Arbuthnot Books

A small imprint for fiction and ideas.

Robin "Rob" Williams

Fictional character · In Palace of Tears

Rob is a poet whose first collection is accepted by Grassmarket Books. He works hard, receives editorial criticism constructively and continues to champion Steve’s poetry. He is not simply a rival: he is also one of Steve’s most reliable supporters.

His claims about Steve as a “real poet” belong to the novel’s debate about artistic vocation rather than constituting an objective verdict.