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Electric Brae (novel)
Encyclopedia
Electric Brae: A Modern Romance was the first novel by Scottish
writer Andrew Greig
. The title is a reference to Electric Brae
in Ayrshire
, where a natural optical illusion makes it seem that things can roll uphill.
rig, who divides his time between his affair with temperamental artist Kim Russell (born Ruslawska) and rock climbing
. The narrative describes Jimmy's stormy relationship with Kim, and events affecting their circle of friends, especially Jimmy's climbing friend Graeme and his bisexual partner Lesley. Set in various parts of Scotland, especially Orkney, the book describes the two men's ambition to climb the Old Man of Hoy
.
The main story is framed in a memory game Jimmy is playing with Kim's daughter.
The author has described the book as 'a modern romance without heather or hardmen'. It was shortlisted for the McVitie's Prize for Scottish Writer of the Year.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
writer Andrew Greig
Andrew Greig
Andrew Greig is a Scottish writer. He grew up in Anstruther, Fife. He studied philosophy at the University of Edinburgh and is a former Glasgow University Writing Fellow and Scottish Arts Council Scottish/Canadian Exchange Fellow...
. The title is a reference to Electric Brae
Electric Brae
The Electric Brae is a gravity hill in Ayrshire, Scotland where cars appear to be drawn uphill by some mysterious attraction. The Lowland Scots word brae means a hill-slope or brow , and the "electric" name was given when electricity was a new technology associated with strange forces.There is more...
in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, where a natural optical illusion makes it seem that things can roll uphill.
Plot summary
Jimmy Renilson is an engineer aboard a North Sea oilNorth Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
rig, who divides his time between his affair with temperamental artist Kim Russell (born Ruslawska) and rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
. The narrative describes Jimmy's stormy relationship with Kim, and events affecting their circle of friends, especially Jimmy's climbing friend Graeme and his bisexual partner Lesley. Set in various parts of Scotland, especially Orkney, the book describes the two men's ambition to climb the Old Man of Hoy
Old Man of Hoy
The Old Man of Hoy is a sea stack of red sandstone perched on a plinth of igneous basalt rock, close to Rackwick Bay on the west coast of the island of Hoy, in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It is a distinctive landmark seen from the Thurso to Stromness ferry, MV Hamnavoe, and is a famous rock climb...
.
The main story is framed in a memory game Jimmy is playing with Kim's daughter.
The author has described the book as 'a modern romance without heather or hardmen'. It was shortlisted for the McVitie's Prize for Scottish Writer of the Year.