A review by milkfran
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.25

Was very keen to read this after adoring Stewart’s first prize winning novel, Shuggie Bain.  
Like Shuggie, it’s a grim portrayal of the real struggles faced by working class people in a post-Thatcher Glasgow and the painful reality of alcoholism.
It’s not a spoiler to say that it has strong LGBTQ+ themes and comes with a content warning for homophobia along with a long list of other things.
Beautifully written but I’m still not sure what to make of it- it feels very much like Shuggie part two. Grim and brutal and certainly not an easy read if you’re feeling emotional. Ooft. 

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