Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

115 reviews

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A compelling read, beautifully but brutally written. It should come with trigger warnings as to say it is gritty and raw is an understatement. The books main character, Mungo, lives in Glasgow with his disfunctional family, his sister Jodie, and his absent (much of the time) alcoholic mother mo maw (Maureen). His elder brother Hamish (ho haw) is a protestant gang leader. Mungo falls in love with James, a Catholic, and the relationship is developed wonderfully. West Side story meets Romeo and Juliette. Set in 2 timelines, the developing relationship with James, and a fishing trip with strangers. Homophobia is rife. Raw, gut-wrenching, moving, heart-felt, belter of a story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Abortion, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Violence, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, and Physical abuse

mabs_grace'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

There were parts of this book that I liked as much as a 5 star read, but the toxic masculinity and abusive nature of the characters really started to piss me off by the time I was half way through the book. I loved the writing, it was beautiful but god damn I almost DNF’d this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Miscarriage and Abortion

leahcatching's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Murder, Sexual content, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Violence

tarnya_smith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

We follow Mungo, the youngest of 3 siblings to an absent father and a drunk mother who is intermittent and unreliable. Mungo tries to stay in school, navigate gang expectations from his older brother, keep connected with his mother and make friends. You really feel for Mungo and his want to escape this life and when he finds his reason and chance, you can't help but hope it's not too good to be true. 

I'd never read anything before with such a distinctive Glaswegian voice and the audiobook really helped with that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, and Violence

jgrhcklzccv's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Alcoholism, Rape, Violence, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

itsnotniko's review

challenging dark relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, and Abandonment

mamakiwi's review

challenging 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 This was my first Stuart book and I really liked it. This book was intensely difficult at times but I'm still glad I read the story. The character growth although traumatic af was taken into very deep consideration . I would like to read more from Stuart in the future to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship

rebecca_cant_read's review

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Addiction, Violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Alcohol, Classism, Death, and Pedophilia

theyseemeyolin's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Murder, Death, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Violence, Abortion, and Emotional abuse

maddb_96's review

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Death