A revealing and depressing account of life in a fictional Ayrshire town in the 50s. A critical view of a male dominated community where sexist attitudes prevail and the future prospects of young men seem limited.

It would be nice to think that attitudes have moved on in the nearly sixty years since this was written but lad culture, centred around drinking and womanising, still runs strong and the rise of the Tate brothers and their incel brethren signals a return of a toxic masculinity which damages both men and women.

None of the men in this novel, except perhaps Alec who rejects the pub culture, acquit themselves well. Sexual violence and domestic abuse are seen as normal by these men.

Dunky, the central protagonist, has rejected education and left school at 15 to work on a local farm. He has been mocked in the past for his erudition and experienced violence as the only solution to relationship issues. He wants to be a man.

Dunky has dreams but his experiences of love and work and sport dash his ambitions. We leave him dead drunk at a New Year’s Day Celtic-Rangers game revelling in the torrid and hate-filled atmosphere.

There is little optimistic in this ending but it is a story that needs telling and very apposite in current circumstances.

this book made me feel so sorry for our main characters life. what a hard and harsh world for a 15 year old to try and grow up into. there didnt seem the safe walls of kindness to help him deal with this time in his life and it all felt so bleak and with smudges of darkness to both his life and the small town he grew up in.
it felt like we were both watching this boy and inside this boys head as he tries to figure it all out. whilst all the time not knowing to question those around him or the lives lived around him.
it was such an immersive book though and i didnt think anyone could make me feel like i actually new what a 15 year old boy was thinking,seeing, doing quite so much as i think Gordan helped me to.
it was such an interesting read from the slang alone which i had to google a few times but this added to the fun for me.
the time Duncan is living in is a time shortly after the war. hes dropped out of school to become a laborer. it all seems to go towards Duncuns thinking and need to become a man.
i wouldnt say its an easy read. the narrowing of Duncan's life seems to be of his own and his surrounding making and at times it was quite uncomfortable at how depressing the outlook seemed and his thoughts alongside this. where his resentment grew his behavior followed and it all looked so sad for his future.
this was simply a really good book. i dont want to say i enjoyed it because this doesnt feel right to do! but enjoyed in the sense of a well written and captivating book it certainly was.