This is a very, very brutal story, incredibly violent. Even when the characters do something cruel, still we feel that we understand their motives, even if we hate them for it.

I actually enjoyed the writing so much - Douglas Stuart has the singular talent of bringing to the page deeply sweet, innocent characters and also dark, broken characters, and make us fall in love with both of them. He befriends and then falls in love with a Catholic boy named James, in a Romeo-and-Juliet dynamic, although they both know it cannot end happily. Young Mungo is a beautifully written story of a teenage boy in 1980s Glasgow, too sweet for the brutal reality around him, and gay in a time when it homosexuality was viewed with hatred. It is a beautifully written, deeply moving, and ultimately uplifting story that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Stuart does an incredible job of shining a light on issues like poverty, abuse, and discrimination, while also celebrating the resilience and strength of the human spirit. The themes explored in 'Young Mungo' are difficult and sometimes painful, but they are also incredibly important. Mungo is a wonderfully complex protagonist, and I found myself rooting for him and empathizing with him throughout the book. But what really sets this book apart is the depth and complexity of the characters.

His descriptions of the Scottish landscape are so vivid and evocative that I felt like I was right there beside Mungo as he explored the rugged terrain. The story follows the journey of Mungo, a young boy growing up in Scotland in the 1980s, as he navigates the challenges of poverty, abuse, and his own sexual identity.ĭouglas Stuart's writing is simply stunning. This is an absolutely brilliant novel that left me completely enthralled from start to finish.

Young mungo reviews