Reviews with content warning for Violence - Young Mungo

A very expertly-crafted and well written story. I think I have to give it five stars for that, although it was at times bordering on too painful to read. I don’t normally look at content warnings and am okay with sad books but this was next level (I’ve been describing it as on par with A Little Life for sadness but half as long so not quite as intense). In some ways I’m glad I didn’t know it was so heartbreaking because this was an important book that digs deep in to the deeply messed up ways humans ignore sexual violence while policing queerness. Content warnings: sexual and physical violence, homophobia

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afterglobe's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

4.5/5 - Loved it.

"It was like hot buttered toast when you were starving. It was that good."

If that sentence doesn't send shivers down your spine, you must not have read "Young Mungo." This book is incredible. I feel at loss to even put into words what reading this was like, because I genuinely felt plunged into Mungo's world - the vulnerability and devastation, the beauty in the brokenness, the hope in a space that feels entirely desolate. As many readers have commented, "Young Mungo" strikes similar chords to "A Little Life" with a main character who is just too pure for this world and a painful narrative in which this character is faced with trials far too cruel for their kindness.

Yet despite the dark themes of this book - homophobia, violence, nationalistic conflict, addiction, rape - there are such intense rays of hope and light and brilliance that come in the form of characters who keep their basic goodness in the face of all the evils that the world can throw at them. This book is simultaneously heart-wrenching and inspiring. And I could not stop thinking about Mungo the entire time I was reading it. I wish I knew Mungo. I wish I could hug him and keep him safe. I completely fell in love with him and with James, with the intense goodness of these two boys.

Although I got a copy of this book to review, I went out and bought it today because I need to own it so that I can read it and re-read it and re-read it again. If I can't have a Mungo on my life, I need a Mungo on my shelf.

Content Warnings

lanafitzgerald's review against another edition

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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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

My favourite book so far this book. I was completely enamoured by the writing style. Douglas Stuart writes with such gritty realism and it's so utterly captivating. Mungo's voice was crystal clear and every character was written to perfection. I loved the addition of the Glaswegian dialect, which was really immersive. I loved this story, loved Mungo and James' relationship and careful, cautious adoration. They had some beautiful moments, and I was rooting so hard for them, but you just knew it was all going to be ripped apart. I liked the back and forth of the camping scenes and the backstory, and the significance of the camping scenes were revealed with each new chapter of the backstory. It worked so well and flowed so seamlessly. What happened to Mungo at the hands of the two men was so horrible and really, really difficult to read. It was a heartbreaking novel at times and a really uplifting one at others. Douglas Stuart really doesn't shy away from graphic detail, no matter how grim. The family dynamic was written with such precision and the attention to detail was unbelievable. I loved Jodie's character and my heart wrenched for her at times for what she had to put up with, all to protect Mungo, which was all the whole family wanted. Even Hamish, at the end, taking the fall for Mungo, had me nearly in tears. I was so happy with the hopeful ending, the hope of James and Mungo. The only reason this book didn't quite reach 5 stars was that it was just missing one pack of emotion at the end that I felt like it missed out on. Something to make the story tie together perfectly. I needed to cry and sob at the end, but I didn't get that release. I also would've liked to see a little more of James and Mungo's relationship. However, I thought this book was a total masterclass in writing and I'm so glad I picked it up (a total impulse buy based on the provocative cover) and I'm really excited to read Shuggie Bain and whatever else this man writes, because this book was beautiful.

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amelianotthepilot's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

another sad queer story

really well written interesting story about a young queer man in Scotland growing up a rough neighborhood of Glasgow. The story jumps between two timelines of him growing up and facing consequences. Characters are loveable and intricate.

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hannakutlu's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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librarywonders's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The themes of this book intersects with the themes of Stuart's previous book, Shuggie Bain - there's alcoholism, poverty, neglect, abuse. And there's a young, gay boy, trying to find his way in all of it. This book, however, is more explicit in its detailing of 1990s sectarian Glasgow and the all too pervasive homophobia. It was in many ways a devastating read. The experiences forced upon Mungo. The hyper masculine ideals that he tries his hardest to evade and not internalise. But it was also, in a way that I didn't feel Shuggie Bain was, a hopeful read. It can seem hard to imagine how, going through all that Young Mungo goes through, one can continue to both fight back and remain loving and believing in them self. But Mungo, in many ways, manages to do this. He refuses to let other people's convictions taint his feelings and hopes and wants. And that makes reading through all of the truly horrendous things portrayed in this story worth it in a way I maybe, looking back now, did miss in Stuart's first book.

Once again I cannot recommend enough listening to the audiobook version of this story if it's available to you. The narration really adds to the experience ✨

Thank you to @netgalley and @recordedbooks for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

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