As a first novel, this is as good as they come. Raisin's debut, God's Own Country, is a poetically written tale of one misunderstood teenager, maturing amongst the beautiful yet disturbing Yorkshire countryside. The story revolves around Sam Marsdyke, a late-teen expelled from school after an alleged rape, and his cynical narration as he watches life pass him by. The modernisation of his village and the pursuit of townie-turned-farm girl Josephine Reeves seem to be Sam's prominent thoughts. However, his approach is both humorous and unsettling as he decapitates chickens and feeds worms to the neighbours.      Raisin's refreshing writing style takes the dialect of Trainspotting and relocates it to the Moors. It is written with an initially confusing vocabulary, but once the language is grasped, the storyline retains your focus. With riveting plot and unpredictable main character, Ross Raisin has established a promising start in writing.