Heartland: A Novel

by John Mackay

A man tries to build for his future by reconnecting with his past, leaving behind the ruins of the life he has lived. Iain Martin hopes that by returning to his Hebridean roots and embarking on a quest to reconstruct the ancient family home, he might find new purpose. But as Iain begins working on he old blackhouse, he uncovers a secret from the past, which forces him to question everything he ever thought to be true. Who can he turn to without betraying those to whom he is closest? His ailing mother, his childhood friend and his former love are both the building - and stumbling - blocks to his new life. Where do you seek sanctuary when home has changed and will never be the same again?

Genres: Scotland, Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sense of place on the Isle of Lewis is wonderful. A skeleton found buried in the floor of an old family blackhouse, a missing hiker, and a long ago death of a friend add up for a good solid mystery. Love his books!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was recommended to my by a facebook group. I'm so glad. It was beautifully written and had a quiet but compelling story. I look forward to reading his other two books set in the Outer Hebrides.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This was his land. He had sprung from it and would return surely to it. Its pure air refreshed him, the big skies inspired him and the pounding seas were the rhythm of his heart. It was his touchstone. Here he renourished his soul.

"A man tries to build for his future by reconnecting with his past, leaving behind the ruins of the life he has lived. Iain Martin hopes that by returning to his Hebridean roots and embarking on a quest to reconstruct the ancient family home, he might find new purpose.

"But as Iain begins working on the old blackhouse, he uncovers a secret from the past which forces him to question everything he ever thought to be true.

"Whop an he turn to without betraying those to whom he is closest? His ailing mother, his childhood friend and his former love are both the building and stumbling blocks to his new life.

"Where do you seek sanctuary when home has changed and will never be the same again?"
~~back cover

Heartland is a metaphor for the changes that modern life brings to even the remotest outpost, changes that force people to either cling to the past with grim tenacity, to try to find a path between the old and the new, or to completely discard the old ways of the past and forge ahead to rootless, modern life. Iain is caught squarely on the horns of this dilemma, this Hobson's choice, at the same time uncovering a secret that uproots everything he has based his life on the island on. He literally has nowhere to turn for answers, for solace.

The book follows him as he veers from one possible answer to the next, following him through what he assumes to be the answer, only to have it upended. This book will enthrall you, both with it's descriptions of the lonely haunting Herbridean island landscape and seas, and the struggle to find truth in a desolation of faint hints and inner torment.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was honestly riveting. I loved it, and I have so many thoughts about it.

My first thought is: This is basically the same story as The Blackhouse by Peter May, and this one came out 5-8 years before The Blackhouse! Amazing that Peter May’s book is famous and this one is barely known. I suspect that relates largely to the publisher and the promotional work. (Peter May is an established author with a whole promotional machine behind him, and I think this guy is just writing for fun.)

This guy, John MacKay: Apparently he is very well known all across Scotland, because he’s a TV news anchor. I had never heard of him before.

Lastly: This was a great story, and I hope to read more by John MacKay. This was a “brooding” story, entrenched in the Hebrides. John MacKay is not from the Hebrides, so I’m all the more impressed by how he wrote the setting. This was another (semi-)cosy written by a man, focused on a male protagonist, and I really liked it. This protagonist had lots of depth and was reflective. (He was imperfect, but he was a very good guy.) There is tons to think about after reading a book like this—what is home; can you go back to an isolated home; can you re-establish childhood friendships; how to do you go on after your marriage fails; and, what is the point of life?!

I still can’t believe this unknown book basically scooped The Blackhouse and no one seems to know it.

[Caroline Sharp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. Enjoyed his first book but this one was overwritten, slightly hard work and just stopped, rather than finished.

[Robina Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

His usual standard of writing - manages to evoke the sense of living in the Hebrides & what that entails on the modern era. I loved tge story too 👍

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writings were just underwhelming but there’s some good parts too. I love the story, it’s simple. But the story could’ve been more.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting is: a successful city businessman is being divorced and, tiring of city life, he decides to return to his childhood Hebredian island home. He has a passion to restore an old family traditional dwelling. Then he finds a body...

From this point on suspicions and paranoia set in. He starts to question the actions and motives of previously trusted family and friends.

This novel is fairly successful in creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic tension.

All in all, worth a read.

[Helen Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not actually a sequel to "The Road Dance", though it mentions a number of events & people from it, and it is also set on the island of Lewis. Like the first book, it has a mystery that is not resolved until the end.

[Guido · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story from Carloway, Isle of Lewis, in Scotland. Interesting, if slightly drawn out.