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Muckle Flugga
- Author
- Michael Pedersen
- Narrator
- Jack Lowden, Tbc
- Publisher
- Faber & Faber
- Publish Date
- 31 July 2025
- Run Time
- 9 hours 56 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Traditional or cultural fiction and true stories, tales and retellings
- Rating
- 4.8 (12 reviews)
What to expect
NARRATED BY JACK LOWDEN
'A quirky and original debut that sizzles with scintillating prose.'
BERNARDINE EVARISTO
'Michael Pedersen is a rare writer of real passion and power and this debut is phenomenal.'
MATT HAIG
Life on a remote island is turned upside down by a stranger's arrival, testing bonds of family and tradition and leaving a young dreamer's future hanging in the balance.
It's no ordinary existence on the rugged isle of Muckle Flugga. The elements run riot and the very rocks that shape the place begin to shift under their influence. The only human inhabitants are the lighthouse keeper, known as The Father, and his otherworldly son, Ouse. Them, and the occasional lodger to keep the wolf from the door.
When one of those lodgers - Firth, a chaotic writer - arrives from Edinburgh, the limits of the world the keeper and his son cling to begin to crumble. A tug of war ensues between Firth and the lighthouse keeper for Ouse's affections - and his future. As old and new ways collide, and life-changing decisions loom, what will the tides leave standing in their wake?
User Reviews
Book 4.8
Narration 4.9
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4.0 5.0
Wonderful prose, extraordinary characters, with a dreamlike, almost hallucinatory quality. I gave it four stars rather than five because for me the slow pace meant that in places it lacked the momentum I prefer in an audiobook rather than a physical one
jackdor 2026-09-20 -
5.0 5.0
The writing and narration of this book is beautiful!
IncrediblyBookish 2026-05-11 -
5.0 5.0
Hauntingly beautiful. Superbly written and narrated. Maybe a tad slow to start but once the story builds the narrative is bold and story compelling. Saying it is a fantastic tale of love doesn’t do it justice. The love is raw and fierce, as is the island and the sea. You cannot help but become invested in how it manifests in multiple characters, how it lifts, shapes and breaks - moulded by circumstance and tradition. The story’s resolution is complete and satisfying - no spoilers here - and leaves you wishing once more to visit Muckle Flugga and all its wild glory.
katie.ht 2026-03-02 -
5.0 5.0
Wonderful book. So poetically written. And beautifully read.
nick_nz.scot 2025-12-23
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5.0 5.0
Absolutely wonderful; a joy from beginning to end.
cjlang 2025-10-23 -
5.0 5.0
Really enjoyed this. Beautifully written.
Meadfairy 2025-09-05 -
5.0 5.0
Absolute joy of a book. Jack Lowden's voice echoed the rugged, yet calming landscape throughout.
The setting of Muckle Flugga was beautifully rendered, allowing me to feel like I was at the edge of the world. Something I found completely compelling was the way the characters were so alive, so complex. I both cared deeply and hated them for some of their actions. It was a wonderfully realistic portrayal, even though the circumstances on such a remote island were pretty unique.
Its the writing that takes a quiet, yet life altering plot and guides the reader through the character's thoughts and steps. Michael Pederson treats the novel like poetry, in the sense that you feel the careful exactitude of the choices he's made. It feels very much like James Robertson's work, in sense of the beautiful amalgamation of Scots and English vocabulary and plots sitting on the history of our country. In saying that, the work is still unique and I never felt that the rich work was never a barrier, it is accessible and sparkling.
I love that Muckle Flugga gets to be added to one of my all-time favourite Scottish reads. Don't take that as not one of my all-time faves, as my fave Scottish books arr essentially my favourite books. There's something wonderful to feel a connection to fictional characters who are nothing like you.planteachread 2025-08-03 -
5.0 5.0
Loved it. Absolutely gorgeous writing and loved Jack's narration. The kind of story you don't want to end.
I also recommend "boyfriends" by Michael Pedersen.23 2025-07-31 -
5.0 5.0
I absolutely loved this book. The prose is gorgeous in the way it describes the land, sea, people and everything in between.
RLS has to be one of my favourite characters in a book EVER (he has his purpose, and I'm not about to spoil it for anyone!).
There's a hint of the fairytale about this book: the controlling father, the innocent son and a mischievous stranger.
Ouse, the son, is about to find his true self and insodoing change his life forever. I wish I could un-listen and listen to this again!ClareR 2025-07-29
Details
- Author
- Michael Pedersen
- Narrator
- Jack Lowden, Tbc
- Duration
- 9 hours 56 minutes
- Release Date
- 31 July 2025
- ISBN
- 9780571396696
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Faber & Faber
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Traditional or cultural fiction and true stories, tales and retellings
- Rating
- 4.8(12 reviews)
- Narration
- 4.9(12 reviews)
Synopsis
NARRATED BY JACK LOWDEN 'A quirky and original debut that sizzles with scintillating prose.' BERNARDINE EVARISTO 'Michael Pedersen is a rare writer of real passion and power and this debut is phenomenal.' MATT HAIG Life on a remote island is turned upside down by a stranger's arrival, testing bonds of family and tradition and leaving a young dreamer's future hanging in the balance. It's no ordinary existence on the rugged isle of Muckle Flugga. The elements run riot and the very rocks that shape the place begin to shift under their influence. The only human inhabitants are the lighthouse keeper, known as The Father, and his otherworldly son, Ouse. Them, and the occasional lodger to keep the wolf from the door. When one of those lodgers - Firth, a chaotic writer - arrives from Edinburgh, the limits of the world the keeper and his son cling to begin to crumble. A tug of war ensues between Firth and the lighthouse keeper for Ouse's affections - and his future. As old and new ways collide, and life-changing decisions loom, what will the tides leave standing in their wake?
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