A review by ahbartlett
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

4.5

Absolutely fantastic read. This had such potential to be tragedy porn, as it touches on many of the similar themes as a book like a A Little Life. Where the two books may be similar is in how REAL each of these characters felt - to each work’s credit - but where they fundamentally deviate is in the hope that pulses through Young Mungo. Queerness, non-toxic masculinity, and pacifism were  Mungo’s salvation, not his tragedy, as would be so typical of books in this genre and subject matter. It was beautiful to read how much Mungo loved those that would (and some could argue, should) be considered unloveable, and how they ultimately love him in turn. The last page truly had me agog, but how could I be surprised by any other ending?