist.

[McMillan’s] poems are raw, intimate and physical explorations of love, invoking the spirit of Thom Gunn’s visceral poems and essays… McMillan’s stunning poems are unflinching and palpably real.

Raw and urgent, these poems are hymns to the male body… This is poetry where every instance of human connection, from the casual encounter to the intimate relationship, becomes redeemable and revelatory.

Reading it is less like reading poetry, more like wandering through someone’s heart and then out into a wild northern night out… We were all struck by Andrew’s unflinching portrayal of everyday human intimacies and awkwardnesses.

It’s almost as though McMillan ripped his heart out and pinned it dripping to the pages of this short book… I very much enjoyed this collection of poems — it took me right out of my comfort zone but I was in good hands. Yes, some of it is confronting and occasionally shocking, but the honesty…lends an exquisite beauty to McMillan’s work.

I’ve read some great poetry collections this year, but nothing as startlingly visceral and beautiful as Andrew McMillan’s Physical.

McMillan’s powerful collection explores and interrogates masculinity with frank honesty.

McMillan…is a natural communicator and his material – sexuality, the body, masculinity – are urgent topics for our time.