Nicolas Padamsee, England is Mine

Named one of the Oberver’s best new novelists for 2024, Nicolas Padamsee will be heading to Hot Box to talk about his brilliant coming-of-age thriller. England is Mine is an urgent debut which takes the reader on a frightening journey into online radicalisation and extremism.

Nicolas will be in conversation with Rob Jelly. This event will include an audience Q&A and after the event there will be an opportunity to get your book signed by Nicolas Padamsee.

In partnership with Hot Box.

Wednesday 18th June, 7.00pm
Venue: Hot Box, 28, 29 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1TS
Tickets: £11 (includes £1 booking fee)
Box Office: hotboxlive..co.uk

England is Mine by Nicolas Padamsee

An urgent debut set in multicultural London which takes the reader on a frightening journey into online radicalisation.

Nominated for the 2025 Gordon Burn Prize

‘A politically engaged, urgently plotted coming-of-age thriller with a wicked satirical streak’ – Observer

‘A brilliant dissection of race, identity, masculinity and extremism’ – Monica Ali

In an East London borough, two second-generation immigrants search for a sense of identity and belonging amid a wave of online radicalisation and extremism. College student David survives through music and multiplayer video games. Attacked by his classmates for the controversial on-stage comments of his musical idol Karl Williams, he retreats into an online world of far-right ideologies and toxic masculinity. Hassan, too, is alienated from his friends, who drink, smoke weed and mock his volunteer work at the local mosque. As the young men struggle to find a path through a hostile-seeming world, their fates become tragically, catastrophically intertwined.

Order a copy of England is Mine by Nicolas Padamsee from the Essex Book Festival bookshop at bookshop.org

Nicolas Padamsee

Photo of Nicolas Padamsee credit Peter Arkley Bloxham

Nicolas Padamsee grew up in Essex. He holds an MA and PhD in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, and is one of the Observer’s best new novelists for 2024. He is the editor of Arts Against Extremism. He splits his time between Norwich and Upton Park, London.

Rob Jelly

Nicolas will be in conversation with Rob Jelly. As BBC Upload curator, Rob champions Creatives across the East of England on BBC Upload, a platform for authors, playwrights, film-makers and more.