Dominoes

(Paperback)

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Highly topical but very charming and warm debut from a prizewinning playwright 'A great book! A warm, fun, sweet, love story - which is also about the British slave trade and its legacy. I found it thought-provoking and humbling and I really CARED about the characters. Unusual and hopeful' MARIAN KEYES A tender, smart, conversation-starting love story which explores questions of identity and the legacy of the slave-trade in 21st-century Britain When Layla and Andy first meet, they can't believe they share the same surname. It feels like fate, almost too romantic to be true. But Sera, Layla's best friend, has her doubts about Andy. As the pair fall deeper and deeper in love, she becomes more and more vocal about Layla settling down with a white boy. And then, only a few weeks before their wedding, Layla discovers the possible truth behind their shared surname. What seemed like a fairy-tale romance is rapidly derailed. In part propelled by Sera's rising anger, Layla begins to uncover parts of her history and identity that she had never imagined -- or, perhaps, had simply learnt to ignore.

Reviews

Vulnerable and vibrant, Dominoes is a radiant debut, shining with complexity and compassion for the bonds of family and friendship that give our lives purpose * Rachel Eliza Griffiths, author of Promise *
McIntosh adds depth and nuance to a concept that's fascinated humans for centuries: the eternal search for self and knowing where you come from... she raises important questions about allyship, belonging and intergenerational trauma. The writing is sharp and vulnerable, and Dominoes gripped me until the final page * Georgina Lawton, author of Raceless *
Dominoes is a striking, thought-provoking read and Phoebe expertly examines the intricacies of romance as it intersects with race and class. A stirring story with strong, complex characters that delves into the legacy of Britain's slave trade while interrogating love, friendship and identity. Simultaneously sweet and sobering, this is one you will not want to miss * Onyi Nwabineli, author of Someday, Maybe *

Author Bio

Phoebe McIntosh is an actress and playwright from London. She wrote and performed in a sell-out run of her first play, The Tea Diaries, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013 followed by her solo show, Dominoes, which toured the South East and London in 2018. She has completed the Soho Theatre Writers' Lab programme, and her most recent full-length play, The Soon Life, was shortlisted and highly commended for the Tony Craze Award as well as being longlisted for the Alfred Fagon award. Phoebe won a place on the inaugural Tamasha x Hachette Creative writing programme in 2018 and was also selected for Penguin Random House's WriteNow programme 2020. Dominoes was longlisted for the Bath Novel Award 2021.