Douglas Stuart, the Booker Prize-winning author, returns with a new novel set in the Outer Hebrides, exploring gay love and loneliness against a backdrop of religious repression. The story follows 22-year-old John-Calum Macleod, or Cal, as he returns home to the island of Harris after studying textiles in Edinburgh. His father John, a precentor in the Free Presbyterian church, summons him back under the pretext of his grandmother's illness, but the true reasons are more complex.
The novel opens with a ritual phone call where John reads from the New Testament in Gaelic and demands Cal sing back. This sets the tone for a relationship marked by control and disapproval. John is disturbed by Cal's appearance, particularly his long red hair and feminine style, and the tension between them escalates into violence. Cal's homecoming is further complicated by his childhood friend Doll, who rebuffs him, and his growing attraction to Innes MacInnes, his father's only friend and a confirmed bachelor.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that John and Innes have been secret lovers since their teenage years, a relationship hidden from everyone including Cal. Their bond is tested by John's other liaisons and the threat of homelessness, but John is tormented by his faith, believing God hates his love for Innes. The novel delves into themes of self-contempt, deceit, and the contradictions between personal desires and community expectations.
Set in the 1990s, the book is a reimagining of the prodigal son parable, examining the half-lives of queer men forced to love in silence. It combines pastoral drama, family fracture, and a love story, exploring loneliness between fathers and sons, lovers, and man and God. Stuart's narrative is both intimate and epic, offering a poignant look at the struggle for connection in a repressive environment.
