In this adult gothic fairytale Finton Moon is an unusual child who feels like an alien. A gentle soul growing up in the rough town of Darwin, Newfoundland, he lives with his strict Catholic mother and grandmother, lawless father and two older brothers. But Finton’s parents quickly discover that he is extraordinary—for he has been born with the ability to heal with his hands While Finton Moon wants nothing more than to belong, he lives in a world that sees him as other, and his greatest fear is that he will be trapped forever with these people who both misunderstand and abuse him

Gerard Collins’ first book, the short story collection Moonlight Sketches won the 2012 NL Book Award and his first novel, Finton Moon, has already won the Percy Janes First Novel Award. He’s won several arts and letters awards, been shortlisted for the Cuffer Prize, published in Hard Ol’ Spot, Zeugma and various other anthologies. He has been a guest speaker at numerous literary festivals and taught workshops in writing for youth. He has a Ph.D. in English and teaches at Memorial University.

Gerard Collins' profile page

• Long-listed, IMPAC Dublin Award

“Finton Moon” reminded me of great novels like “David Copperfield,” “Of Human Bondage,” “Sons and Lovers,” “Jane Eyre,” and “Catcher in the Rye.”

And Gerard Collins deserves much credit for exploring ideas common to these works within the Newfoundland and Labrador milieu.