Broch

In Graham Bullen's The Broch, a man running away from answers and towards his mortality in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, we follow Martin, who is locked inside the prison of his recently acquired alcoholism and is on a quest to fulfill the promise of a holiday booked weeks before his wife's sudden death. He stumbles upon a young woman lying next to a beached and dying whale and still has the seven remaining sachets of his wife's ashes to consecrate and consume. The book is a page-turner you don't want to miss, with echoes of John O'Brien's Leaving Las Vegas, Withnail and I, and Dr. Zhivago's yearning for his Lara.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2021
Publisher: Troubador Publishing

In Graham Bullen's captivating novel, "The Broch," we embark on a profound journey alongside Martin, a man grappling with the devastating circumstances that he cannot alter. Trapped within the confines of his newly acquired alcoholism, Martin embarks on a quest to fulfill a holiday promise made weeks before the untimely passing of his wife. Seeking solace in the reconstruction of an Iron Age dwelling overlooking the breathtaking expanse of the North Atlantic, he finds himself drawn to the nearby coastal peak known as The Clisham, where he plans to end his life.

As we delve deeper into Martin's story, we are confronted with a series of profound revelations, drunken misadventures, the indulgence of HBO boxsets, and the exploration of the finest whiskies from around the world. The narrative takes a surprising turn when Martin stumbles upon a young woman lying next to a beached and dying whale, reluctantly taking her under his care. With seven remaining sachets of his wife's ashes to consecrate and consume, as well as the looming threat of being tracked down by his grownup sons, Martin embarks on a final climb that holds the potential to shape his destiny.

"The Broch" echoes the poignant and humorous adventures of John O'Brien's "Leaving Las Vegas," with the northern lights serving as a captivating substitute for the neon lights of the city. It shares the same twisted yet hilarious essence as "Withnail and I" and carries a similar yearning for love and redemption, reminiscent of Dr. Zhivago's longing for Lara. This novel is a true page-turner that demands your attention and refuses to let you go until the very last page.

Weight: 308g
Dimension: 129 x 196 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800463196