book

Shuggie Bain

Douglas Stuart

2020

10

One of the things that continues to draw me to literary fiction is when an author can draw me into an unfamiliar setting and elicit empathy; I feel this is one of the ways we can best grow and understand those around us, and become fuller people in service of the world. In Shuggie and Agnes Bain, Douglas Stuart has dazzlingly accomplished this. This is such an up-close and personal, and most importantly, honest look at how love can hurt us, our hearts reaching out with everything they have to help those dear to us, sometimes coming up short despite our best efforts. The way he writes about addiction in this community is so honest and vivid that I can almost feel the frigid Glasgow wind beating against my pea coat, walking alongside Shuggie and Leek in the abandoned colliery or seeing the city lights reflected in Agnes' wet eyes. A truly stunning novel that I will never forget.

Reviewed on Sunday, January 21st, 2024, 5:21pm.

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