When They Lay Bare

I have just read this book after reading Greig's `Electric Brae' - an exceptionally fine book. The story line of `Where They Lay Bare' is complex and beautifully woven. It uses as a framework the ballads of the Border County, between Scotland and England. The narrative forces the reader to see events from multiple perspective (a feature of Greig's work) and there is a pervasive ambiguity as to voice, purpose and direction. There is a wide and convincing range of psychological and emotional states, needs and agendas. The effect is captivating, haunting and - for me at least - quite jarring and unsettling. The evocation of the Scottish Borders is beautiful (I am an expatriate Scot), with a sustained lyrical and poetic language that is rich and memorable. The writing is exceptional. The story is carefully crafted with a great deal of mystery and violence just below the surface. There are twists and turns right up (as they say) to the very last page. A haunting and disturbing book that mirrors with remarkable detail the emotional complexities and depths of the Border ballad while maintaining a terse vigour. Greig has crafted an exceptional work and demonstrated once again his well deserved status in contemporary literature.This is a wonderful book. I greatly enjoyed reading it and I'm about to read another of Greig's books (That Summer). He is a remarkable writer. Personally, the rich use of Scots (which should not deter the non-Scots speaker) was evocative and enriching. It is exciting to see that this quality of lyrical and creative literature is coming out of the `auld country'. I highly recommend this book.

This book is the best novel I have read for a long time. It reads like poetry, with not a word out of place: the story line is gripping, and now, days after having finished it, the characters are still all running around in my head, refusing to go away. Beautiful and spellbinding, I'd recomend it to anyone. The style reminds me a little of Janet Turner Hospital--another author I admire.