Overview

Scabby Queen follows the life and death of Clio Campbell, a fiercely political activist, one-hit pop star, and unforgettable presence whose suicide forces those who knew her to reevaluate her legacy. Spanning decades from the miners’ strike through major protests and cultural shifts, the novel pieces together memories, love, loss, and contradiction.

Writing & Voice

We found Innes’s writing vivid and layered, blending political energy with intimate storytelling. She moves between characters’ voices without losing clarity, giving texture to both personal and collective recollection. The tone is compassionate but unsentimental.

Content & Perspective

The narrative unfolds through perspectives of friends, lovers, collaborators, and even rivals of Clio. We see her life in fragments, from anarchist squats to festival stages, from Glasgow to London and beyond. This mosaic approach shows how memory can be both revealing and elusive.

Themes

Scabby Queen explores fame, feminism, activism, and the cost of uncompromising commitments. It questions how movements remember their icons and how individuals reconcile affection with criticism. We were struck by its mix of humour, pain, and political pulse.

What Worked

• Rich social and political texture woven through personal story.
• Strong character voices that feel distinct and authentic.
• Structural ambition that mirrors memory itself.

Minor Quibbles

• The shifting viewpoints can feel dense at first.
• Some readers may want a more linear storyline.

Final Thoughts

We found Scabby Queen bracing and compassionate, assembling politics, friendship, and grief into a portrait of a woman remembered through contradiction, affection, and unfinished arguments.

Rating: ★★★★☆ / 5