rosseroo's review
4.0
From the author of the totally creepy Bunker Man comes another finely honed short novel set in the slightly askew world of northeast Scotland. The teenager on his own for the weekend has a fine tradition in modern fiction, and McLean adds to it with his tale of Patrick, an 18-year old in the tiny town of Blackden. Many familiar elements are present in his story: comic misadventure, unrequited admiration of an older woman, a somewhat manic personality, and alienation from his ostensible peers. He a hard worker and yet gentler and far more thoughtful than those around him. It's a truly affectionate portrait of a boy grappling with his place in the world. McLean's writing is both economical and evocative, as he vividly displays Patrick's life and surroundings.
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