Overview

Buddha Da follows Jimmy McKenna, a Glasgow painter and decorator whose life changes after a chance encounter introduces him to Buddhism. What starts as curiosity becomes a serious spiritual commitment. As Jimmy spends more time at meditation classes and retreats, his wife Liz and daughter Anne Marie struggle to understand what is happening to the man they thought they knew. The story unfolds through all three voices, showing how one person’s search for meaning ripples through an entire family.

Writing & Voice

We found Donovan’s writing warm, funny and deeply human. The novel is written in Glaswegian Scots, but the voices are so natural and distinct that they quickly become part of the pleasure of reading. There is humour throughout, yet the book never treats its characters as a joke.

Content & Perspective

The shifting perspectives are one of the book’s greatest strengths. Jimmy sees Buddhism as a path towards a better life, while Liz often sees it as a threat to their family. Anne Marie is caught somewhere in the middle, trying to understand both her parents and her own place in the world. These competing viewpoints give the novel warmth, tension and emotional depth.

Themes

Buddha Da explores faith, identity, family and the search for purpose. It asks what happens when someone changes in a way that those closest to them do not understand. It is also about marriage, parenthood and the difficulty of balancing personal growth with responsibility to others.

What Worked

• Authentic Glasgow voices that feel alive from the first page.
• A compassionate family portrait with no easy villains.
• Humour and heart balanced with genuine emotional weight.

Minor Quibbles

• The dialect may take a few chapters to settle into.
• Some readers may want a faster moving plot.

Final Thoughts

We came away feeling this is one of those rare novels that finds drama in ordinary lives and makes it feel completely absorbing.

Rating: ★★★★★ / 5