Shuggie Bain - has anyone else read it?

foxie48

So bleak and sad but a very compelling story about living with an alcoholic parent and how the children are constantly let down by a mother who is so addicted to alcohol that it is always the most important thing in her life. Probably the truest picture of addiction that I have read but not an easy read at times. Highly recommend.

I agree with your comments entirely. A very graphic depiction of the effects of alcoholism on the wider family, particularly children.

FannyCornforth

Missismac

FannyCornforth. Re. My username - it’s nothing to do with Take The High Road, which I’ve never seen, just a play on my name

Here she is! She was played by ‘show business legend’ Gwyneth Guthrie

I’ll have to seek it out and have a look at my namesake

I've read it, a deserving winner.

I have it on my Audible but I've only listened to about a fifth of it as I really wasn't enjoying it. Bleak is an understatement! I have listened to some quite difficult stories but this was hard to like. Just my opinion.

I'm reading it now, almost at the end. It's utterly heart breaking at times, you almost have to stop reading, the casual cruelness makes you despair of humanity. The level of poverty is just soul destroying and sadly there are many still living like that in our country.

Ive tried twice to read it. I just can't its so bleak. It breaks my heart. It sits on my coffee table to remind me how very lucky I am.

I read it last summer during the stringent lockdown here in Spain. Boy it was grim. It was well written and deserved the Booker imo. My heart was in my mouth several times. Each time Agnes makes an effort to stop drinking I was so hopeful for her to do it. It brings home how alcoholism destroys relationships. Years ago someone said to me ‘even a bad mother is a good mother to the child’.

It’s heart rending, shameful and upsetting. Some families go through the mill. Plus it demonstrated that even in poverty, a neighbourhood watches and judges. There’s a pecking order in all groups it seems.

Think I'll give book club a swerve this month. This book isn't for me, judging on the reviews on here.

I'm reading it now. I nearly gave up after the first few pages but pressed on as it is for a book club. My main objection was that it is written in dialect, which I hate, but it got easier as I read on and now I am actually enjoying it. It is very grim indeed though. Poor Shuggie and Leek. What a childhood.

Exactly as Greyduster said.