I’ll be honest, my main interest in this book came when it won the 2020 Booker Prize and I was curious if it would live up to the hype. Suffice it to say, it did.
In an oversimplification, this is a book about longing: longing to be accepted, longing for bigger and better, longing for normalcy, longing for love, and longing to be enough. This is a theme each character grapples with, but especially Shuggie, who grows up knowing he’s different and longing not to be. It’s a story of strain put on families, both economic and social, and the fight for survival, even at an early age.
While Shuggie, the youngest of the three Bain children, provides the title for the book, the story encompasses
various character perspectives through which a story of poverty, alcoholism, religious division, and familial love and loyalty is told. The bulk of the story focuses on the Bain children, primarily Shuggie, growing up in Glasgow in the 80s, providing insight into a time and place not widely represented in popular fiction. The portrayal of ingrained Protestant/Catholic tensions and the reality of the working class during the Thatcher-era are particularly compelling, broadening an understanding of Scotland and the people who call it home.
Douglas Stuart, a Glasgow native, portrays his hometown through colloquial words and descriptions. Being familiar with Glaswegian phrases is not a prerequisite for understanding the book and should not dissuade people from reading it. However, in an effort to help out my US-readers, I’ve compiled a few phrases/words that would be helpful to understand:
“doubt” – cigarette-butt
“messages/going for messages” – groceries/grocery shopping
“fizzy ginger” – soda/soft drink
Orange – color associated with Protestants
Rangers – Protestant-associated football team
Celtics – Catholic-associated football team
While Shuggie Bain is by no means a light, easy read, the gravity of its material should not exclude it from your TBR list. Stuart paints a provocative picture of family and survival that is well worth its Booker Prize.
Personal rating: 8/10
Recommend? Yes
Re-read? Not now, but I eagerly anticipate Stuart’s next novel
Time: 1:59