Hame, n., Scottish 'home': a valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin
"Hee-ra-haw, boys,
We're awa, boys,
Gangin hame
Tae Fascaray."
— Chorus of Hame Tae Fascaray, Grigor McWatt, 1946
At a loose end after her relationship has imploded, Scottish-Canadian archivist Mhairi McPhail uproots with her nine-year-old daughter to her ancestral homeland. She is tasked with writing the biography of Grigor McWatt, the secretive and cantankerous late Bard of Fascaray.
The story is told alternately through clippings from McWatt's newspaper articles, his poetry, Mhairi's diary and extracts from her completed biography.
Published in 2017 novel, Hame is Annalena McAfee's second novel.
This book provides examples of:
- Artistic License – History - Many of the most famous events in the latter half of 20th Century Scottish history are relocated to Fascaray: Vandalism of Pillar boxes using Elizabeth II 's regnal number, Gigha's use of Community Buyout Initiative, and the Seven Men of Knoydart become Fascaray's Famous Five.
- Broken Pedestal - By the end of the book, McWatt has fallen massively in Mhari's estimation.
- Completely Unnecessary Translator - As far as Mhairi is concerned, Ailish, her assistant's translation of her interviewee's Scots into Standard English fits this bill.
- Composite Character - McWatt is very much a composite of many famous 20th Century Scottish literary figures
- His Anglophobia and use of Scots language in his poetry is reminiscient of Hugh MacDiarmid.
- McWatt's eccentric dress is similar to Sorley Maclean (Somhairle MacIlleathain).
- His toxic relationship with Lilias Hogg seems based on George Mackay Brown and Stella Cartwright.
- Gavin Maxwell also famously owned a number of otters.
- Foreshadowing - A falling-out between McWatt and MacDiarmid hinges on the fact that the latter abandons Scots in his later works, and McWatt makes much of the fact his erstwhile friend's birth name was the more English Christopher Grieve. We later find out that the two poets are alike in more ways than just their poetic stylings.
- Given Name Reveal - The revelation that Grigor McWatt was born Geoffrey Watkins is a major revelation.
- Historical Domain Character - McWatt was an occasional drinking buddy of many of the Scottish literati mentioned above.
- Man in a Kilt - McWatt's carefully constructed image features a kilt, and it is mentioned at one point he is actually the only Fascaradian to own any highland dress.
- Playful Otter - Subverted, as McWatt's pet otters are vicious beasts, one of whom is responsible for the loss of at least one two.
- Scottish English - McWatt is a strong proponent of Lallands, and the text is interspersed with many examples of the famous poems he translated into the language.
- Struggling Single Mother - Mhairi is this to Agnes, but mostly just in an emotional sense. She's so wrapped up in her work that she doesn't really devote much time to her daughter.
- Trumplica - Archie Tupper, the American Billionaire who wants to build a golf course on Fascaray, uses a lot of Compulsory Purchase orders and interferes with a local's water supply is absolutely not Donald Trump.
- Tuckerization - Many famous musicians are referred to during the text, most of them having covered Hame Tae Fascaray. Examples include Bob Dylan, The Proclaimers, Shooglenifty, Dolly Parton, KT Tunstall, and Callum Rae and The Corellas.
- Untrusting Community - It takes McWatt the better part of 60 years to finally be considered a true Fascaradian, although Mhairi and Agnes are adopted more quickly.
