SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2016
The year is 1869. A brutal triple murder in a remote community in the Scottish Highlands leads to the arrest of a young man by the name of Roderick Macrae. A memoir written by the accused makes it clear that he is guilty, but it falls to the country s finest legal and psychiatric minds to uncover what drove him to commit such merciless acts of violence. Was he mad? Only the persuasive powers of his advocate stand between Macrae and the gallows.
Graeme Macrae Burnet tells an irresistible and original story about the provisional nature of truth, even when the facts seem clear. His Bloody Project is a mesmerising literary thriller set in an unforgiving landscape where the exercise of power is arbitrary.
Interesting and riveting, though poignant and contemplative read about a triple murder in a tiny remote 19th century Scottish community. The self-confessed murderer is a teenage boy, clearly 'pushed over the edge' by many awful factors, in an already punishingly hard life. The latter part of the book centres on the subsequent court case, at the root of which is the issue of the youth's sanity. It was never going to be a happy ending, given that ultimately, brutal murders have been committed. Would recommend.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book. Couldn't put it down once Id got into Roddy's account of the events leading up to the gruesome triple murder followed by the trial. Whilst reading Roddy's interpretation of his life I felt sympathy for him, his abusive father, death of his mother, his sister Jetta and her suicide and the relentless vendetta of Lachland Broad against his family and unrequited love from Flora. Then the trial with various character analysis of Roddy (even down to his lopsided ears!). I did feel sad that he was found guilty and not found to be "insane". Then only showing emotion when he was hung? Strange also how we didnt know all the facts about Floras death until the trial. Why hadnt he written the whole truth in his account? Lots to discuss on this book I think! Well written,engaging throughout. 9/10
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a clever idea to take a true crime case and weave it into a part fictional story, making it a more harrowing read.It was interesting to learn about both the harshness of the peat farmers’ way of life and the feudal system that governed them. I felt a real sense of empathy for Roddy and his family, tirelessly mocked by the local bully, Lachlan Broad, who also sexually abused Roddy’s sister Jetta. It highlighted how misunderstood Roddy was by most of the locals, who treat him sadly like the village idiot. Only Mr Sinclair and Roddy’s teacher see glimmers of how intelligent he really was and how different his life could have been. The harsh reality of losing his mother young and being reared by his emotionally stunted father obviously also conspired against him. However, nothing can quite prepare the reader for the horrific way in which he exacts his revenge against the Lachlan family, questioning the reader to ask if he was really mad enough to kill or did circumstances collude to push him over the edge?
ReplyDeleteSad but gripping! 8.5 (Angela)
Wendy:
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this book and although a sad ending it was a bit of an anti-climax at the end as you thought they'd take into account how he was driven to Lachlan's murder. Not sure why he had to murder the children and yes surprised by the extent of Flora's attack. Gave a good feel of life at that time and how they lived in almost poverty. Liked the way it was written though not sure what the expert added. Not sure I'd read any more from this author. 6/10
His Bloody Project
ReplyDeleteGill: I enjoyed this book, not sure why considering it was full of sadness and people with grim lives. But the author drew you into the bleak lives of the main characters, and I felt the pain of the McRae family, from frustrated Roddy to the put-upon Jetta who had such a terrible life from the drudgery of taking her mother’s place looking after the family, to the repeated rapes, and the horrific beating from her father.
It was such a sad tale, but I was drawn into the lives of the villagers. It could have been quite an idyllic setting had it not been for the vileness of a few individuals.
I was shocked to find out that Flora and her young brother were murdered by Roddy, and the description of the incident didn’t go down too well as I was eating my breakfast at the time. Why did he kill them? Maybe he actually was momentarily driven to madness.
As it became clear that Flora had been subject to rape, I assumed her injuries were old and I wondered if it could have been her father, in which case he deserved his come-uppance even more. I didn’t think it could have been Roddy as it was his account of events that we read about which I took to be true, so I was quite shocked, but then I supposed it explained the way he positioned Flora’s body on the table, mimicking what he had seen Lachlan do to Jetta.
At the end, I got a bit bored by the long paragraphs about whether someone was diagnosed as insane or not. I’d felt quite sorry for Roddy’s character throughout the book, and thought of him as a sad boy who was largely unloved, bullied, and who led a miserable life. But the suggestion of him raping Flora changed all that. He went from a seeker of justice for his family, to the worst sort of individual.
7/10
What tough lives those Highlanders had! And not that long ago, still in a feudal state.
ReplyDeleteI liked the first part of the book where the stage was set and Roddy's intelligent and informative narrative took you to his miserable life. Got a bit bored with the trial as it just went over the same events without the interesting bits.
There was never going to be a happy ending and probably execution was the best option, as if he wasn't slightly unhinged by his circumstances, he would have gone mad living the rest of his life!
I reckon it was Lachlan or his gormless brother (or both!) that deflowered poor Flora! But we will never know....
Great that it was based on a true story but could have been much shorter 6/10