Reviews with content warning for Rape - Young Mungo

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Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

585 reviews

deanbaghdadi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think the way it goes between past and present is interesting and elevates the book. It’s a hard read with the content but very interesting.

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imsaneipromise's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I don't understand people who compare this book to a little life, or say this is what it was trying to be. I haven't read a little life but I know it was written with intent to be gratuitous trauma porn. That's not what young Mungo is, or is trying to be.

A book about a young gay boy growing up in the east end of Glasgow in the 90s was always going to be sad and difficult, because life was sad and difficult. It wasn't about writing something shocking and upsetting, it was about writing something real. Lots of people are saying the descriptions of violence were unnecessarily explicit, but isn't that one of the things that made you feel so deeply while you were reading it?

I'm of the opinion that some of the best books are ones that elicit visceral responses, because you can literally feel the impact being had on you. I cried while I read this book, and felt joy and heartbreak and despair and hope.

Aside from that, I read this book in two parts because life got in the way, and ended up spending a lot of time in Glasgow in between. It was pretty special to read a book that started off as pure fiction, then continued with being able to imagine the characters standing in those real life places where I'd also stood, or how the sun bounces off the tenements, or how the close stinks of piss.

I think the ending is so fitting too. The happiness and hope of knowing James is alive and finally leaving, paired with the anxiety and foreboding of the police sniffing around about the two deaths, not knowing if Mungo will join James, if Mungo will ever leave the east end. Life has no certainty,

and as a brutally honest book it stays true to itself to the very end.

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frankieclc's review

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5.0

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bobinsbooknook's review

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Truthfully, I was a bit apprehensive picking this audio book up as I’ve heard such good things but knew it was a character orientated storyline over traditional plot which are not my usual favourites…safe to say Young Mungo did NOT disappoint!

Douglas Stuart’s writing style captures the emotions and development of his characters so vividly and approaches tragic themes with a sense of tenderness which will break hearts!

I was entranced through my whole time listening and feel emotionally spent after reading and left with such a heavy heart. The character dynamics change so much in a way which felt real and organic that I can’t quite describe and the whole book took me on such an emotional rollercoaster.

Easily one of (if not THE) best book I’ve read this year and will be looking to get my hands on a physical copy ASAP as I almost want to start the book over right now and read it all over again!!

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