John of John: Douglas Stuart Navigates the Silent Shores of the Outer Hebrides

Douglas Stuart, the acclaimed author behind the Booker Prize-winning "Shuggie Bain" and the bestselling "Young Mungo," finds himself amidst a whirlwind of literary celebration as his latest novel, "John of John," makes its UK debut. Fresh from a soundcheck at London’s iconic Union Chapel, Stuart, 49, shared insights into his demanding promotional tour, a testament to the significant anticipation surrounding his third novel. "I haven’t had a day off in three weeks," he admitted, highlighting the "full on" nature of his current schedule. This extensive tour, encompassing 16 dates across the UK and Ireland, underscores the status of "John of John" as a major literary event, further amplified by its selection as the 123rd book for Oprah Winfrey’s influential book club.

Heralded by many critics as Stuart’s finest work to date, "John of John" marks a geographical and thematic departure from his previous novels, which were predominantly set in the East End of Glasgow. The new novel transports readers to the rugged, windswept landscapes of the Outer Hebrides, specifically the Isle of Harris, in the early 1990s. At its heart is John-Calum Macleod, known affectionately as Cal, a 22-year-old gay art school graduate living in Edinburgh. Cal is compelled to return to his ancestral home on Harris following news of his grandmother Ella’s ill health, a summons delivered by his formidable father, John.

John Macleod is depicted as a man deeply entrenched in the island’s conservative traditions. A devout follower of the Free Presbyterian church, a sheep farmer, and a weaver, he embodies the stoic resilience and deep-rooted faith that characterize much of Harris life. His inability to comprehend his son’s perceived effeminacy, his religious indifference, and his disinterest in the demanding labour of maintaining their croft creates an immediate chasm between father and son. The novel intricately explores the weight of expectation and the crushing force of societal norms within this isolated and unforgiving community.

Within this environment, Cal finds himself forced back into the closet, grappling with his identity and the scarcity of genuine connection. The narrative poignantly explores his search for companionship, or at least fleeting intimacy, amidst the island’s solitary male population. Simultaneously, John grapples with his own deeply suppressed homosexual desires, a secret torment that has endured for decades. His clandestine relationship with a neighboring sheep farmer, Innes, is a source of profound internal conflict, a painful dichotomy between his fervent love for God and his forbidden love for another man. Stuart captures this internal struggle with searing eloquence: "He loved God. He loved Innes. He loved God and God hated how he loved Innes."

A Landscape Steeped in Tradition and Silence

The genesis of "John of John" can be traced back to a pivotal visit Stuart made to the Outer Hebrides in 2019, a period just before "Shuggie Bain" was released and he was contemplating his next literary endeavor. Having grown up in poverty in Glasgow, Stuart had experienced limited exposure to his native country. The journey to the Outer Hebrides was an exploration, a search for a narrative that might resonate within a region possessing distinct cultural identities.

"I went to the Outer Hebrides thinking that maybe there might be a novel, or a story there," Stuart explained. "If nothing else, I would have discovered more about my own country. It was almost a little bit of an indulgence." He began in Vatersay, the southernmost island, and journeyed northward, eventually finding himself captivated by Harris. The island presented a compelling confluence of elements: the heritage of tweed weaving, the evolving landscape of crofting, the enduring presence of the Gaelic language, and, crucially, the island’s profound adherence to a strict form of Presbyterianism. These factors, he noted, were less pronounced on other islands.

The stark beauty of Harris’s east coast, described by Stuart as a "lunar landscape," cast a spellbinding effect. He was struck by the "diluted landscape," where dwellings are sparse, the terrain is predominantly rocky, and the soil is thin. This environment evoked a sense of profound resilience: "God, people living here are really holding on." This initial encounter with the island’s unique character and the implicit challenges of its existence laid the groundwork for the novel’s central themes.

The Weight of Legacy and Unspoken Truths

Stuart’s exploration of themes such as silence, duty, and the erosion of character in "John of John" draws a stark parallel to Kazuo Ishiguro’s "The Remains of the Day." This thematic resonance is deeply rooted in Stuart’s personal biography. Having lost his mother at the age of 16 and never knowing his father, he experienced a profound sense of familial severance. "I was suddenly the only person in my family lineage," he reflected. This experience has fostered a lifelong curiosity about the complexities of familial bonds, the obligations owed to parents and grandparents, and the delicate balance between maintaining one’s individual identity and fulfilling familial roles.

The pervasive silence in the novel is a direct echo of Stuart’s upbringing in Glasgow, where emotional truths were often suppressed. "Men were so silent," he recalled. "We did everything to avoid talking about emotional truths. We were carrying a lot of frustration, a lot of feelings of being unloved and unworthy. To deal with that, I think we just didn’t talk about anything." "John of John" thus becomes an examination of this silence, posing the question: "How can I have two men living in a house where it’s so close that it’s almost claustrophobic, where they work together, worship together and live together, where they love one another, and they cannot say the thing that will free them or change everything for them?"

This preoccupation with characters and communities left behind resonates across Stuart’s body of work, often reflecting the socio-economic impacts of neoliberal policies. His formative years in Glasgow, marked by high unemployment rates and a perceived lack of governmental support, have shaped his narrative focus. "When I was growing up in Glasgow, unemployment was at 26 per cent," he stated. "The government knew that and did nothing to help the community. I watched men really struggle to make a living. And I knew the government didn’t care."

The novel’s setting in the pre-internet era is deliberate, as Stuart sought to capture a specific moment in the islands’ history before the advent of digital connectivity began to reshape their social and economic fabric. The internet, while offering opportunities for remote work and second homes, has also contributed to rising property prices, displacing younger generations and impacting the island’s ability to sustain its community. "I wanted to record that," he emphasized, highlighting the delicate balance required to preserve the islands’ vitality.

Faith, Sexuality, and the Burden of Invisibility

Religion plays a multifaceted role in "John of John," presented as both an oppressive force and a source of meaning for its characters. Stuart’s research into the Free Presbyterian community on Harris revealed a complexity that transcended initial perceptions of harshness. He discovered a community characterized by gentleness, a strong focus on family and community, and an inherent generosity, all underpinned by a demanding path to spiritual salvation. The doctrine of predestination, where individuals are born in sin and only a chosen few are saved, creates a spiritual landscape fraught with both potential divine grace and inevitable damnation. Stuart was particularly fascinated by the "duality between these kind and gentle people, and this hard religious belief."

As a novelist, Stuart approaches his subjects with a commitment to depicting life’s complexities rather than offering polemical statements. His personal journey, marked by the intersection of his identity as a gay man and his respect for faith, informs his nuanced portrayal of this often-contentious relationship. The Free Presbyterian emphasis on the "inevitable word of God" renders homosexuality a sin, and, in a deeply ingrained societal view, effectively non-existent. This has historically rendered queer individuals on the island invisible, regardless of their religious affiliation. Stuart’s narrative attempts to address this invisibility, particularly through the experiences of the three queer men in the novel, framing it as a deeply personal, familial issue.

Resisting the Conventional Narrative Arc

Stuart consciously eschews a traditional emancipatory coming-out narrative in "John of John," a decision he attributes to both artistic choice and a deep respect for the island’s unhurried rhythm. "That’s a cliché," he stated, referring to the expectation of a conventional liberation story. "Also, as an urban writer, I had to submit to the heartbeat of the islands, which is slow and considered. I couldn’t rush in, as I did with ‘Young Mungo’."

He further distinguishes between being gay and experiencing attraction to other men, particularly within the context of John Macleod’s generation. While Cal, influenced by 1990s art school culture and the post-AIDS epidemic era, identifies as gay, John lacks the societal frameworks and community to conceptualize himself as such. For John, his attraction to men is simply a sin, a private struggle devoid of a broader identity.

The novel’s thematic register also differs from Stuart’s previous works. While "Young Mungo" delved deeply into themes of sexual and violent abuse, "John of John" shifts its focus towards familial disappointment, duty, and care. This deliberate change in tone reflects a personal desire for gentleness, both towards the world and himself. "I wanted to be gentler on the world, and I wanted to be gentler on myself," Stuart explained. He describes "John of John" not as a dark novel, but as a narrative about a family burdened by long-held secrets that have inflicted pain. The novel’s exploration of these unspoken truths and their corrosive effect on familial relationships offers a profound and moving portrait of life on the remote shores of Harris.

"John of John" is available now. Douglas Stuart is currently on tour; tickets can be purchased at www.douglasdstuart.com.