Just finished Young Mungo. Oh wow, my heart is heavy 
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that book wrecked me.Just finished Young Mungo. Oh wow, my heart is heavy
i gave it four stars but the entire camping section (when i look back on it) just felt like Too Much and i wish there had been less of it. parts of it were really hard to stomach.
I was totally oblivious to this part of the story before I started it as I've managed to avoid reading anything about it but now I've finished, I've gone back to chapter 1, and it's hard hitting to know this is what he started with when you know what unfolds.
Douglas Stuart is a beautiful writer despite the themes always being heavy.
Edited to add - those of you that have read it, what year do you think it's set in? I thought maybe late 70s / early 80s but just saw something that said in the 90s.
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Agreed on all counts!
Young Mungo directly follows the end of Shuggie Bain so it's early 90s. It talks about specific football matches which Im sure are 1992 maybe?
I adored it. I loved Shuggie too. I know its v much marmite on this thread but his writing is so beautiful but also haunting.
I know people found Shuggie bleak but for me the overall theme throughout the book was love? Children grow up in households like Shuggies every day. Mothers and Fathers struggle like Agnes every day. Its closer to reality than fantasy. Even in 2023.
Loved Mungo though and I cant remember just how many threads ago but I know myself and other posters had sevea in depth conversations about it.
I would eagerly await his next novel, thats for sure.
I adored it. I loved Shuggie too. I know its v much marmite on this thread but his writing is so beautiful but also haunting.
I know people found Shuggie bleak but for me the overall theme throughout the book was love? Children grow up in households like Shuggies every day. Mothers and Fathers struggle like Agnes every day. Its closer to reality than fantasy. Even in 2023.
Loved Mungo though and I cant remember just how many threads ago but I know myself and other posters had sevea in depth conversations about it.
I would eagerly await his next novel, thats for sure.
Unpopular opinion probably but I just finished A Man Called Ove and was pretty underwhelmed. It was a sweet story but I found it quite slow and not very compelling. The only other Backman I've read is Anxious People, which I enjoyed but didn't love. It feels like there is a lot of hype around Backman but I'm a bit disappointed so far.
Also recently finished Girlfriends by Holly Bourne which I really enjoyed. Such an interesting exploration of female friendships and expectations on women. Very compelling.
Also recently finished Girlfriends by Holly Bourne which I really enjoyed. Such an interesting exploration of female friendships and expectations on women. Very compelling.
Same, I liked Shuggie too. I've read it but going to listen to the audiobook in a few weeks. I hope the TV adaption does it justice.
I went back to the old threads and read all your comments about YM.
Re the dates: I don't know why I thought it was the 70s/80s as there are a lot of references to Margaret Thatcher so definitely early 90s.
i wonder what his next novel will be about! heās stuck to very clear themes (like you say) in very similar surroundings but i know that he lives a very artistic life in new york now. i wonder if heāll branch out next and āleaveā glasgow or stick to the similar trends.
i like what you say about love! one of the loveliest story strands in mungo for me was the love between siblings, in very different ways, and in particular the link between mungo and his brother (whose name i have forgotten!) the sibling relationship in shuggie was interesting to me too, again with an older sister and brother. i suppose itās about how āmessyā love can be sometimes, or the cases when itās hard to show it for whatever reason.
Ha Ha (the brother, not laughing at what you posted).
You clearly see his childhood has a huge impact on his themes - teenager in Glasgow in the 90s, being gay, Mother lost to addiction at 16 - these would have been huge in his formative years. I think this really helps make his books come to life as they feel almost like they're autobiographical.
I'd love to see something more light-hearted and fun though. Whatever he does, I'm sure he'll do it justice.
thank you!! itās been a while since i read it and i would never have remembered - the relationship between him and mungo might have been my favourite part of the book really.
i would like to see him do a moving from glasgow to new york journey next (to continue with the autobiographical themes!) - it must have been such a huge culture shock, positively and negatively, and i would love to read about it.
I was the complete opposite! I hated the twist. Was totally invested until the reveal and then felt it was all a complete waste.
my mother felt exactly the same way! she said she felt betrayed by it, which i get. itās always a huge risk to write that much of a book and then be like no! hereās what was really happening once youāve got people invested. i found it heartbreaking but i absolutely understand why it would be the opposite too.
I havent read A Man Called Ove yet and I am a Backman stan. I love his stuff. I was actually going to suggest it for March book club with it being on a 99p offer this month.
His writing style is definitely unique and I think youl either love it or be turned off by it. I can completely understand why people do not like his books despite me being his biggest fan. I totally get it.
Ive seen some of the quotes from Ove and my heart is broken and I havent even read them.
I have Girlfriends on my wishlist!
I suspect or have read it somewhere that Shuggie is somewhat autobiographical. Its fiction but written from a lot of lived experiences. Is Shuggie some of a young Douglas Stuart? I believe so.
Young Mungo to a certain extent too perhaps.
Shuggie is probably one of my favourite fictional characters ever. He has a special place in my heart.
Im excited to see what he does next. I was born in a town near Glasgow with an Industrial heart that was absolutely decimated by Thatcher. I have such a special bond with these books. So I wouldnt be too sad if he did do more of the same.
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The overarching theme for me was love. Agnes, problems could somewhat be attributed to the love she craved? Her parents did not seem to care or love her, her romantic relationships did not pan out.
She loved Shuggie, Shuggie loved her. Love is messy.
In Young Mungo again like you say love is again a very obvious theme for me. James' love for his pigeons. To me it was such a tender and lovely relationship and the dread I felt in my stomach from the beginning about that storyline. I knew it would not end well.
I absolutely adored both of these books. I think I might need to re-read.
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^ This! I'd love to see a feel good story about that experience
I read that his first draft of Shuggie was 900 pages so I wouldn't be surprised if some of it was cut and made its way into YM.
I'm with you - I lived just outside of Glasgow in the 80s and still have family there. I'm reading these books picture the area, my family, the neighbours etc so definitely has a special place in my heart.
Iāve just finished it! Loved it but The Appeal is still my favourite by her
I really want to read Young Mungo, absolutely loved Shuggie Bain! I think being Scottish defo adds another layer to it which makes me love it more (same with The Young Team), feels so much more relatable and close to home. I might use an audible credit for Young Mungo but not sure Iāll get the same impact as actually reading it
Quick question though for people who have read The Alperton Angelsā¦
Who was āThe Mad Squaddieā and did he kill Amanda and Oliver?! Have I missed something?
I listened to both on audible. The narrator is excellent.
Also agree r.e The Young Team
I enjoyed (not sure thatās the right word) both Shuggie and Young Mungo but YM was very hard reading at times. The camping scenes were awful but somehow youāre still so absorbed and drawn into the story. Both fantastic books and would definitely read more by Douglas Stuart. IIRC I listened to the audiobook of Shuggie and read it too, for YM I read it. The narrator was great so highly recommend the audiobook if anyone is thinking of listening to it.
I donāt have any plans for the weekend so Iām having a chilled one and going to spend the time reading, I canāt wait
I donāt have any plans for the weekend so Iām having a chilled one and going to spend the time reading, I canāt wait
the perfect weekend! i will be doing the same - just started the birdcage by eve chase, which iām already intrigued by, so will probably spend my weekend with that, tea and reduced valentineās day chocolatesI donāt have any plans for the weekend so Iām having a chilled one and going to spend the time reading, I canāt wait
i also read small pleasures by claire chambers this week (after owning it for a long while!) and i canāt think of the last time that the final chapter of a book made me so mad! such a beautiful read and then - bam! second only to the mill on the floss for the most bamworthy final chapters ever, i was so cross
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