Review of Buddha Da by Anne Donovan

I recently joined a book group because I love to read and thought joining a book group would introduce me to books of different genres. At our very first meeting we were instructed to suggest a book for the group to read. I had no idea what to suggest and began wandering around the book shop where our meeting was held. I came across Buddha Da by Glaswegian author Anne Donovan.

I asked the shop owner her opinion and she offered her recommendation saying it was about a Glaswegian man who discovers Buddhism and how his journey affects his family. Being familiar with Glaswegian wit I thought a Glaswegian discovering Buddhism had the makings of a good comedy. It was funny in parts but there was much more depth to the book than I expected.

From the first words on the page I was entranced by the Glaswegian dialect that it is written in. Being an American living in Glasgow I hear the dialect everyday but this is the first time I've read a book written completely in Glaswegian. I did not find this difficult to read and really felt it enhanced the story. The author uses the perspective of the three main characters to narrate the story. Her seamless style switches between the different viewpoints without confusing the reader. This style allows the reader to really empathise with each character in turn. The chapters are headed with each character's name so following along with who is speaking is very simple and the author does an exceptional job of establishing each character's voice.

Liz (the wife) and Anne Marie (12 year old daughter) can not understand why Jimmy (the father) is interested in Buddhism and they honestly don't think he will follow through with it. Surprisingly he does follow through because it offers him a sense of calm and peace that really draws him in. As he begins introducing different aspects of Buddhism into his life he also begins to distance himself from his once close nit family. This wedge continues to widen until eventually he leaves home. Ironically his search for peace creates discord with the people he is closest too.

I could not put this book down as I was so enthralled with the characters I was hooked to the end. I won't say much about the ending as I don't want to ruin it for those who may wish to read it themselves, but I can say it has an unexpected ending. I also really enjoyed reading a book that was set in my local area. The author did a great job with the descriptions and being familiar with all the places she described was an added bonus. Even if you have never been to Glasgow you will be able to picture it and enjoy this book.

Add your Comments

Please sign in to add comments

Comments on this article