Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

31 reviews

nad_books623's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This is the saddest book I've ever read. I took multiple breaks to be able to get through this book and it can definitely be a huge trigger warning for someone. Even though it is written in third person the story is real and raw. I felt connected to the characters and the trauma they've been through especially for Mungo. The beginning was pretty slow and I didn't really care for the ending. I wish the ending was more definite but if the author wanted to write a sequel he could do it based off how it ended. 

What's funny to me is how Jodie at first seems like one of the only redeeming characters but she's just as cruel to Mungo as Maureen and Hamish. Also, it's beyond disgusting how his mother let him go with two strange men who are pedophiles.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Abortion

Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

cecereads__'s review against another edition

4.5

It took me a while to fully get into this story and have some of these characters get under my skin. I thought it was tender and beautiful and raw and hopeful - and shattering as well, let’s be honest. Some ppl don’t get what they “deserve (not that it can be quantified or sth like that but more karma-wise, good and bad, iykyk).
I don’t want to compare it to Shuggie Bain though there are many crossovers. However, I feel like the author has honed in on his craft and found sth that works for him. I’d like to think I could tell of a progression.
Themes of neglect, isolation, violence and alcoholism to be aware of. 

I hope to f**k Mungo and James are enjoying a quiet and happy life together. And that Jodie is at Uni living it tf up and finally on her own

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy

tomatoguts's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

I am very sad that I have finished this book. Will be thinking about it for a long time. I am going to miss checking in on the characters. Sad and beautiful. Mostly devastating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Grief

vidyasargeant's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

blues's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

5.0

Che viaggio spettacolare. Questo libro mi ha catapultato in una Scozia degli anni 80-90, in un ambiente chiuso, iper-mascolinizzato e religioso (con annesse lotte tra la parte protestante e la parte cristiana) e me l'ha fatto sentire a 360 gradi. Mi ha fatto conoscere Mungo, ma con lui anche tante altre persone con cui sono riuscito ad empatizzare, nonostante questi non fossero sempre personaggi molto positivi. Vediamo questi personaggi sia nei momenti "pieni" di trama, sia in quei momenti di quotidianità (soprattutto Mungo ovviamente), il che ci aiuta molto a capirli meglio, a capire come ragionano e quali sono i loro punti di forza e le loro insicurezze. 
Ho adorato particolarmente tutte le metafore che Douglas Stuart ha utilizzato per descrivere i sentimenti di Mungo e di tutti questi personaggi, facendomi sempre capire appieno la sensazione che voleva trasmettermi. 
Un'altra cosa che ho amato sono le descrizioni degli ambienti: riuscivo davvero a sentirmi dentro ai posti che raccontava. Non solo li vedevo nella mia testa, ma ne sentivo anche gli odori, i rumori e i sapori. Ero davvero insieme ai personaggi.
Questo libro mi ha preso il cuore e me l'ha strappato in mille pezzi, ma mi ha anche lasciato una parte di Mungo, che si muoverà con me ovunque io andrò. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is definitely one of those books where you leave it feeling really sad and upset and worried about the characters. And it feels weird to say that you liked it because there is some real bad shit going on in this book. I wonder how the experience would have been different if I would have read this book, and not had the great narration and musicality of the accent.  I want to read the other book that Mr. Stuart has written, but I think I need to take a break for a while in case Shuggie Bain is as heart-wrenching a character as Mungo is. This is definitely one that will have more trigger warnings selected than not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, and Death of parent

Big big trigger warning for

sexual assault and child abuse.

m4rtt4's review against another edition

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

4.5

A Glaswegian version of A Little Life. So sad, so painful, almost cried and had it been longer I probably would have cried — then again the book felt a bit dragging at times, so I'm glad it wasn't longer (and honestly my heart wouldn't have been able to take it either).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Death of parent

joeykills's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Outing, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

orangecasio's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF CSA IS A TRIGGER FOR YOU. 

It’s a beautiful but bitter sorry about late 20th Century Glasgow. It was really lovely seeing where I was born and grew up represented (although at a different time period). I would NOT call this a love story. It’s about two boys in love but saying it’s a love story would be misleading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, and Religious bigotry