A review by danaaliyalevinson
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

Equally violent and tender. While the structure sometimes hinders the narrative more than helps, it's still an engaging read about queer love against the odds in Thatcher era Scotland. Douglas Stuart has a way with words that is so transporting and evocative as well. Also—

For those who have read “Shuggie Bain”, there’s a Shuggie cameo in this book starting on Page 292 in the hardcover when Mungo goes to Jocky’s pawn shop and runs into a ‘dark haired’ young man trying to pawn some little porcelain statues. While never named, he is described physically the same way as Shuggie is, he is described as having an odd “posh” accent. He jokes how his mom always thought pawn shops were “common”. And he’s selling the very same little porcelain statues that Agnes had to pay for beauty school to become a hairdresser… which Shuggie also loved playing with hair. And I totally pointed it out on Instagram and tagged Douglas Stuart and… he confirmed it 😂. Just a fun little Easter egg!
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