John of John by Douglas Stuart
I root for this book to win the Booker Prize in the way I want the one movie I’ve seen to win the Oscar. I cannot speak to the other nominees, which may be excellent books. I can only say that John of John is worthy.
The first thing that drew me to this novel was that it is set in Scotland, a place that I’ve been visiting in books lately and feel an affinity for. The setting did not disappoint. While their existence can sometimes feel austere, the Outer Hebrides folk in John of John live a simple life amidst their neighbors. In our times of noise and distractions, that kind of life seems almost idyllic, until the underlying hardships emerge.
The main character, John-Calum “Cal” Macleod, is a twenty-two-year-old closeted gay man, who has been studying textiles at University in Edinburgh. But post-graduation, he’s finding it difficult to support himself, so when Cal learns from his father that his grandmother, Ella, is doing poorly, he realizes he can return home without his tail between his legs. He doesn’t necessarily want to go back home, but his poverty gives him no choice. He knows if he goes home, he will have to pretend to be someone he no longer is.
John Macleod, Cal’s father, thinks it’s time for his son to come home and work alongside him, managing the sheep and weaving the fine cloth he is known for. Of course John cannot say that he misses his son. He cannot express his need to have Cal home. Partly John’s inability to communicate is due to his role as his church’s precenter, the leader of congregational singing. This role places him in a minister-like position in the community. Unfortunately, because he sees himself as a moral leader, John cannot relate to family and friends honestly. Eventually that pressure nearly destroys him.
The reason Cal return’s to the island is his ailing grandmother, Ella. Before long readers understand she is not as unwell as we thought. Ella is a strong woman who wields her influence in small, clever ways, knowing full well that one doesn’t manage a prideful man like John Macleod by butting heads. Ella is the mother of John’s ex-wife, Cal’s mother, and not his responsibility except that he and Cal live in her croft and she cares for them by cooking and taking care of the house. At one point, she says that it was she who raised Cal, not John, who was often emotionally distant.
But Ella is eccentric. Her quirkiness quickly made her one of my favorite characters. While John attempts to exclude her by speaking Gaelic, she understands more than he knows. She isn’t blind to the secrets her son-in-law and grandson try so hard to hide.
Early on I knew the truth as well, that John and Innes’ relationship went beyond friendship. Innes is a simple man with few demands of life. He only wants what everyone wants, to live a good life with the person he loves. But John cannot allow himself to love honestly, and a person can only wait so long. I know I’m supposed to root for the main characters, but it was always Innes who tugged at my heart. It was always Innes who deserved to win.
John of John is a story of queer men who must live double lives. It’s a fact of the human story that has always made me sad, having to hide who you are.
This book has all the things that appeal to me in a novel: rich domestic interiors, attention to the small details of daily living, and escalating tensions between family members and neighbors. The language is simple but beautiful, poetic at times, and Stuart really understands how to present the impact of even the smallest detail.
Most of the conflicts in this novel are internal and that’s the problem. None of these men can express how they really feel. They can’t seem to say directly what’s on their minds.
In many ways, John of John is a story of a prodigal son. But to me the true prodigal is the father himself, who cannot swallow his pride even for those he loves. He wastes so much of his life, and consequently others’ lives as well.
If I had any criticism of this novel it would be how frustrating it is that these men are so stubborn, so unwilling to act in their own best interest. They let things go on too long, to agonizingly long. But that’s realistic, too. The lack of moral courage is a common human failing.
I listened to the audiobook read by Scottish actor Lorne MacFadyen, who did a superb job. I’m a sucker for a Scottish accent and I loved every spoken word. MacFadyen was able to differentiate each character well. I highly recommend this version of the novel.