On an island like no other, populated by writers, the annual Brilliant & Forever Festival is a much anticipated event; its participants a story away from either glory or infamy. This year, three best friends - two human, one alpaca - are chosen to compete, so victory is not only about reward.
This is a novel like no other; a wonderful, provocative tussle, a whip-cracking, energetic, laugh-out-loud satire on what we value in culture, and in our lives. And yet, written with exquisite warmth and empathy, it's also a moving exploration of integrity, friendship and belonging. It'll split your sides and break your heart.
Kevin MacNeil is an award-winning writer from the Outer Hebrides now living in London. He is a novelist, poet, editor and screenwriter. The Brilliant & Forever is his third novel.
Full of wry detail and satirical flourish, a demonstration of virtuoso storytelling. MacNeil atomises the process of othering by which communities define themselves. All of that makes it sound overly serious, which it isn’t: MacNeil’s prose style keeps things light, lyrical, and funny'
~The Skinny
It is a joy to read such an engaging, luminous novel'
~The Guardian
Lyrical, satirical, funny and utterly, utterly heartbreaking'
~Heat Magazine
MacNeil shows himself hugely adept at creating a series of distinctive literary voices, and skilfully weaves these various set-pieces into the main narrative before finally poleaxing the reader with a completely unexpected tragicomic final act . . . a wise warm-hearted meditation on the human condition'
~Scotsman
Reading The Brilliant & Forever, I felt I was in possession of something really special, far bigger than the sum of its words… It is truly original & memorable, heartbreaking & funny, a bit like life itself...'
~Vivian Bannerman, Main Street Trading Company
Ultimately, this is a book about how everyone has a story worth telling, and one worth hearing too. Terrific stuff'
~Independent
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