ReadingTheDots@social.vivaldi.net"John of John" by Douglas Stuart. My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Published in 2026.
Book description: A vivid and moving novel following a young man returning to his Hebridean island home, a portrait of a close-knit community and a fraying family, of a father’s expectations and a son’s desires. Out of money and with little to show for his art school education, John-Calum Macleod takes the ferry home to the island of Harris to find little has changed except for him. In the windswept croft where he grew up, Cal begrudgingly resumes his old life. Cal wonders if any lonely men might be found on the barren hillsides of home, while John is dismayed by his son’s long hair and how he seems unwilling to be Saved.
In some ways, this was a sad and somewhat disturbing read. Yet, I did enjoy many aspects of it because it points out the always ongoing generational conflict of values and old versus new.
baxaphobia@caneandable.social 4 days ago
@ReadingTheDots @bookstodon Glad you like the book
@baxaphobia @bookstodon I did, though parts of it were very sad. Thanks for mentioning that you read it. I hadn't heard of it before.
baxaphobia@caneandable.social 4 days ago
@ReadingTheDots @bookstodon Yes, there were a lot of parts that were very sad. It was extremely well written and the characters were developed very well. A great story.
@ReadingTheDots @baxaphobia @bookstodon It's on my wishlist. I just haven't gotten around to getting a copy.