Scan barcode
jacq_s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Sexual violence, Violence, Abandonment, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Gore, Pedophilia, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Rape, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Classism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Outing, Abortion, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug abuse
aleksanski's review against another edition
- 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: Sexual assault, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Violence, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Outing
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
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: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Animal death, Violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Death, Grief, Blood, Rape, Murder, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Police brutality
unboxedjack's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Death, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, Homophobia, Outing, Xenophobia, and Rape
Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Abortion
ls_alexiou'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
Warning: this book will break your heart into pieces and then slowly stitch them back together.
It's an incredibly challenging depiction of a love between two young boys from different sects (one is protestant the other catholic) growing up in working-class Glasgow. It's a story about poverty, alcoholism, and the violent expectations of masculinity.
To be honest I don't think I can put it all to words how beautifully powerful this book is.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
There should be a CW tag for sectarianism.skudiklier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.5
It's written well, and Mungo is a likable and sympathetic character (especially his autism, which I immediately related to). But overall this book is just too sad, dark, and upsetting to me. I didn't get enough out of it for the darkness to be worth it. I might have DNF'd it if it wasn't for a book club I'm hosting; the time pressure was my only real motivation to keep reading. I didn't even necessarily want to know what would happen, because I knew it wouldn't be good.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, Ableism, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Abortion, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child death, Classism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Outing, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Fatphobia
tlaynejones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Rape, and Abandonment
Moderate: Abortion, Classism, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
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: Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Excrement and Vomit
Minor: Death of parent
jhaneveauguste'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Classism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Blood, Hate crime, Murder, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
flashandoutbreak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Abortion, Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Outing, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy