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Having recently been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, it is no wonder that many people, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, are reaching for a copy of Shuggie Bain. Douglas Stuart has written this powerful debut novel drawing on his own life experiences.
Set in 1980s Glasgow, which seems to be unravelling under the weight of its own identity crisis, families struggle with unemployment, crushing poverty, and the waves of addiction that are engulfing much of the city. It is a book of both sadness and beauty, a chronicle of memorable characters, their defiance and hope in the face of the grim realities of life and survival.
I read this over the course of a few days whilst living in a bedsit, in my mid-teens and out on my own in the world — this book called to me profoundly. Its depiction of isolation, of the less discussed or socially acceptable experiences women go through, the inner life, mental health, sexuality, consciousness, all of those things — are depicted utterly brilliantly in this book. It became one of my favourites as soon as I read it. It is a classic work of literature.