Glue
by Irvine Welsh
Glue by Irvine Welsh holds a well received rating of 3.84 out of 5, based on 9.2K reader ratings. First published in 2001. The book spans 556 pages.
About Glue
Glue is the story of four boys growing up in the Edinburgh schemes, and about the loyalties, the experiences - and the secrets - that hold them together into their thirties. Four boys becoming men: Juice Terry, the work-shy fanny-merchant, with corkscrew curls and sticky fingers; Billy the boxer: driven, controlled, playing to his strengths; Carl, the Milky Bar Kid, drifting along to his own soundtrack; and the doomed Gally - who has one less skin than everyone else and seems to find catastrophe at every corner. As we follow their lives from the seventies into the new century - from punk to techno, from speed to Es - we can see each of them trying to struggle out from under the weight of the conditioning of class and culture, peer pressure and their parents' hopes that maybe their sons will do better than they did. What binds the four of them is the friendship formed by the scheme, their school, and their ambition to escape from both; their loyalty fused in street morality: back up your mates, don't hit women and, most importantly, never grass - on anyone. Despite its scale and ambition, Glue has all Irvine Welsh's usual pace and vigour, crackling dialogue, scabrous set-pieces and black, black humour, but it is also a grown-up book about growing up - about the way we live our lives, and what happens to us when things become unstuck.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Irvine Welsh |
| Published | 2001 |
| Pages | 556 |
| Genres | Fiction, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery & Thriller, Mystery & Thriller |
| Average Rating | 3.84 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 9,184 |
Reader Ratings & Analysis
Rating Overview
How It Compares
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Glue?
Glue is categorized as Fiction, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery & Thriller. Its primary genre classification is Mystery & Thriller.
Is Glue worth reading?
Based on 9.2K reader ratings, Glue has an average score of 3.84 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is Glue?
Glue has 556 pages. It is a longer read suited for dedicated readers.
Who wrote Glue?
Glue was written by Irvine Welsh. It was first published in 2001.
What is the ISBN for Glue?
The ISBN-13 for Glue is 9780099436930.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
