Boys Don't Cry

Dante , a driven seventeen-year-old, is on the cusp of adulthood, waiting for his A-level results that will determine his future. He dreams of university, a career in journalism, and escaping his working-class life. His family—his pragmatic father and younger brother Adam —are his support system, but also a source of pressure. The morning is tense, filled with Dante's hopes and fears, until an unexpected visitor arrives, setting off a chain of events that will upend his carefully laid plans. Dante's ex-girlfriend Melanie appears at his door, pushing a buggy with a baby girl named Emma . The en

Theme 1: Results Day Nerves

This thread running through Boys Don't Cry gives the story its emotional weight. Malorie Blackman weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

Theme 2: Melanie's Return, Baby in Tow

This thread running through Boys Don't Cry gives the story its emotional weight. Malorie Blackman weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

Theme 3: Fatherhood Revealed

This thread running through Boys Don't Cry gives the story its emotional weight. Malorie Blackman weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

What Readers Say About Boys Don't Cry

Boys Don't Cry has resonated with readers for its emotional honesty and vivid storytelling. Many describe finishing it in a single sitting — drawn forward by Malorie Blackman's prose and an almost desperate need to know how it ends.

A Passage Worth Sitting With

"Results Day Nerves" — Malorie Blackman, Boys Don't Cry

About the Author

Malorie Blackman is the author of Boys Don't Cry. Known for emotionally resonant storytelling, their work has found devoted readers across the globe.