Sunset Song

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View books by Lewis Grassic Gibbon.

A fantastic, moving novel - if hard to read at first! - Rated
Many people seem to think this novel is "about" Chris, the central female character. Personally I thought it was about rural Scottish life in the early 1900's, and how a particular community comes to be affected by issues far outside of its own borders and its own control.

The close relationships and way of life within a community such as this, means that even very trivial events or actions carried out by an individual all carry great importance to others. Gossip and rumour necessarily play a significant role in the novel.

The unique writing style of the novel does initially make it very hard to read. Sentences are long, and are often not restricted to a single subject or idea, but once the reader learns to engage with the narrator and understands the style, it is like being told a story by a trusted friend.

By the end of the novel, the reader can closely identify with each of the characters, and as their individual fates are decided, it is impossible not to feel a high degree of sympathy for each of them. I personally found it a very moving read - but must admit that had I not had to study this book as part of my degree, I may well have put it down early on and not picked it back up - that would truly have been a great shame. Stick with it, and you will be glad you did!

My favourite book. - Rated
A beautiful book, full of beautiful language. This book engages the reader and paints a beautiful picture of life before the first world war and through it. I have read this book so many times and yet it still reduces me to tears. The book is on the Scottish higher curriculum, and so many people's memory of it is of a boring, scholarly dissection. It should be read for pleasure.

very real and honest portrayal of a young woman - Rated
I admit first of all, I found the dialect of this book difficult to get into. Thank God there was a list of translations at the back. However after I got into the rhythm of the language, the story itself revealed the truth, hardship and joy of a farmers life.
Chris the heroine, gives up her dreams of becomming a teacher, and any fancy notions to work her family farm.
The brutality and drive of her father, and his incredible influence over the whole family unit, is uncompromising.
Gibbon, brings the whole community of Blawarie, to the book, their prejudices and ways of dealing with issues.
The depiction of how WW1 affects the community is brilliant in its understatement and utter devastation, not only of people but of a whole way of life and it's effect on the environment.
Sunset song reads like a song, a ballad of a way of life, that WW1 helped destroy.

Amazing - a must for any young girl - Rated
Unflinching and honest portrayal of a young girl growing up, and facing hardship. Beautifully written in (what Gibbon himself admits is) pseudo-Scots dialect, this book thoroughly blew me away.

Considering this is written by a man, this book is incredibly realistic at conveying Chris's feelings and thoughts as she faces adulthood, sex and generally growing up. A must for any teenage girl to read, and wonderful for those of us slightly older too!

Definitely worth avoiding. - Rated
Like so many people who've reviewed this book, I was also required to read it as part of my English higher. It was the first year that the book was required reading. And even since then, I've not been able to enjoy this.

The story revolves around the main character growing up in a rural farming town, where not much happens. Events in the book such as her parents deaths and her falling in love, are connected by long strings of nothing else much happening. The main character is utterly uninteresting and very bland - her goal in life seems to evolve into little more than be a good wife.

The reflection of rural life, to be honest with you, makes me glad that I live in a city. Entire chapters are dedicated to discussing the local gossip and rumour. In fact, gossip seams to be the only consistancy that holds this book together. And more often than not, it's not even pleasant gossiping - I recall one example where characters discuss the death of their new vicar from influenza (if I recall correctly), and decide through the course of their gossip that his death was a result of his different accent leading him to pronounce 'God' differently from the locals. Excuse me, but if this is the type of rural lifestyle that the book is meant to capture, you'll forgive me if I stick to living in large cities.

By the end of the book, really nothing has been accomplished. The main character has decided that she loves her local community (she obviously has less sense than her brother, who joined the war and might have actually made a relatively interesting story) and... that's it. At the time, our teacher told us that this book was part of a trilogy. If the other two parts are as tedious as this one, I think I'll stick to Tolkien.