Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon📖

Summary of Sunset Song

“Sunset Song” tells the story of Chris Guthrie, a young woman growing up in a dysfunctional family on a farm in Kincardineshire, north-east Scotland, around the year 1900. Following her mother’s death, Chris chooses to remain on the farm with her brother and authoritarian father rather than pursue her studies in the city. She later marries Ewan Tavendale, a kind-hearted farmer who is sent to fight in the First World War.

Reasons to read Sunset Song

“Sunset Song” portrays a strong woman in the Scottish countryside, and blends realism with drama – including frank depictions of sex and suicide that were considered controversial at the time of publication. The novel captures the harsh realities of rural life in early 20th-century Scotland. Written in a mixture of English and Scots dialect, with long, lyrical passages, it is not an easy read, yet it is widely regarded as a classic of Scottish literature. In 2016, “Sunset Song” was voted ‘Scotland’s Favourite Book’ in a poll by BBC Scotland. Lewis Grassic Gibbon is often cited as the most influential Scottish novelist of the early 20th century. “Sunset Song” is the first part of his trilogy “A Scots Quair”, followed by “Cloud Howe” and “Grey Granite”.

Setting: Kincardineshire (Scotland, UK)

“Sunset Song” is set in the fictional parish of Kinraddie, located in Kincardineshire (also known as ‘The Mearns’), in Scotland. Kinraddie is thought to be inspired by Arbuthnott, where Gibbon himself grew up.

Original title: Sunset Song

Year of publication: 1932

Nr of pages: 288