A review by meganannah
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

A story of two boys who never got the chance to love each other. Mungo is a 15 year old boy from Glasgow and this book follows two aspects of his life: his relationships with his family and a new-found friendship with James. The story is set in two separate timelines, which we flick between as we learn about Mungo's past and present, before they eventually merge to one. The book tackles some difficult topics so people should definitely check trigger warnings before reading. Nonetheless Stuart creates beautiful imagery throughout the story, whilst still addressing these important topics. Whilst following the developing love story between Mungo and James, we also learn about Mungo's relationships with each family member, creating a clear picture of his life. Mungo faces hardships for a variety of reasons such as homophobia, religious tensions and being surrounded by violence. As the book is written phonetically in order to portray the Scottish accents, it becomes incredibly immersive and fun to read. Ultimately the book follows Mungo getting repeatedly broken down, until he loses any hope he had remaining, but ends with a cliffhanger that leaves multiple possibilities open, rekindling the hope you (and Mungo) lost throughout the chapters. Young Mungo is heartbreakingly beautiful and I will be recommending it to everyone I know.
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