First published 2019
In the border town of West Inch, where Scotland meets England, young Jock Calder grows up under the distant but ever-present threat of Napoleon Bonaparte. The French emperor's influence stretches across Europe like a dark cloud, and even this remote community cannot escape its reach. As Napoleon's reputation for conquest spreads, the townspeople live with constant uncertainty about what the future holds. Jock must navigate the tensions between Scottish and English loyalties while the specter of war hangs over everything he knows. The emperor's ambitions cast their shadow across the borderlands, touching every aspect of daily life in West Inch. Through Jock's eyes, we see how ordinary people cope when great historical forces threaten to upend their world. This is a story about coming of age when the very ground beneath your feet feels uncertain, and about finding courage in the face of forces beyond your control.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: England, Scotland, West Inch
Period: 19th-century
96 pages · Paperback · Independently Published