John of John – Douglas Stuart

READ FOR BOOKERTHON

John of John is set on the remote Scottish Isle of Harris, where John-Calum Macleod returns home after studying art in Glasgow. Struggling to reconcile his sexuality and artistic ambitions with the expectations of his troubled father, Cal finds himself caught between family loyalty and personal identity. Set within a close-knit Presbyterian community, the novel explores masculinity, faith, repression and the tensions between tradition and modern life.

Eventually, after a little more whiskey, Innes said, ‘I feel stuck and I don’t know how to unstick myself.’ Cal bumped his shoulder into Innes’s. ‘Are you sure you don’t like being stuck? Isn’t there a comfort in sticking?

SUZY
● John of John felt suffocating. In terms of the setting, we typically imagine a beautiful coastal environment to be uplifting and freeing. Instead, it felt oppressive and overwhelming with the threat of the mainland ever present and worrying. 

The reader is let in on a big secret near the start of the book and this was a smart choice by the author. Rather than leaving the reader dangling and frustratingly trying to make sense of clues along the way, I was instead an ally and accomplice filled with gentle hope. 

This book was beautifully written and despite not being a dry-stock farmer in Scotland I felt there was a lot for me to relate to and empathise with. 

One niggle was the rapid conclusion of multiple storylines in such a short timeframe at the end of the novel. This felt quick and urgent, and slightly discordant compared to the achingly slow pace of the rest of the story. 

RACHEL
● John of John began slowly but it didn’t take long for the plot to rev up and the characters to reveal themselves. They are complex individuals so perhaps the slow introduction was best. The pace seemed intentional, moving in rhythm with island life and the considered way residents analysed one another and moved about in their daily activities. This pace allowed plenty of time for the reader to immerse themselves into the story. I did feel like I was standing on the wind-swept isle alongside Cal and his family, bearing witness to the secrets and behaviours.

The story picks up towards the end, although I found this a little disappointing as the many hurried conclusions felt convenient. However, it is the character and relationship development throughout the book that makes it worth reading. Some of the allowances characters made for one another were heart-breakingly realistic. This is a book that is easy to recommend and will appeal to many readers.

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Published 2026
Grove Press
416 pages