The Crow RoadThe Crow Road
Score Modern
What it's about
It opens on 'the day my grandmother exploded.' Prentice McHoan comes home to his complicated Scottish family for a funeral and starts digging into questions about the McHoan past, present and future.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's darkly funny and moving family storytelling with a mystery at its heart.
You'll love it if you liked
The Wasp Factory
Brideshead Revisited
The Secret HistoryGood to know
It mixes comedy and grief, starting from that famous first line.
By the numbers
- Readers78 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #112 of the 333 science fiction books we rank
- #161 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #613 of the 1,648 modern books we rank
- #1185 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Thought-provoking, Adventurous
More by Iain Banks
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Quick answers
Is The Crow Road worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,185 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Crow Road about?
It opens on 'the day my grandmother exploded.' Prentice McHoan comes home to his complicated Scottish family for a funeral and starts digging into questions about the McHoan past, present and future.
How long does it take to read The Crow Road?
About 13 hours (501 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Crow Road?
If you liked it, try The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh or The Secret History by Donna Tartt.