A review by nolawords
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This book was my constant companion the past few weeks, setting a tender, bleak, and dreary tone that seems to match the winter. Reading this, I felt it evoked part reading experiences of Demon Copperhead, Angela’s Ashes, and A Little Life. This story tackles topics of abandonment, abject poverty, addiction, abuse; despite it all (like a little thread that winds throughout), there is hope a better station may lie ahead.

I found this book quite impressive and thought Stuart did an excellent job bringing the characters to life; he created complex introspective perspectives that, despite the characters' shortcomings, allowed the reader to hold tenderness for them and not lose complete empathy. Particularly, I thought the way the novel explored the nuances of addiction (and the experiences of those living with a loved one with substance dependence) was artfully done. Shuggie Bain is not a light one and deserves a reading experience entered in care.

4.5 stars.
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