Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

140 reviews

cecereads__'s review against another edition

4.5

It took me a while to fully get into this story and have some of these characters get under my skin. I thought it was tender and beautiful and raw and hopeful - and shattering as well, let’s be honest. Some ppl don’t get what they “deserve (not that it can be quantified or sth like that but more karma-wise, good and bad, iykyk).
I don’t want to compare it to Shuggie Bain though there are many crossovers. However, I feel like the author has honed in on his craft and found sth that works for him. I’d like to think I could tell of a progression.
Themes of neglect, isolation, violence and alcoholism to be aware of. 

I hope to f**k Mungo and James are enjoying a quiet and happy life together. And that Jodie is at Uni living it tf up and finally on her own

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sky130's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

A gut punch of a book. Merciless but not sadistic, Young Mungo unfurls in a vicious elegy of poverty, patriarchy, and addiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

mganallirt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy

bookdragon137's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I skimmed this one besties. Will have to go back and read it properly sometime, but I was very much not in the mood for how sad it was. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Outing

milou125's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Abandonment

thaliaw's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty

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

Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent

tossabunch's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Murder

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