Highland life

 

    I introduced Jane Duncan's novel My Friends the Miss Boyds the other day and gave a flavour of it on Saturday; now I've read the book I can tell you what a delight it is. Taking the form of a 'chronicle' written by Janet Sandison looking back to the events of her childhood (specifically when she was eight), it's an account of life in the Highlands at the end of the Great War. This is no sentimental, tartan and heather story, though; it's a warm and intelligent look at a vanished way of life.

    Janet lives with her extended family at Reachfar, a croft near the village of 'Achcraggan' in the Black Isle. Content much of the time with her own company or that of her dog, Fly, her uncle George or farmhand Tom, she runs errands for her grandmother, takes her turn with farm chores and works hard at school. The family's standing in the close-knit community means that they are highly respected and often looked to when help is sought, and when the Miss Boyds come to Achraggan, the Sandisons are indeed needed.

    The six spinster sisters from Inverness are the cause of a raised eyebrow or two in the village through their simpering, embarrassingly flirtatious ways, but when one of the younger Miss Boyds brings trouble on the house, things take a more serious turn.

    There are some great set-pieces and many passages which had me in stitches - the speech patterns and vocabulary ('deaved', 'half-yoking', 'fushionless', 'thrawn', 'spae-wife' - I'll translate if you want!) reminded me strongly of my grandmother who came from that part of the country and was just a little older than Janet was at the time the book's set; but it's also a poignant story, finely done and keenly observed. I loved the book and I hope that Millrace will re-issue more of Jane Duncan's novels.  

Comments

[Linda Gillard]

Thanks for this recommendation. I often come across battered copies of Jane Duncan's books in secondhand bookshops but I didn't know anything about her and the naff dustjackets haven't proved sufficiently enticing to make me part with my money. But your review has now made me want to look out for her.

[Sandy]

okok .. I give in.

I'll give it a whirl

:-)

[Cornflower]

Linda and Sandy: good!

[Linda]

I read all the 'My Friend...' books many years ago and loved them all. I always fancied going to the Black Isle and Jemimaville, the town where the first books were based on but have never got round to it and I only live along the Moray Firth coast from there but have never made it. All the 'My Friend...' books are wonderful and take you from the North of Scotland to the Caribbean. Amazing journeys and inspiring writing.

[Cornflower]

Linda, I didn't know that some of the books were set far from Scotland (though I read that Jane Duncan lived abroad for some time). I'm looking forward to reading more of them.