Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

398 reviews

hannahwishart's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Another heartbreaking story from Douglas Stuart. This was bleak, tense and graphic.
The characters are well fleshed-out - most of them vile - and the setting is immersive. It’s uncomfortable and feels claustrophobic, in the sense that you struggle to imagine how Mungo might ever get out of this environment. Jodie is a protective factor for Mungo despite having her own traumatic events. I liked that there were a few supportive male characters who appeared to show Mungo kindness, empathy and safety, e.g chickie, Calum. I also enjoyed the development of Mungo and James’ relationship.
The cultural references were interesting, as was the portrayal of sectarianism and gang violence.
This book covers very heavy topics in graphic detail but I didn’t feel it was done in a tasteless, sensational way. 
I struggled somewhat with the timeline at times and I felt that the ending wasn’t completely clear - maybe that’s just me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy and Abortion

Minor: Death of parent

karitu3's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Blood, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Violence, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Alcoholism, and Sexual violence

rissryann's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Rape, Homophobia, Violence, and Animal death

tea_aunt'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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Bullying, Murder, and Outing

soapfaced's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Child abuse, and Homophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty

brooke_w's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Child abuse, Violence, Murder, and Sexual assault

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I think the author may have had a very sad life based on the two books I’ve now read. But both those one and Shuggie Bains have great protagonists - young men with the deck stacked against them since birth but who continue to learn their value and insist that they matter and eventually figure out how to hang into the most important part of themselves.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Abandonment, Abortion, Kidnapping, Addiction, Confinement, Physical abuse, Bullying, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Classism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault

victorsbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Death, Violence, Alcoholism, Rape, Abortion, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

lillamyy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Mungo bor Glasgow med sin mamma och sina två äldre syskon. Det är en våldsam plats att växa upp i, men Mungo vill inte slåss och följa i sin kriminella storebrors fotspår. 
Så en dag träffar han James och nya känslor kommer fram som han vet att folk inte skulle gilla, de två tonåringarna drömmer att de kunde fly tillsammans men det krockar ständigt med skräcken för att bli upptäckta. 
Så en dag skickar Mungos mamma iväg honom på en fisketur med två mindre trevliga män behöver han samla all sin inre styrka för att hitta ett sätt att ta sig tillbaka till säkerheten och till en plats där han och James kan ha en framtid tillsammans. 
En gripande och rå skildring av en liten bit tid i några personers liv under senare 1980-talet. Det finns så mycket känsla i berättelsen på gott och ont, om hur man ska vara och inte vara. Att det kan kräva stort mod att bryta sig fri från allt och gå sin egna väg. Var helt förberedd på ett annat slut än det öppna slutet som först förvånande mig och sedan gjorde mig så glad efter att jag lyssnade på det igen. Det är det perfekta slutet, som lämnar Mungos och James fortsatta framtid upp till läsarens egna fantasi och det är så tillfredsställande. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Alcohol

readwithsaray's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Religious bigotry