Reviews with content warning for Racism - Shuggie Bain

Bleak, raw and deeply tender, Shuggie Bain is the story of a working class family’s daily struggles in Glasgow in the 1980s, at the peak of the Thatcherite years.

Interesting, despite its namesake, the entire book actually centres around the life and actions of Shuggie’s mother, Agnes Bain; a woman whose pride is continually bruised and questioned, and though it occasionally falters she is steadfastly determined never to let it crumble entirely, so long as she lives. A woman who always has fresh stockings and a pristine house, even when the very fabric of her life is fraying all around her. A woman who longs so desperately to be loved, and yet her own children’s same yearning for her own love cannot save her from her addictions. Agnes is fierce, stubborn, and deeply fallible. Her husband, also named Shuggie (aka Big Shug) is a taxi driver who uses his career to get away from the tumultuous family home (and often, closer to other women), and it is his involvement (or often, lack of) in the Bain family’s life that drives the events of the novel.

Shuggie Bain is a novel packed full of poverty, hardship and adversity; honestly, in many places it is bleak. But it also paints a rich picture of a too often disregarded or forgotten sector of society - and it’s packed with characters who you cannot help but give your heart to. I felt for Agnes so deeply on so many occasions; but honestly think my favourite character was Leek, Shuggie’s older brother who reluctantly waits to fly the nest to try and ensure Shuggie gives himself the best chance of dodging the relentless bullying at school and has an ally when it comes to safely putting their drunken and comatose mother to bed at night.

I also loved the subtle undertones of queer identity and discovery that Shuggie finds himself grappling with; a large part of me wanted this to be explored and developed futher, or brought more to the forefront of the narrative at times, although there is also a part of me that loved how understated it was and how it did not become the primary focus of the plot.

I genuinely can’t get my head around the fact that this is a debut - I also picked up Young Mungo in Edinburgh whilst I was still reading this and I honestly can’t wait to get stuck into that too!

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Racism

TW: alcoholism, sexual assault/ rape, homophobia, racism, suicide Bleak, raw and deeply tender, Shuggie Bain is the story of a working class family’s daily struggles in Glasgow in the 1980s, at the peak of the Thatcherite years. Interesting, despite its namesake, the entire book actually centres around the life and actions of Shuggie’s mother, Agnes Bain; a woman whose pride is continually bruised and questioned, and though it occasionally falters she is steadfastly determined never to let it crumble entirely, so long as she lives. A woman who always has fresh stockings and a pristine house, even when the very fabric of her life is fraying all around her. A woman who longs so desperately to be loved, and yet her own children’s same yearning for her own love cannot save her from her addictions. Agnes is fierce, stubborn, and deeply fallible. Her husband, also named Shuggie (aka Big Shug) is a taxi driver who uses his career to get away from the tumultuous family home (and often, closer to other women), and it is his involvement (or often, lack of) in the Bain family’s life that drives the events of the novel. Shuggie Bain is a novel packed full of poverty, hardship and adversity; honestly, in many places it is bleak. But it also paints a rich picture of a too often disregarded or forgotten sector of society - and it’s packed with characters who you cannot help but give your heart to. I felt for Agnes so deeply on so many occasions; but honestly think my favourite character was Leek, Shuggie’s older brother who reluctantly waits to fly the nest to try and ensure Shuggie gives himself the best chance of dodging the relentless bullying at school and has an ally when it comes to safely putting their drunken and comatose mother to bed at night. I also loved the subtle undertones of queer identity and discovery that Shuggie finds himself grappling with; a large part of me wanted this to be explored and developed futher, or brought more to the forefront of the narrative at times, although there is also a part of me that loved how understated it was and how it did not become the primary focus of the plot. I genuinely can’t get my head around the fact that this is a debut - I also picked up Young Mungo in Edinburgh whilst I was still reading this and I honestly can’t wait to get stuck into that too!