The latest in the Birlinn’s Darkland Tales series—novellas about a moment in Scottish history by some of Scotland’s greatest authors—continues with David Greig’s Columba’s Bones. Each time one of these is published I say it’s the best yet, and I say it again here. Of course that’s recency bias and actually I couldn’t begin to separate them into rank, but it illustrates just how damn good this series is. After a viking raid on Iona seeking the titular bones of St Columba (the man credited/blamed with bringing Christianity to Scotland), a junior monk, a mead wife (woman who makes mead), and one of the vikings left for dead by his crew are all that remain on the island. If that sounds like it sits somewhere between the set up for a sitcom and a tragedy, then you’d be right, and Greig hits both targets dead on. Funny, violent, disgusting, beautiful, heartbreaking… there aren’t enough positive superlatives for this book or the series. More!
You finished! I am still in the first third of the novel. When did it even get published because I think I bought it as soon as it came out and I’ve been trying to read it for at least a year. It’s good though but you’re right it’s a lot like Museum of innocence.
Yeah it’s about a year. I powered through because it was starting to get oppressive. I often abandon bad books but this wasn’t bad and I did want to know what happened. It’s no surprise I went straight into poetry, short stories and novellas. It’s going to be a while before I embark on something that size.
You finished! I am still in the first third of the novel. When did it even get published because I think I bought it as soon as it came out and I’ve been trying to read it for at least a year. It’s good though but you’re right it’s a lot like Museum of innocence.
Yeah it’s about a year. I powered through because it was starting to get oppressive. I often abandon bad books but this wasn’t bad and I did want to know what happened. It’s no surprise I went straight into poetry, short stories and novellas. It’s going to be a while before I embark on something that size.