Take a photo of a barcode or cover
——————————————————-
Didn’t fully get the hype but I understand how middle class people not from Glasgow might get a voyeristic satisfaction out of reading this, it has an audience I’m just not it. At the end of the day it’s just another piece of trauma porn, silver lining is this it at least decently written prose.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence
It's a story of fixing your identity and how difficult that can be since you are living in a very closed environment and atmosphere where being gay is still wrong.
There are difficult moments where Mungo is assaulted and raped by people his mother trusted him to and even then they use his homosexuality against him as a justification for their actions.
I loved the way it was written. I loved the fact the author was proud and true enough to write in a glaswegian accent. I believe that is really important.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Abortion, Outing
The way this book shines light on a multitude of issues without it feeling too jumbled is impressive. Poverty, violence, religious wars, being queer in Glasgow in the 90s…
Reading this as a queer person who’s dealt with being cast out, with having physical altercations just because of my identity.. it was hard.
One quote really stuck with me, because it is something I experienced back when I was on the cusp of becoming a teenager, still figuring myself out:
“James turned away. He knew if they caught him staring they would have a hundred names for him before he had a name for himself.”
I returned to that page a lot, and I will continue to whenever I think about this heart wrenching story.
I recommended this to people who can stomach it. It’s really not an easy book to get through so please take care and check for trigger warnings.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Minor: Self harm, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Abortion
I like how they didn't really concentrate THAT MUCH on the relationship between the two boys, but enough to make us love them.
I liked the simple ending without much, it felt free and as if a heavy weight got lifted, it was okay.
Yet I struggle to give this book more stars, as it had something that I just didn't feel.
(I'm also Italian and struggled a bit with the Scottish lol)
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol