Boyhood – Alex Sawyer on Rat Daniels
Article | Jul 2026
This article is for subscribers only.
Subscribe now to unlock magazines, reviews and articles.
Category: Coming Soon, Early Bird, Fiction, Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)
Book Format: paperback
Publisher: Hachette Australia
ISBN: 9780733653599
RRP: 34.99
See book Details
(5/5)
When I started “Rat Daniels,” I had no idea that it would stick in my head and take me on my own journey as both Jimmy and Rat went on theirs.
I rarely give a 5-star review, but this book deserves every single star and more. The book explores the deep loyalty of childhood friendships, the curse of secrets that come between them, and the innocence of children as it begins and as it is taken away.
As someone who grew up in a rural area that was slowly taken over by people, we speak my youth going “backa” and didn’t notice the vast differences between being middle class and outright broke.
My dreams are haunted by memories of my childhood friendships and all that I lost when I had to leave those friendships behind – I made a choice to put my future first, and I still, to this day, have no idea if that was the right choice or a test of loyalty that I failed greatly.
I can highly recommend this book to those wishing to delve into their own memories – there are no “bells and whistles,” but this quiet and sometimes angrily written book will stay with you long after you finish the last words.
(5/5)
Engaging from start to end, ‘Rat Daniels’ threw me right back into the tension of growing up in a semi-rural town that restructures and loses its character in the midst of experiencing adolescence. The colloquial language and languid yet blunt style capture that particular small-town Australian quality of feeling perpetually on edge as to how things will play out – and I think it would appeal to readers who enjoy Tim Winton and Holden Sheppard. The converging narratives/timelines of Jimmy and Rat’s relationship hooked me in to follow along with how characters and events would resolve in the present. I was particularly impressed with how visceral the settings were – the smell of damp earth and trees, the sounds of the birds, and the detritus of teenage life. The novel captures details that we can understand as adults with hindsight, but miss as children, bringing depth and encouraging critical reflection of mitigating circumstances. The characters and situations feel authentic, and there’s a crackling tension and vulnerability throughout the reading experience that compelled me to continue in long stretches until the conclusion (nearly missing my train stop at times, I was so wrapped up!).
(5/5)
I loved this book! read the first ten chapters on the day I received it. The description of how the boys met and the areas where they spent many happy hours adventuring was beautiful. There seemed to be an underlying sadness to this friendship but also a fierce protectiveness to one another, which carries all the way through the book. A coming-of-age story of two boys from different backgrounds and upbringings but with a genuine love for each other. This book has drama, adventure, nostalgia, sex, and love.
(5/5)
Rat Daniels by Alex Sawyer is like an homage to childhood. Everyone had that one friend that they were thick as thieves with, that maybe, in retrospect, wasn’t the kind of friend that they should’ve had. What would have been seen as cheeky or rebellious behaviour as kids would look like reasons for the police to be involved, with the clarity of adulthood. This is Rat.
With Alex Sawyer being a fellow Aussie, it was easy to put myself in the scenes, as he perfectly described growing up in Australia. From the scenery to the descriptions of friends’ parents, I could easily relate to my own memories of growing up. This book actually made me remember people and situations that I had forgotten about.
This was an engaging, easy read, and I found myself thinking about it, even when I wasn’t reading. If this is Alex Sawyer’s first book, I can’t wait to read what he comes up with next.
(4/5)
Rat Daniels was an easy and enjoyable read. A coming-of-age story of friendship and developing love in the back blocks of the Adelaide Hills.
The story pays witness to the magnetic childhood friendship of Jimmy, the narrator, and the tough and streetwise Rat Daniels, and follows them into their young adult life. Their lives and relationships flip between warm, naive and funny, to contorted, dangerous and confused. There is a strong sense of movement and energy, in both positive and negative directions, captured in characters, relationships and events. At times, Rat Daniels reminded me of Toni Jordan’s “Tenderfoot” and Tim Winton’s “Breath”.
I liked the young boys, their playfulness, intrigue and vulnerability. I liked Rat. Sawyer gives Rat’s character the advantage of being edgy, raw and keen. He has an honest demeanor and is fiercely loyal. But all the time, there is an air of mystery surrounding him. Jimmy’s character is more of a foil, and his actions and thoughts are exposed as the narrator. There is no mystique; we are privy to his inner machinations. Sawyer plays on these personalities as they grow older.
During the first half of the book, we are taken for an adventurous childhood romp through creeks, dusty rugged hills and paddocks and playful risk taking. They travel on scooter, push bikes and foot, taking in delightful vignettes of observation and nature and the curious allure of other families’ lives.
The second half of the novel morphs into their teenage years of trial and error: drugs, relationships. It’s a time of confusion, confrontation and a sense of degeneration. Violence and risk-taking are revved up a few notches. Jimmy and Rat show flaws.
At this point, I felt the flow of the book also appeared to change as Sawyer introduced a number of levels of flashbacks and breaks in continuum. I found that while their childhood was depicted in a more linear way, I began to get a bit confused with the flipping back and forth of scenes, timelines, and characters. While this more confusing style of writing may have been used to highlight change and uncertainty and ultimately tie up threads, I found it distracting. I think there was too much playing out and resolution of storylines, leaving me with a niggling amount of mystery and uncertainty. A bit of a confusing ending.
Overall, an interesting exploration of childhood friendships, written with beautifully vivid descriptions of character and place. I’d be interested to read what he writes next.
(4/5)
This is a fast-paced and entertaining adventure that mixes humour, mystery, and heart. The story follows Rat, a clever and resourceful young protagonist, whose adventures keep the pages turning and make it difficult to put the book down.
One of the book’s strengths, in my opinion, is its engaging writing style. The characters are memorable, and there are plenty of funny moments while themes of friendship, loyalty, and courage are explored. Rat is an easy character to barrack for, and his determination in difficult situations makes the story enthralling
The pacing I felt was a little bit mixed; a few sections in the middle felt slightly slower than the more action-packed opening and ending. However, these quieter interludes helped to develop the characters and their relationships.
If you enjoy adventurous stories with humour and mystery, this will be to your liking. While it may not appeal to those looking for a more serious or complex novel, it succeeds nicely at being an exciting and accessible read. Overall, Rat Daniels is a fun, engaging book that leaves readers eager for more.
(4/5)
This is the story of childhood friends, Rat and Jimmy, who grow up in South Australia on the outskirts of suburbia, where there is room to roam and test the limits, a place where you find your feet the hard way. It is a coming-of-age story that is a testament to the bonds formed in childhood. Alex Sawyer explores relationship dynamics with nuance and compassion, with an honest and direct Australian voice willing to touch upon old and new perspectives of masculinity, the realities of growing up in a close-knit community, and the value of showing up even when you’re confused as hell about who you even are.
I recommend this debut novel to anyone who likes stories about childhood friends, growing up through adolescence into adulthood, in an Australian setting, written with a turn of phrase that just tells it like it is.
If you like Tim Winton and Robbie Arnott, you will enjoy Alex Sawyer.
(2/5)
A story about a friendship that starts with an accidental encounter. Not a lighthearted read, and it took some concentration to follow some of the characters.