This gets a solid four-and-a-half-star rating from me. It's tough to believe Douglas Stuart is a first-time novelist: "Shuggie Bain" is so tightly written and plotted and evokes the seamier side of Thatcher's Glasgow so vividly. I appreciate that he didn't cop out with happy denouements, neatly tied-up endings, and characters who were all black or all white. And the final chapters are close to perfect. The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is that a few parts felt repetitive and a few of the jumps from one character's POV to another were confusing. (I'm persnickety when it comes to handing out five-star ratings!)

Thank you, Grove Atlantic and NetGalley, for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.