Michael Mohammed Ahmad’s latest novel, Bugger, delves into the complexities of childhood, trauma, and familial relationships. Released by Hachette, this book challenges readers with its intense narrative, focusing on a day in the life of a ten-year-old boy named Hamoodi. The story unfolds in a world that is not only unwelcoming but also fraught with internal family struggles.
Ahmad, known for his previous works including The Tribe and the critically acclaimed The Lebs, constructs Bugger with a layered approach that examines race, class, gender, and power dynamics. Unlike the expansive societal critique found in The Lebs, this novel narrows its focus, spiraling toward a singular, devastating moment in Hamoodi’s life.
The protagonist, Hamoodi, is portrayed as a kind and curious boy yearning for safety and belonging. His innocence is starkly juxtaposed with the harsh realities of bullying and exclusion that he faces at school. When two classmates begin to target him, he experiences an unsettling awareness of his difference. He reflects, “They’re chatting and grinning to each other about something … pathetic, and I know that something is me.” This internal conflict highlights the complex emotions of a child navigating his identity in a new country.
Hamoodi’s parents, despite their intelligence and care, struggle to adapt to their new environment. They instruct their son to assimilate, advising him to “never name the mother-country” or speak his mother tongue. This insistence on erasure creates a poignant tension in the narrative, as Hamoodi grapples with his cultural identity.
The narrative shifts dramatically when Hamoodi’s father, a journalist, suddenly disappears. His absence transforms his mother, who becomes “a shell of herself,” prompting Hamoodi to take on the role of caretaker for her and his baby sister, Annabel. This heavy burden thrust upon a child raises questions about childhood innocence and the responsibilities that can unjustly accompany it.
As the story unfolds, Hamoodi’s older cousin, Alooshi, enters the scene. He embodies a mix of protection and violence, rescuing Hamoodi from bullies while simultaneously exhibiting an unsettling capacity for cruelty. This duality confuses Hamoodi, who struggles to reconcile Alooshi’s gentleness with his brutal actions. Ahmad captures this complexity with poignant prose, asking, “How is it possible that a person can shift … so easily?”
Ahmad’s skillful use of language also plays a crucial role in the narrative. The struggle for words reflects broader themes of silencing and the quest for expression. Alooshi’s challenges in articulating his thoughts become a metaphor for childhood trauma and the barriers to communication that often arise from abuse. The repeated rhythms and fractured lines in Ahmad’s writing evoke a sense of poetry, allowing readers to feel the weight of Hamoodi’s experiences.
While Bugger is a challenging read, it is not due to any shortcomings in Ahmad’s craft. Instead, the difficulty lies in the emotional demands placed upon the reader. Witnessing the harm inflicted upon a child is a heavy burden, and the narrative offers no easy resolutions. Hamoodi’s grim realization that he “will never sleep again” in a world where safety is elusive serves as a haunting conclusion to his story.
Questions linger throughout the book regarding the fates of Hamoodi’s father and uncle, as well as Alooshi’s past. These unresolved threads contribute to a sense of incompleteness in the narrative. While fiction is not obligated to provide closure, it does leave readers contemplating the purpose behind Hamoodi’s story. Is it a warning, an act of witness, or a reflection of personal trauma?
In the final pages, Ahmad presents a thought-provoking “un-acknowledgement,” stating, “How selfish of me to ask any dignified creature to share its burden?” This sentiment encapsulates the essence of Bugger—a demand for acknowledgment of the unspeakable. The novel invites readers to confront the harsh realities of childhood and the importance of giving voice to the voiceless.
Bugger by Michael Mohammed Ahmad is now available for A$34.99, and it stands as a compelling exploration of identity, trauma, and the quest for belonging.
