#3 in Contemporary fiction
Shuggie Bain
- 538
- Pages
- about 10 h
- Reading time
- Booker Prize
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
About the book
Shuggie Bain is the debut novel by Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart, published in 2020. It tells the story of the youngest of three children, Shuggie, growing up with his alcoholic mother Agnes in 1980s post-industrial working-class Glasgow, Scotland.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.5 across 289 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 61% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Contemporary fiction average of 8.3. That is how 8.5 comes out. A further +0.10 comes from the small bonus for major awards.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.4 | 15 | 5% |
| Hardcover | 8.5 | 274 | 95% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“Throwing in the towel. It's not poorly written or offensive, but it is tedious. Poverty and alcoholism suck, yes. Yes, it is difficult being gay, especially a few decades ago. I didn't find this insightful or unique or educational in any way, and it's almost 500 pages long.”
Frequently asked
What is Shuggie Bain rated?
8.5 out of 10, from 289 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is Shuggie Bain worth reading?
Readers give it 8.5/10 from 289 ratings, which puts it ahead of 96 % of the Contemporary fiction shelf.
How long does it take to read Shuggie Bain?
About 10 hours at an average reading pace — 538 pages.
Where does Shuggie Bain rank?
#3 in Contemporary fiction on the current snapshot.
How long is Shuggie Bain?
It has 538 pages — longer than 70% of the ranked books in Contemporary fiction.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Contemporary fiction — with scores between 8.3 and 8.5, closest to this book.
