Reviews with content warning for Violence - Young Mungo

Equally violent and tender. While the structure sometimes hinders the narrative more than helps, it's still an engaging read about queer love against the odds in Thatcher era Scotland. Douglas Stuart has a way with words that is so transporting and evocative as well. Also—

For those who have read “Shuggie Bain”, there’s a Shuggie cameo in this book starting on Page 292 in the hardcover when Mungo goes to Jocky’s pawn shop and runs into a ‘dark haired’ young man trying to pawn some little porcelain statues. While never named, he is described physically the same way as Shuggie is, he is described as having an odd “posh” accent. He jokes how his mom always thought pawn shops were “common”. And he’s selling the very same little porcelain statues that Agnes had to pay for beauty school to become a hairdresser… which Shuggie also loved playing with hair. And I totally pointed it out on Instagram and tagged Douglas Stuart and… he confirmed it 😂. Just a fun little Easter egg!

Content Warnings

kateway's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

Great writing when looked at in small chunks, but it made little sense when all together. I had to take notes and make a conscious effort to keep track of what was happening. Really awful things happen to Mungo for seemingly no reason. Hated the characters as well.

Detailed, descriptive consensual sex between minors. Big no from me.

Content Warnings

thunderhead's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

lewis_j_b_94's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

lenin_lover_69's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

In fairness to the book, I didn't love Shuggie Bain and worried that I would most likely also feel similarly towards this one based on what I'd heard and I think that was mostly exactly what happened....it felt so similar, in tone and character. I liked that we got to have some of the queer tenderness and love that we didn't get in Shuggie Bain but the violence and grimness was just so unrelenting....I know this is what Stuart openly says that it's the very real experiences of queer people at this time in Glasgow he draws on but I feel like maybe what he needs to so is write some creative non-fiction or something...I think that would feel less...gratutituous maybe?

The storyline with the two men he goes camping with felt really unnecessary although I do agree with other reviewers that the effort was made to depict those characters in a complex way. I also liked the character of Jodie although felt Maureen was like a less sympathetic caricature of Agnes Bain....like all the effort to give her depth went to Jodie and Hamish instead.

Anyway accidentally spoiled a lot of the key plot points for myself through trawling reviews but was glad as I could skim through some of the bits I couldn't stomach. I also just think I'm not that into his writing which is also OK! I live in Glasgow though so I do always enjoy the experience of reading a book set in a city you're very familiar with. Also so so many trigger warnings....and cannae with the tender lovely descriptions of men and all the women being haggard little freaks lol

Content Warnings