This is How by MJ Hyland

**Book Club book of the month synopsis**

This is How by MJ Hyland Patrick is a loner, an intelligent but disturbed young man struggling to find his place in the world. But, not long after he leaves home to begin a new life in a boarding house in a remote seaside town, he commits an act of violence and must face the awful and chilling consequences.

A chilling and tragic tale of an outsider who snaps, committing an impulsive crime, This is How is an intense book about the human capacity for violence – but also for love. It gives an astute insight into the human mind – the effects of crime and punishment – and is a meditation on the nature of guilt.

This is How provides plenty of material for discussion – for example the way crime is dealt with in society and whether prison is an effective form of punishment, as well as the complex character of Patrick Oxtoby and the far-reaching consequences a single event can cast over anyone’s life.

Read more: download chapter sampler

About the Author

M.J. Hyland was born in London in 1968. She studied law and English at the University of Melbourne. Her first novel, How the Light Gets In, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and her second, Carry Me Down, won the Encore Award and the Hawthornden Award, and was shortlisted for the 2006 Man Booker Prize and Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Hyland now lives in Manchester, where she is a lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester.

Find out more at www.mjhyland.com.

REVIEW THIS BOOK

This is How by
MJ Hyland

What did you think of this book? We would love to know, plus the first 20 reviews will receive a free copy of Carry Me Down - another great book by MJ Hyland.
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Reviews for This Is How

The first time I have read any MJ Hyland and thought that This Is How was a great novel. I felt that the central character of Patrick was really well constructed and I particularly enjoyed the subtle suggestions of the disparity between his inner thoughts and his outward manifestations even though the narrative was in the first person.

The description of prison life was also highly effective, I really got a sense of the claustrophobia and futility of this existence that is often missing in other books or films.

Steven, Harpenden

Really enjoyed the majority of the book but was left a little frustrated by it’s ambiguous ending. On the whole though, whilst finding it quite a disturbing and distressing book, I found it very compelling.

Steph, London

Great choice for the FCC Book Club, a fascinating read! I thought it was an interesting paradox that Patrick seemed almost more trapped in the freedom of the outside world than being locked up in prison. Whilst he maintained that he would give anything to get out of prison, I got the sense that he was actually more content in the prison environment with it’s rigid routine and structure. A very thought provoking book!

Jennifer, London

Thanks to FCC for introducing me to a brand new author, I will definitely be reading some more of MJ Hyland!

Rachel, Luton

I’m not sure how I felt about This Is How. I think Patrick was a genuinely intriguing character and I can appreciate the effect that MJ Hyland was going for but I did struggle a bit with the sparse style of the writing.

Lee, New Southgate

I really enjoyed this book and the author was new to me. This story of a troubled man on the fringes of society was both affecting and compelling - despite not much really happening in terms of plot twists. The main character was well drawn and both the narrative and setting were really interesting. The author gave a great sense of life in prison and the subsequent decline that prisoners experience. I would definitely read more of Hyland's work now that I've read this book.

Sam, London