Yuki Oyama, a Japanese girl fighting to make it as an artist, and Yuki's son Jay who, as an adult in the present day, is forced to confront his mother who abandoned him when he was only two years old.

'Elegant and moving' Daily Mail

'Beautiful' The Pool

'Enchanting' Emma Jane Unsworth, author of Animals

'This brilliant debut novel is cause for celebration' Lorrie Moore



When the meaning of 'home' is complicated, we strive for a sense of connection.
Yet sometimes being alone feels like the easiest choice to make.

In 1968 Yuki is 16 and has not one friend in all of New York.
It's the year her parents move back to Tokyo, but Yuki decides to stay.
As she sketches out her new life, it is also the year she'll fall in love with a shade of orange, climb out a window, meets an aspiring model, and run tangle-haired through the night.

In 2016 gallery owner Jay becomes a father, believing he is a happily married man.
It's the year he will finally confront his mother, who abandoned their family when he was two years old.
Her name is Yuki Oyama and she has been living for decades as an artist in Berlin.

Written with startling beauty and power, HARMLESS LIKE YOU explores the complexities of identity and art and captures, over decades and cities, a fractured family narrative of love, loneliness and reconciliation.

WINNER OF THE 2017 AUTHORS' CLUB FIRST NOVEL AWARD
WINNER OF A BETTY TRASK AWARD

'Announces a startling talent' Guardian

'This brilliant debut novel is cause for celebration' Lorrie Moore

'A refreshing, bold book' Sunday Telegraph

Written in startlingly beautiful prose, HARMLESS LIKE YOU is set across New York, Berlin and Connecticut, following the stories of Yuki Oyama, a Japanese girl fighting to make it as an artist, and Yuki's son Jay who, as an adult in the present day, is forced to confront his mother who abandoned him when he was only two years old.

An unforgettable novel about the complexities of identity, art, adolescent friendships and familial bonds, offering a unique exploration of love, loneliness and reconciliation.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2016 BOOKS ARE MY BAG BREAKTHROUGH AUTHOR AWARD
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2016 JHALAK PRIZE

'Slick and intelligent' Stylist