Be guid tae yer Mammy by Emma Grae – book review

Be guid tae yer Mammy by Emma Grae, reviewed by Keira Brown, Renfrewshire Writers Forum Coordinator.

From journalist and fiction writer, Emma Grae, comes this moral tale of legacy, family values, relationships and secrets that are intrinsic to many families.

Be guid tae yer Mammy, published by Unbound, is a life-affirming tale set in Glasgow, and written in Scots, that opens the door for you to discussions around family dynamics, illness and the significance of living life.

Kate and her granny Jean seemingly have nothing in common. Jean’s great claim to fame is raising her weans without two pennies to rub together, while Kate is an aspiring scriptwriter whose anxiety has her stuck in negative places which grind away at her self-esteem.

With family politics, drama and court cases all affecting the Stirling family’s perception of Jeannie, it’s easy for there to be ill-feeling on all sides. 

However, what Jean’s family don’t know is that she dreamed of being a film star and came a hair’s breadth away from making it a reality.

It’s only through her correspondence with Hollywood star, Lizzie, that her family come to realise the life she almost had, away from weans, a drinking husband and an oft selfish family. 

Now in her nineties, Jean is a force to be reckoned with. However, a fall and a formidable age along with family circumstances means it’s not long afore she is to be found in a care home.

This in itself presents many surprises along the way. A heart-warming though routinely unsettling family tale, Emma Grae’s book is a blessing in terms of tying generations to each other, harnessing a respect for each other despite the sizable gap. 

Be guid tae yer Mammy by Emma Grae is out now, published by Unbound. For more book reviews, please click here.