It is Scotland in the early eighteenth century. Fear and superstition grip the land. Robert Wringhim, a boy of strict Calvinist upbringing, is corrupted by a shadowy figure who calls himself Gil-Martin. Under his influence Robert commits a series of murders which he regards as 'justified' by God under the tenets of his faith.
Hogg's masterpiece is a brilliant portrayal of the power of evil and a scathing critique of organised religion. Superbly crafted and deftly executed, it resists any easy explanation of events: is this stranger a figment of Robert's imagination, or the devil himself?
| ISBN: | 9781786891860 |
| Publication date: | 4th January 2018 |
| Author: | James Hogg |
| Publisher: | Canongate an imprint of Canongate Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 336 pages |
| Series: | The Canons |
| Genres: |
Classic fiction: general and literary |