EMMA GRAE

Book: The Tongue She Speaks

Emma Grae’s debut novel Be guid tae yer Mammy (winner of Scots Book of the Year at last year’s Scots Language Awards) introduced readers to a fresh and exciting new writer, one whose determination to write in her own voice, and that of those around her, is central to her life and work. Her latest, The Tongue She Speaks , builds on that debut, and is further proof that Emma Grae is a writer to take note of. Set in Glasgow in 2007, 15-year-old Cathy O’Kelly is finding that teenage life is not necessarily as depicted in songs or on film. Suffering bullying from a young age, causing her to change schools, and having to deal with the untimely death of a family member, she struggles to make friends and to make sense of her world. Emo music and culture provides succour, with those who share her passion offering support and camaraderie.

The references are pinpoint accurate for the time, place, and people. Visits to the Cathouse and Borders, hanging outside GoMA while listening to Fall Out Boy and Wheatus, all add great colour and texture. The depiction of the highs and lows of those school years will ring true to most. But the book is so much more than noughties nostalgia, teenage daydreams and disasters. As with her previous novel, Grae’s writing has a real edge, addressing not only bullying, grief, and growing pains, but also mental health, therapy, and belonging. The numerous attempts to suppress and censor Cathy’s use of her language, whether spoken or in her writing – the other great passion in her life – is a clear reflection of Grae herself and some reactions to her work.

The real achievement of The Tongue She Speaks is that it’s simply wonderfully written, and an effortless read. It’s not great because it’s written in Scots: it’s great AND it’s written in Scots. The language is there to enrich and shape the characters. It is integral to who they are. Emma Grae is at the forefront of celebrating and promoting Scots, which is admirable, but that shouldn’t obscure the fact that she is proving to be a great writer, telling stories about those who are still too often missing from the page.

The Tongue She Speaks is available now, published by Luath Press

Alistair Braidwood