Muckle Flugga by Michael Pedersen book review

Muckle Flugga by Michael Pedersen reviewed by local councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes

Muckle Flugga, the first novel from award-winning Scottish poet Michael Pedersen, draws you in from its first line.

Named for the second most northerly island in Scotland, it captures the life of its sole inhabitants, the recently widowed lighthouse keeper known as The Father, and his creative, sensitive son Ouse. The final inhabitant of the island is his imaginary best friend, Robert Louis Stevenson. Yes, that Robert Louis Stevenson…

To make ends meet, the pair occasionally take in lodgers who come to study the birds on the remote island. The arrival of Firth, an eccentric writer from Edinburgh who appears from under a dark cloud, widens their world as their fragile and isolated existence enters into a spin.

Pedersen’s prose retains the lyricality of his poetry, it is a joy to read. In Muckle Flugga, he captures remote island life in all its facets, both harsh and beautiful. The characters of our three men, grappling with their troubles and desires in life, are reflected in their environment.

This is a glorious epic, full of flawed characters that capture your heart. 

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