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hypocrisis's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
what i love about stuart's work is the realistically complex full characterisation of the families in his books, once again the mother figure sticks out in this regard. definitely worth a read if you can stomach it!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Excrement, Abortion, and Outing
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
tabear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
rebeccaddnti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
katiechasingchapters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mungo is an outlier in the violent and aggressively heterosexual world he lives in on a Glasgow housing scheme, raised mainly by his older sister Jodie due to their mother's neglect and alcoholism. Toxic masculinity and violence is rife, with men and boys expected to toughen up as many lose their livelihood and sense of self due to Thatcher era cuts.
Mungo's gang leader brother Ha Ha makes it clear the nervous and artistic Mungo is a disappointment to the family name. Mungo knows all too well the violence and hatred he'd be faced with if Ha Ha found out about his burgeoning relationship with James, a boy who lives in a flat behind theirs. Not only is James a boy but Catholic, and the sectarian divide is a clear one Protestant Mungo knows he can't cross without drawing the wrath of his brothers gang.
The story is beautiful, and utterly heartbreaking. It's full of despair and pain but has moments of such hope and strength, and I found it incredibly moving.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Vomit
aleksanski's review
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
alouette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this is a very difficult, very beautiful novel. i don't think i would've been able to make it through if i related any more to the characters (or was less able to numb myself to their pain). they are all such complicated, broken people and the fact that no one could protect Mungo had me in tears. even when he had to do what he did to protect himself, all i felt was sadness. i had to hold on really tight to the comfort of Mungo's relationships with James and with his sister <3
for all the darkness, my favourite part was the chance for us as readers to choose a happy ending in the implications of the very last scene. the world was and is and will be fill of terrible cultures and places and people, but we will find reasons to keep going.
my second favourite part was when Mungo kissed James and thought "maybe if lord of the flies had been more like this he would've paid more attention." same, bud, same
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Police brutality and Fire/Fire injury
karlo's review
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Death of parent
cluckieduck's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
What it did do, however, was reinforce my love for romance novels because the amount of despair & anguish that poor Mungo goes through is too much for my poor heart. Seems I can only take one piece of contemporary fiction like Young Mungo each year! Thankfully it ended on a somewhat hopeful note, otherwise I don't know how I would have coped.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Excrement and Vomit
Minor: Death of parent
kato_dg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
gorejoyous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit