Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

3 reviews

firstknight's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Hate crime, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Outing

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abortion, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Racism, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

skudiklier's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.5

Please read the content warnings before reading this book.

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

rzh's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This was absolutely beautiful. I wouldn't change a thing. 
I love Glasgow, and this is obviously written by someone who loves it just as I do: the descriptions of all the streets, all the people...just mesmerising, makes me want to tear up. Every single character has a story, a reason for their ways, a mammy at home... and it never feels overbearing, or too much background. The way it deals with class and sectarianism and alcoholism and toxic masculinity is heartbreaking and red raw. I've seen some people say that this is just a rehashing of Shuggie Bain, and though I can certainly see that, I read another book by Douglas Stuart because I loved Shuggie Bain, and everything it was about. This was different, but not too different where I felt like it was off piste. The non-linear structure built together into a crescendo absolutely beautifully, the prose was so stunning, its about my favourite place in the world for all its flaws... it was just heartbreaking, and magical, and that's everything I loved about Shuggie Bain, and loved all the more here. Jist perfect. <3

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Rape, Homophobia, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Outing, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Vomit, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Abortion and Suicide attempt