The bravest and brightest of memoirs to come out for some time. De Garis writes with strength on racism, trauma and addiction and leaves the reader feeling hopeful that, with compassion and persistence, anything is achievable

A searingly honest, raw and visceral read... In short it is a triumph

Tells the truth of rural Scotland through worlds spun from a creative mind' 

An incredibly powerful debut, Drystone is an account of survival, strength, and quiet transformation that stays with you long after the final page. Written with clarity and compassion, it reflects not only life’s hardest moments, but its tender, deeply human ones too. A life-affirming work

Drystone is as beautifully rendered as the walls De Garis creates

Drystone doesn’t pull any punches, it’s shockingly frank but also has the most beautiful literary touch. The child picking up a satisfyingly smooth pebble, the adult surviving what is thrown at her.

Honest, funny, direct and moving, this is a memoir of resilience and finding the life that suits you

Absorbing, enraging, funny and moving, like a Scottish mixed-race Monica Heisey with bonus dry stone walling, De Garis unpacks the effects of racism, intergenerational trauma, and undiagnosed neurodivergence on her relationships and life, deftly interweaving the work of walling with the slow, deliberated work of rebuilding something beautiful, functional and sustainable

Written with raw clarity, acerbic humour and emotional honesty... written from the perspective of a single life, but with a sensitivity to the depth and breadth of its underlying themes that will make it speak to many other lives

While De Garis’ memoir has its share of bleakness, Drystone is filled with moments of humour. Her writing style makes for a readable, and emotionally balanced, experience

The craft of Drystone only occupies a small portion of the book, but it supplies the central metaphor of taking something apart and rebuilding it more strongly... uncompromisingly honest

This is a brave, tender and at times difficult to read book, for it is also unputdownable

With splashes of humour, this memoir skilfully sets out the difficulties of managing a childhood move from town to country, racism and bullying, and the traumas borne of an uncertain start in life. Never dwelling overly long on its powerful central image of drystone walling, this beautiful book illustrates how a shift in pace, embracing non-traditional work and family structures, and hard-won self-learning can make for a far more fulfilling life